Today was a hard and long day. I slumped down on my bed, exhausted. Even after having a tiresome day at school, mum made me do a few chores at home.

I had always dreamed of being a princess, surrounded by servants to do my homework, chores and everything I had to do myself. One day I learnt a very valuable lesson.

On a beautiful Wednesday afternoon, when I was going out, my mum gave me money to buy my favourite ice cream on the way back home. When I made my way to the ice cream parlour, I saw a figure wearing a cloak, sitting on the only vacant table.

I asked if I could sit there, and she politely replied in the affirmative. I looked at her face closely and realised she looked somewhat familiar. We talked for a while, eating the tastiest ice cream in town. Then the girl started showing boredom, so I asked if we could play and challenged her to race with me to the post office.

I ran as fast I could go, but it seemed that the girl had a motor installed inside her — she was running so fast that she became a blurry vision and disappeared from sight! Finally, I reached the post office, panting.

“Well, congrats on winning!” I said to her, but as I looked up, my eyes popped out. The girl’s hood had fallen back and it revealed the face of Princess Carolina!

I gaped at her, then started to make a hasty bow, but she caught me and hurled us inside the nearest telephone booth.

“Please, don’t exclaim!” she pleaded in a whisper.

“Why?” I questioned out loud.

“I was wearing a cloak to hide my identity because whenever I go to town, photographers and journalists start following me. You won’t treat me like I am a celebrity, would you?”

“No, Princess Carolina,” I said while making a little courtesy, not sure how to behave with her after knowing who she was.

“Please don’t call me a princess. Just call me Carol. And please don’t bow every time I speak!” she said in a terrified whisper.

“All right, Carol,” I grinned.

She wrapped herself in her cloak again and we stepped out of the telephone booth.

I asked Carol, “Do you enjoy being a princess?”

“No, of course not,” she said, as if this was very obvious.

“Don’t you enjoy living in a big palace, having servants, skipping school when you want, and eating the finest delicacies?” unable to believe what I was hearing, I pressed her with more questions.

“My life is anything, but fun. Girls all over the country wish for a life like mine but when you live it, it’s a nightmare. I have to take lessons at home, I have no friends, I have all sorts of responsibilities, and my parents are hoping that I will be the best queen in history when I grow up. And the worst of all is that I am trailed by journalists and guards all the time,” she detailed. It looked as though she’d been looking for someone her whole life to pour her heart out to. I helped her regain her sense of self and walked with her.

“How would you like it if you could swap places with me? Then you could live like a normal person and I could do whatever you do,” I suggested.

Her eyes lit up. “Oh! But your mum and dad will recognise me,” she replied.

“No, they won’t. I’ll tell them you are a friend who’s coming over to spend the day since her parents are out of town.”

It was agreed that I would visit her palace next week from morning to evening. Carol had informed the palace about the visit. She had, of course not said where she would be in the meantime.

I entered the palace and my jaw fell open. The palace was a place straight out of my dream, even better. I didn’t notice a woman standing beside me. She lightly tapped a cane on my back, until my posture was straight and perfect.

“Now, then. I am Madame Maud. You must be Miss Lola,” her tone was crisp and cold. “I am going to assist you through the day at the castle.”

First, she took me to the sewing room. There she made me learn embroidery. When we were proceeding to the ballroom, my hands were aching. After an hour of waltzing, I dragged my feet to the art gallery. The woman there assigned me to paint a very difficult painting from an image in a painting book. Soon I had paint all over my dress.

After looking at my messy state, Madame Maud said, “Looks like you should get changed, miss.”

I was taken to the wardrobe room and a fancy dress was picked. Then a lady, named Anne, helped me wear my dress. First, I had to wear a lovely white frock. Then Lady Anne pulled my corset very tight! I had to wear a crinoline too. Crinolines are those puffy plastic things to give the dress a shape from underneath the skirt. After my dress was ready, I was itching all over.

‘How on earth did Carol bear this?’ I wondered. At noon, I had lunch. I started gobbling down the feast, thinking it was the only good thing in the palace. Suddenly, I felt a cane tapping me. Madame Maud made my posture right and told me to eat slowly, exactly as she did, using the right cutlery for the right food.

Then she took me for some lessons. “Our British army fought at the sea to save our queen from the Spanish Armada from July to August 1588 at the British Isles and the British channel…” she went on about things I had no idea of.

At the evening tea, I was expecting something, anything, good. When I was served steamed salmon with honey mustard, I politely muttered to Madame Maud, “Can I please get ramen noodles? I’ll make them myself if you don’t want to.”

I got fiery-eyed glares so I returned to my salmon.

When the day, ended, I was finally walking home, I saw Carol coming. “I had the time of my life! I did gardening, photography and cooking. I played football and I also played with your cat, then I did your mum’s makeup and I ….” she paused, “Did you enjoy?”

I was so upset that I replied rather rudely, “It was awful. I don’t want to go near that wretched palace again! I am sorry, but this is what I felt.”

Carol smiled, “I know dear, this was the reason I wanted a break from my privileged life to really enjoy myself. I hope you understand that luxury is related to responsibility, and not everyone can bear it. I hope to meet you soon.”

We hugged and parted. I learned to value what I have the hard way, but for those who have the same wish, it’s not too late to walk on gratitude’s path.

Published in Dawn, Young World, August 17th, 2024