The ring

New Year's Eve. She said to herself "This year I'll gonna marry!" knowing that isn't even the slightest possibility. She decided to put an end to those three years of nonvoluntary celibacy. She knew that there was no chance to do it but she set herself this goal. All her friends were married, all her friends' friends were married. Where would she might meet a decent guy?

Three months she was thinking how a wedding ring will give her more credibility, more security. Nothing happened, no guy on the horizon.

After another three months she started to look around paying more attention, maybe she was too absorbed by her dreams to see, to recognize her match.

The fall came with holiday nostalgia and sorrow loneliness. The solitude begun to do its work, her soul attrition was growing as fast as the months went by.

Christmas Eve. She was the saddest person in the world not necessarily because se was still lonely but because she didn't achieve her goal. She decided in a blink of an eye to do something about that: if there is no guy to worth it she might buy a wedding ring for herself, just one. This will lead everyone into thinking that she's married, she's a respectful lady.

She entered the first jewelry shop and she boldly asked for the best wedding ring she saw. She studied it in and outside, in the light and in the shade, willingly postponing the moment when she put it on.

Finally, she slowly pointed her fingertip to the ring's heart. With a sensual slow motion she crossed with the nail top the imaginary border of the ring. Suddenly, her heart started to beat awfully, scratching her brain like a piece of chalk on a blackboard.

- This is wrong, this is lying!
- No, it's not! No one will know!
- But I'll know!
- So what?! You'll feel better when people will see you as a married woman.
- Yes, but will still be a lie, that feeling.
- So what? You wanted self-confidence, you wanted respect, didn't you?
- How could I respect myself if I know I'm living a lie?
- Ok, then find yourself a husband!
- I don't really need one, I need instead the pride a husband will bring to me.
- Aren't you proud of yourself? Are you such a bad person that you have to live through another one's life?
- It's not that...
- Yeah, yeah... what did you do wrong that you have to hide yourself behind someone's ring?
- Nothing!
- So you are not ashamed of yourself?!
- No! I'm proud of my life, of what I've became.
- If you could live your life again which thing or deed you would change?
- ... I guess nothing...
- So why change it now? Why change it into a lie?

She put the ring down, thanked the shop assistant for the help and left the jewelry shop with a large smile on her face. For the first time she saw people smiling on the street, the ring was complete.

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