Joys no money can buy.

I crushed a small boy’s chance at happiness today. I was in a position of power to allow him a bit of joy, and I denied it to him. He was reaching right in that direction and I just put my finger there instead. Then I pressed the button. I made the silver button glow. Then all the little boy could do was stare helplessly knowing that if he pressed it again it would make the light go away, so he couldn’t.

I remember the time when there was such great joy in pressing the elevator buttons. Or any buttons, for that matter. There was just a certain joy in placing your finger(s) on a surface, applying some pressure, then voila! Something magical would take place. Food would become warm, colours would come on to the grey screen and static would crackle over the surface, blades of coolness would move causing that oh-so-calming whirr in the air, water would come trickling out. It’s a magical feeling. When was the last time I felt that sense of excitement at pressing a button? Oh yes, just now, right before I realized that my joy was taken from a small child.

I feel like a monster now. A terrible, child-joy-stealing monster. And now I also feel hungry. Perhaps some warm milk would do the trick.