Chapter 7: From nothing to something

When Dan went out to water the garden one morning, he heard a faint sound. Curiosity compelled him to follow it, which brought him to a chamber overlooking the orchard. He peeked inside and discovered Father Reda sitting at a table, working on something delicate.

Dan tapped on the window, and Father Reda motioned for him to come in and sit beside him. Prior to father Reda, there was a pile of diamonds that resembled glass or raw glass. He held one between the jaws of an iron clamp mounted above the table and cooled it with a grinder, resulting in a dazzling, colourful brightness on its surface. Without pause, Father Reda questioned Dan:

"Do you want to know what I'm doing?"

Dan vigorously nodded his head in affirmation.

Father Reda explained, "This is a precious stone called a diamond. I am polishing it to make it suitable for adornments like rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets that women wear."

Dan picked up a raw stone, examining it closely, and mentioned something.

"This piece in your hand, after being polished, could buy you a house," said Father Reda.

He then placed another stone in Dan's hand, saying, "And if you add this to it, It could buy you a large farm!"

Dan's jaw dropped as he looked at the valuable pieces he had thought were just stones and asked, "Where do you get them from?"

"I buy them from the jewelers' market. Traders bring them from distant lands where they mine them," Father Reda replied.

"And why are they so expensive?" inquired Dan.

"Because they are rare, and people love the rare and unattainable! And because their dazzling brilliance captivates women everywhere, making them compete to acquire them, and men find them the shortest way to women's hearts!"

Dan didn't show that he understood what Father Reda said, but he kept turning the raw stone, remembering where he saw it. The old man struggled, pushing the grinder with weak hands and dim eyes.

Dan offered to help him, and after some hesitation, Father Reda agreed. He rose from his seat in front of the clamp and seated Dan there, observing as he cooled a new stone with strong hands.

From that day on, the old man no longer did without him; he became his hands and eyes. Dan learned to polish precious stones and give them the desired size and shape.