Our neighbour Kamala aunty was going away for a month. She gave us her apartment key and asked us to water her plants.
“Please keep food for Tintu and Mintu in my balcony every morning,” she said. Tintu and Mintu were crows that aunty fed. We promised to take care of her plants and Tintu and Mintu.
A week later, Kamala aunty called to ask about Tintu and Mintu. We had taken turns to water her plants, but we forgot Tintu and Mintu. We did not want to upset her, so my sister Amita said that Tintu and Mintu were well.
On Saturday, Amita and I rushed to Kamala aunty’s balcony and put out a bowl of grains.
It was 9:00 a.m. We waited for an hour, but there was no sign of Tintu and Mintu. We went back in the evening and found the grains were untouched. “Tintu and Mintu must have gone in search of food. It’s our fault,” I said sadly.
“Don’t worry, Harita,” said my mother. “We’ll keep some rice tomorrow.”
The next day, we got up at 5:00 a.m. and mother cooked the rice and sambar. By 6:00 a.m we laid out a buffet for Tintu and Mintu. Our menu was sambar rice, grains and mixed fruit.
We hid and waited eagerly. An hour later we had a visitor. A squirrel! He jumped from the neem tree into the balcony and began to eat the cherries and bananas. He was joined by two pigeons who feasted on the grain. Still, there was no sign of Tintu and Mintu.
The squirrel and pigeons began arriving every morning on Kamala aunty’s balcony to eat the food we laid out. Our father kept a small bird bath in the balcony. This bird bath delighted the two pigeons and one day, we were surprised to see two sparrows enjoying a meal. We thought the sparrows had vanished from our city.
It was a beautiful sight to watch the birds enjoying the bird bath. Three weeks passed and still there was no sign of Tintu and Mintu. But we continued to keep food for our other morning visitors.
Then, Kamala aunty returned. We went to see her. She welcomed us in with a smile and led us to her balcony and there was Tintu and Mintu in the bird bath along with the sparrows and pigeons.
“Thank you so much for the bird bath,” said Kamala aunty.
“We forgot to feed Tintu and Mintu for a week and we didn’t see them for a month. We are sorry for lying to you,” said Amita.
“Yes, I know,” said Kamala aunty with a twinkle in her eye. “But you helped me find new friends. My mornings have become brighter. Thank you so much.”
The squirrel brought his friend. “I have squirrels too as my morning visitors now. They are so adorable,” said Kamala aunty laughing. “Should I expect more visitors?”
“Only them,” said Amita.
“I wonder where Tintu and Mintu were all these days,” I said.
“They were fine,” said Kamala aunty.
As we were leaving, I suddenly remembered Kamala aunty telling us she knew we forgot to feed Tintu and Mintu. How did she know that? I turned and saw Tintu and Mintu sitting on the arm rest of her chair and cawing. Kamala aunty was nodding as she listened.
Did Kamala aunty know the language of crows? Did they complain about us?
