Maryam and Sara stumbled upon a shop across the street while walking home from school. Maryam, in astonishment, paused by the glass window of the store.

Confused, Sara asked her, “What happened?”

Maryam pointed at the massive display of “Train City Toy Set”, complete with tiny villages in a plastic town and colourful LEGO blocks.

The sisters examined every detail of the cool speedy trains, their eyes widened in surprise. The only problem was that the price was higher than they had expected.

Sara was hooked to the toy, ready to do anything to have it. The next day, Maryam checked her mini bank, finding a few bucks from her pocket money. Maryam also had some money which her mother had given her to use in the school canteen. So taking all the money she had, Maryam went to Sara’s room, where they decided to combine their savings to buy the toy set. But even with their collected cash, they still had less than the amount needed to buy the toy.

Sara sat in disappointment and Maryam tried to console her when their mother entered the room with a smile on her face, holding a tray with a plate of chips and orange juice.

Mother inquired what was worrying them. When she learned about the toy, she consoled the children and cheered them up by saying, “How about you girls sell cookies in the neighbourhood? Maybe that could help you come up with enough money?”

Maryam replied, “Cookies are so expensive to make. And difficult too.”

Mother then gave another idea, “Sell your old toys. You don’t play them anymore, do you? They can make you some profit.”

Sara shook her head, “Nobody would want to buy our old toys.”

Feeling hopeless, Maryam was on the verge of crying. Mother thought hard for a while and came up with an idea, “How about you set up a lemonade stand in front of the house? Decorate your stand with posters and markers. Everyone will surely buy your refreshing drinks during these hot summer days!”

Sara was thrilled and she loved that idea. Maryam began jumping with joy, skipping with pure delight. So, the girls planned to set up a lemonade stand in their neighbourhood. They gathered supplies, designed colourful posters and picked a nice sunny Sunday to kick off their mission. Touched by the girls’ dedication, some of their cousins planned to help them out by hanging the signs and painting on the wooden stand.

On the day of the stall, they worked together to squeeze lemons, and blended the lemons with sugar and honey in the blender. Then they collected paper cups, plastic straws and tiny umbrellas for decoration. They also took ice cubes along with them to add in some extra freshness on a hot day.

Maryam and Sara decided to add a twist to their lemonade stand by introducing a secret ingredient — a hint of freshly picked mint from their backyard. The minty flavour added a refreshing taste to their lemonade.

When they set up the stall, the people of the neighbourhood were surprised, not just because of the refreshing drinks, but also because they appreciated the kids’ efforts.

The news of girls’ dedication spread throughout the neighbourhood. The street was filled with laughter and chatter. Families gathered, buying the refreshing minty drinks. The atmosphere was filled with the delightful aroma of homemade joy.

The girls, beaming with pride, served their refreshing lemonade to the crowd. They also served cupcakes and packaged biscuits. The clinking of coins into the money jar made them proud of their dedication.

The summer day became a cherished memory. As the day came to an end, the streets echoed with the sounds of happiness and community joy. With grateful hearts, they closed the stand as the sun began to set. The giant train toy set, once a dream, seemed so close. Maryam and Sara couldn’t wait to make that dream a reality and bring the beloved toy home.

Published in Dawn, Young World, February 10th, 2024