The photographer said- say cheeeese!
Cheeese! Everyone flashed their yellow, not so yellow teeth
Armaan wondered, when it was the last time
That they were served cheese in dinner
Perhaps last to last year when that beautiful socialite had come
So happy they were, all the children at SMILE foundation
They were given new clothes, toys, some books
Everyone wanted that picture book
On the eatable page, there were cherries and pastry
Pastry, what was that! He asked the caretaker
Will we get it in dinner? Looks yummy!
The caretaker smiled
oh smile, is what they were taught to do
Pastry? Yes, one day. Don’t worry. We get paneer today!
In the meanwhile, the madam taught them to make artificial flowers
And said- my dear loves, you all are like these flowers
Keep smiling, no matter what. After all we should be thankful
To god for this wonderful life, why greet it with a sad face
When you smile, you make people around you happy
And you all look so pretty and handsome.
Armaan looked at Akram.
Gosh! He looks as much a crook, in fact more terrible while smiling
His bunny teeth seems ready to bite off them
When he comes to wake them up for work
And again smile please, say cheese!
She had pictures clicked with them, and then went off in her big car
Didn’t she say last time they will be given a ride in her car
Anyway it was time for dinner
But alas..paneer ! what is so great about it..
Sophia said- liar! It tastes like fried unripe banana chunks
I remember, the house in which I worked, they made it.
Oh no silly…this is paneer, cheese! And they all smiled
And then- thank you lord for the food we eat, thank you Lord for..
Why thank you, why smile ?
God did not give us mummy and papa, god did not give us cars
We don’t get pastries to eat, we don’t go to school by bus!
Why smile to keep these people happy!
Photo session was over, Today SMILE had completed ten years
Spreading smiles to three hundred orphans
The best smiles were selected for the news cover
They were so happy, they will be in newspaper!
Armaan asked the caretaker
What do we get today?
We get paneer and tomorrow we go to meet the president!
In car? No, cars are small, we go in a huge bus and eat chocolates on the way
Get your clothes ready. Happy?
Happy? No he wasn’t.
But he smiled, the widest grin ever
Why make faces, when nothing can be done
Smile, no matter what! Say CHEESE!
