I remember very little about my birth: it is said that a shoemaker was ordered to stitch me. As soon as I was born, misfortune took place because the girl for whom I had been made for died in a plane crash.

After that no one came to take and I was kept on a shoe rack. My friends left me one after another and I felt sad and lonely. I had almost given up hope, but like they say every cloud has a silver lining, a pretty girl entered the shop one fine day to get her shoes repaired. Her eyes fell on me and she bought me. I was happy and excited.

Back home, that girl name Sarah lifted me up and admired me. I was proud of myself. Sarah took great care of me. Everyday she polished me and took me wherever she went. She didn’t leave me even when she attended parties. In the evenings she would keep me on a special shoe rack. I really enjoyed her company.

One night a thief broke into our house and took

all the belongings. He quickly put me in his torn rucksack and started running. Somehow I fell off his rucksack and into a drain. I was left there for three days. Once again I was all alone. I wept a lot but no one came to help me.

Luckily on the fourth day a poor girl happened to pass by. Seeing me, she took pity on me and carried me to her hut nearby. She was a baby sitter and everyday she took me with her. Life was quite tiring, yet I was happy.

One evening, she forgot to keep me inside her hut. The same evening a poor street boy came searching for old goods. He saw me and put me inside his sack and sold me off to a cobbler who dumped me in a dark room. I was heart broken, feeble and weak.

Then one morning the cobbler took hold of me and gradually tore me apart. I cried out in agony, I almost died in pain. Later he gave me a new life, he redesigned me and made me look even better.

Now I’m being kept in a show case. The cobbler loves me a lot but I’m waiting patiently for someone kind and understanding to buy me again.

— Sarah Maharjan, Class VII, St Mary’s School