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One Child Policy

A lonely forlorn figure stands, shoulders slumped, life's energy sapped. A Face much older than the years, looks up at the arrival board, delayed not coming, lost walks in a daze, a mind crash too! Called to a meeting they all file in, media in a frenzy.

A zillion cameras flash, she hears the words the flight is missing, thinks of the pain when he was born, and the joy as she first held him to her breast. A room full of love, he grew so quick from infant to toddler, and high school student. She watched over him as only a mother can do. It was only a holiday trip, his dream.

Now the lites of the cameras flash, experts talk of this and that, transponders turned off, plane way off course. She holds the feeling with in, stands with hand in air, every one looks at her silent dignified despair. The Prime Minister says, "Yes, Mam!" The room so silent now, a voice only a child could know filled the room every one taken a back. "Please Sir, do you best, remember me today he is only nineteen and all that I have not a passenger or member of the crew, and for all mothers I speak, not passengers or crew but some one loved, just like your mother loves you!"

With that she turned as a zillion camera lights flashed, as she slowly made her way from the room, no answer expected in her heart she knew, never to see the smile squeal of toddler delight all that makes a mothers life.

Aircraft missing, transponders turned off, media circus now in flight, questions to her from left and right, tight lipped she remained, walks slowly on, thinks five or ten years from now, yesterday's headlines forgotten and gone, but in her mind only nineteen and gone...

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