Some kids want to be a firefighter or a pilot when they grow up but this kid was destined to be a baker. Since a young age, Tariq would help his mother with her cake business. When Tariq wasn’t at school, he and his mother would bake birthday cakes, anniversary cakes and even wedding cakes.
Before Tariq was born his father left the country not wanting anything to do with his son. But Tariq and his mother managed well, due to the success of his mother’s business.
But a few days after Tariq’s 13th birthday his life changed in a flash. He and his mother were on their way to deliver a cake order when they got into a dreadful accident. Within seconds the ambulance were there and they were rushed to hospital. Unfortunately, his mother didn’t survive and Tariq was permanently disabled and confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
Of course, Tariq was devastated. With no clue where his father was and unable to take care of himself, Tariq had to move in with his grandparents. When his father had first left his mother, Tariq’s grandparents had helped his mother make her business. They would go out to buy ingredients and help with cake deliveries and sometimes baked a few cakes themselves. Fortunately, by the time Tariq was born, his mother had moved out and had bought an apartment with her savings.
They agreed in an instant to be the new guardians of Tariq, in large hope that he had inherited his mother’s talent and urge for baking cakes. To their surprise, Tariq didn’t seem at all his mother’s son. For the next few months, he was all gloomy and never seemed to have a smile on his face. What could you expect, thought his grandparents. The kid had lost his whole life of bliss within seconds.
But after a few months, Tariq actually felt excited for the first time in ages. He had been asked by his teacher to take part in a cake sale as a fundraiser for their school. His grandparents were eager to finally get to know the real Tariq as they could sense he was always himself when he was baking cakes. Seeing how important it was to Tariq that the cakes were a success, his grandparents offered to help him, just like they had helped his mother.
So, the very next day, they got to work. They made chocolate cake, red velvet cake and any cake they could imagine. And when the cake sale was over, they had raised over 500 euro for their school. The teacher congratulated Tariq for his impeccable baking skills. Tariq had feared for the past few months that due to his disability he couldn’t do what his heart desired. But now he has his confidence back and ready to do anything with his grandparents right be his side. His grandparents were very proud of Tariq, especially when this reminded him so of his mother.
‘THE STORY BEHIND A BAKER’: Short story by Cionna Manu from Kilkenny Indian Community
