PHOTOGRAPH

I had such a sleepless night, I was laying in bed gazing at nothing in my dark room.

I was thinking about the locket, and the mysterious person who was behind the gift I received, how the person got the picture that was used and why he or she did it.

The picture was taken three days before my moms demise.

My mom and I went for a picnic in the park on Sunday, the same park I was in earlier, while we were gulping down our juices, unknown to us, a random street photographer took a picture of my mom and I, this man came to us smiling, showing off his teeth, squinting his eyes to see because the ray of the sun was hitting his face, he cringed toward sus, and waved at her and he showed her the picture.

My mom was in awe "Oh wow this is beautiful, when did you take it? It's lovely! Look at this Darryl" I was already feasting my eyes on the picture and alluring it!

"You can keep it ma'am" He proffered the picture to my mom. My mom offered him a few cents and he accepted it, I saw the gloom on his face as he left, my mom stared at the photograph for a minute before placing it in her bag.

If I was a soothsayer, I wouldn't have let my mom leave the house, I would have pretended to be sick but life has its way.

The night to my birthday, I was feeling ecstatic about the tomorrow, I had perfect plans for the day, I invited friends and cousins, I brought out the copy of my wish list, I gave my mom the first copy earlier that day.

As early as seven O' clock AM (7:00 am), my came to my room singing the customary birthday song "_Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday, happy birthday, happy birthday to you_" The last I heard my mom sing.

I could feel the warm tears streaming down my eyes to my ear causing a tingle.