Broken

I opened the door wide-eyed, heart beating

Fast. The light was blinding,

The smell; welcoming.

She said we could get a brand new

China set. Any one I wanted

I could have. Hundreds of

Pretty little dishes were stacked and

Placed in intricate patterns on shelves.

I gazed around, paying very little attention

To each one, not really captivated or stunned

By any means. I rounded the corner quickly,

Unimpressed but hopeful.

There it was. So pretty. So perfect. There were only

A few sets of this kind left. Appreciated by more than me,

Its edges were laced with fingerprints that the hired hand couldn’t

Wipe away.

Without warning I picked it up.

Heavy in my hand; the charger,

The dinner plate, the salad plate,

The bread plate, the saucer,

The tea cup.

I became lost in the red swirls and

Textures on the cup. Imagining having tea

Parties with my dolls, my G.I. Joe, and Barbie.

But out of the corner of my eye I saw a glimmer.

The same set but

In ocean blue.

I began to lose my concentration,

My thought, my balance.

They fell, one right after the other.

The tea cup hit first, and continued

To break, even after the last dish had fallen.

My mother ran over. Furious. Confused.

She apologized to the guy behind

The counter. Grabbed my hand and we

Raced out of the store, my eyes never

Leaving the ocean blue china set.