The Magic Umbrella

This story grew out of the coronavirus epidemic in China. One of the girls I know in Beijing, Winnie, lost her job before the Spring Festival. This was about the time that the whole virus crisis began. The outbreak meant that everyone in Beijing was isolated to their apartments, unable to go out to their jobs or classes or shopping or to visit with friends. I was trying to instill a feeling to her that people should take advantage of this forced isolation to sit and write their stories. Winnie wrote up some of the stories of her growing-up days and shared them with me. One of them caught my eye as being particularly insightful. I set about to filling in some embellishments and bringing it to life. Here is Winnie’s story.

One of my earliest memories is when I was 4 or 5 years old. I remember wanting an umbrella – a bright blue umbrella – like the one I saw the little girl carrying down the street. I couldn’t stop thinking of holding that umbrella over my head as I danced through the water puddles. I asked my mother if she could buy one, just for me. She looked at me, a little smile playing upon her lips, and said, “But honey, you don’t need an umbrella if it isn’t raining!” I couldn’t believe it. I would have to wait for it to rain to get my umbrella! Suddenly, I wanted nothing more than a big rainstorm. But the sky seemed to be perpetually blue. There was not even a cloud in the sky. And this lovely weather went on for days. I could barely stand it. I so wanted rain – lots of rain. The weather forecast would say it was going to rain and I would get excited. But the forecaster was wrong – the sun continued to shine! 

And then one morning it happened! I woke to hear raindrops drumming on the rooftop and water droplets sliding down the windowpanes. I sprang out of bed like a cat and clambered down the stairs to find my mom. “Mommy, mommy,” I screeched in excitement. “It’s raining! It’s raining!”

My mother gathered my speeding body into her arms and gently told me that perhaps I should look behind my bed. I looked up at her with awe and wonder in my eyes. Had she been thinking of me and doing this special thing for me? I spun around, ran back to my bedroom and dove across the mattress. I peered down at the floor between the bed and the wall. And there it was! A bright blue umbrella; just my size. I reached down plucked it up with my eager fingers. I pressed the little button on the base that caused it to unfurl its brilliant canopy and I allowed it to float above my head.

I could barely contain my excitement as I slipped into my school clothes and rushed down to the kitchen again, the umbrella held high in my outstretched arm. I placed it carefully on the floor beside me as I gobbled down my breakfast. I was so eager to head off to school in the pounding rain with my bright blue umbrella held proudly over my head. But first I gave my mother the biggest hug. She had been thinking about me all the time. And she had bought me the very best gift; a magical umbrella that not only kept my head dry, but which also warmed my heart!