Madonna of the Goldfinch...

By Raphael..
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First of all, we would like to thank SVKM for giving us the opportunity to deal with
projects as a part of the BMM curriculum.

We, the students of ‘Usha Pravin Gandhi College of Management’, would like to
take this opportunity to express our humble gratitude to our respected professors, for
the creative support and motivation we received from them.

It was very reflective learning with them and we are sure that it will be very helpful in
our further studies and fields of work. We are grateful to them as they helped us in all
the necessary requirements of our project. Thus, our sincere thanks to the teacher for
their guidance and support and for imparting us great knowledge in their tutorials.

Thanking you

RUCHI SHAH

SY BMM-B

20083098
Madonna of the Goldfinch...

By Raphael..

“THE TRAGIC INCIDENCE...!”

Vayola was sitting on the rocks, reading to her sons John and Jordan. She was
engrossed in the story and her sons listened obidiently. All around them, there
was an atmosphere of peace and calmness, where no one could have predicted
tragedy.

Valoya had moved into the village of Toledo, along with her husband and two
infant sons. Her husband Peter was a Priest at a nearby church and the devoted
husband and father. They had been married for two years before the twins came
along, who are now three years old.

Valoya had been a boisterous young girl in her childhood days. There was not a
tree she dint climb, and not a single glass she dint break alongwith the boy’s
hand! But all that changed more than just a bit, once she met Peter. “An
amazing influence!”, her mother used to tell him. “What did you do change
her?”. “Oh! Nothing, just a littlel bit of love,” he’d say with a sheepish grin.

On this particular day, Peter had left home early. Vayola decided to take the
boys to the Meadoll (grassy area) for a picnic. She packed their lunches and sat
off. Once they found a suitable spot, they spread their blanket and she sat on a
rock to read to them.

As she was halfway through her story, she felt a slight tremor beneath her feet.
For a moment she wondered if it was an earthquake, but quickly dismissed it.
She continued reading but again felt a vibration which was stronger and longer
this time. She panicked. She was certain it was an earthquake. But Vayola was
unaware that the village of Toledo was placed at the foot of a volcano.

Vayola grabbed her sons and looked around for a safe place. She found a
clearing, a few yards ahead of the picnic spot. There was a huge tree with a
hollow at its bottom. Vayola told her sons to stay in there till she tells them to
come out. She hurried towards the church to look for her husband, as the church
was closer than her home. She found him and said “Peter, I think we’re having
an earthquake! I’m terrified. Lets leave the village soon!”. “Where are the
boys”, he asked. “I couldn’t carry them and they can’t run as yet, so I’ve left
them in a safe place,” she said. “ Alright, lets hurry and get them.”
Jordan creeped out of the hollow and started looking around to find his mother.
John had fallen asleep inside the hollow. As Jordan stood there, the volcano,
which had remain dormant for 25 years, erupted. He did not move even as the
hot volcano lava rushed angrily towards him.

Vayola and Peter rushed towards the Meadolls and even as they came closer to
the clearing, they saw something. Peter was aghast and the next thing he knew,
Vayola was fainting in his arms.

“Where am I?”, Vayola asks as she slowly opened her eyes. “You’re in the
doctor’s house, my dear” said an elderly nurse. As Vayola closed her eyes
again, she knew what had happened. The last thing she rememebered was
hearing Jordan crying out in sheer pain “mumma! mumma!”. Her heart tore as
she realized those were his first words. And then she saw the tree sinking into
the liquid fire, carrying her john too.