The snapshots were for the painting course of the little girl. Her mother made up the braids in a mouse tail fashion and she put it a rabbit hair band. Then she took her hands and she went to photo shop at the corner.

The photographer seated the girl on a high chair, he told the girl to look at the bird's picture on the opposite. He went out, saying her not to blink. The mother leaned against the door and a flash lit the room, a few seconds later. The photographer opened the door and said that he is finished.
The mother asked: "How long it takes to deliver?"
"Ten minutes", said the photographer.

Ten minutes later, it was ready. The mother opened the envelope. The paper was blank and white. Once again they took Sahar to the room and the flash went out. Ten minutes later, it was white again.

"Maybe, there is something wrong with the camera", said the mother.
The man said, "You take a seat to test."
The mother sat down. The flash light lit her face. Ten minutes later, the mother's photo was ready, no problem.

"I don't know, why your daughter's photo is blank," said the photographer. "I hadn't such a case. Have you got any picture of her, yet?"
The mother didn't answer. She tightened the mouse tail, braid on Sahar hairs.

They went to the studio. Another flash light, a ten minutes waiting, the third picture was blank, again. And the fourth on... The mother was frightened... "That's enough", she said, "Surely, your apparatus has some problems."
The photographer said, "It is safe."
She became upset, took her child's hand and they went out of photographers When they came back to the painting class, the teacher said smiling, "Did you take the photos?"
"It was not ready," said the mother.
The teacher said, "No problem. A photocopy of her birth certificate is enough now."
The mother fished out the certificate, and said, "I didn't take a copy."
She said, "Take it easy... We have a Xerox machine here in." and got the birth certificate from the mother.
Then, the woman said, going to the Xerox machine, "Is it her first time that she goes to a class?"
"Yes, she is just three years old."

She smiled at the little girl saying, "Well, you're welcome. By the way, what's your name, little lady?"
The girl was silent. Her eyes were dumb, like the black eyes of the rabbit on her band. "She is shy, a little," the mother said, "Her name is Sahar."

The teacher took a glance at the certificate. She paused a moment. She turned the pages to have another look. She was nervous and perplexed. "Is this your daughter's certificate?" she asked.
The mother said for sure, "Yes..."
The pale teacher looked in turn to the mother and her daughter. "But mom, here is written... I mean a mistake is done surely." She said, "Here, it is written, three years ago she died... when she was seven months old."

The mother patted her daughter's black hairs, playing on her hair rabbit band. Then, looking steely at the teacher, she said, "Yes... but she draws very well..."

Then handling her a pencil and white sheet on the desk, said, "Draw Sahar!" The girl got the pencil in the very eyes of the teacher and draw on the sheet. She put down the pencil a moment later. The mother, a proud smile on her face, brightened and took the paper of the teacher. It was a picture of a girl, two dots for her eyes, small lips and nose, with hair on her forehead and a rabbit brand hair band... The little girl in the painting smiled proudly... just like the same smile of the mother.

Short Stories