Summer was so hot that Vireeb knew he would soon melt and become a big puddle on the floor. He was horrified to think that his mother and father would slip on that puddle and break their bones and end up in bed.
“It is only to save you from an accident,” he told them, begging them to take him to the seaside. He imagined the lovely, cool breezes and salty waves and crumbling carpet of sand. Not to mention big ice-cream cones.
His parents were clever. His father said, “We have medical insurance, so it’s okay to break our bones. Don’t worry, Vireeb.”
His mother said, “You’re so thoughtful, darling. We’ll make sure you don’t become a puddle. Stay under the fan during the day, and go out and play when there’s a breeze.”
“Please, please, please!” he said. “You promised me!”
“I know, darling,” said his mother. “But something came up suddenly in Daddy’s office, and he can’t take leave. And in my office, my boss is on leave, so I have to hold the fort.”
Vireeb sat in his room, defeated. He had never thought his parents were like this. They’d probably collect the puddle in a bottle and introduce him to their friends, “This is our son Vireeb, he was studying in Std. V, but now he’s a puddle.” And when they had guests staying in the house, they’d say, “Feel free to stay in our son Vireeb’s room. But please don’t drink water from that bottle, that’s our son Vireeb.”
During dinner that night, Vireeb scowled and sat silently, refusing to look at his parents till his father said, “Now, I know something that will bring a smile to our little boy’s face.” Vireeb tightened his face so that the scowl became even more frightening. “Grandpa’s coming home tomorrow!” said his father.
Those were magic words! The scowl galloped away, and was replaced by a radiant smile. Grandpa! That meant stories! Lots of stories. Grandpa was the best story-teller in the whole world! And he would take him to the mall and get him ice-cream. And there was a possibility. Not a strong one, but a possibility. Since his parents were busy, Grandpa might take him for a seaside holiday!
And so that is how it happened.
Wishes granted
The breeze was so strong, it blew away Grandpa’s hat.
“Get it!” yelled Grandpa. He was a big, jolly old man in a flapping yellow shirt. His head had once seen hair. Without his hat, he looked like any ordinary man.
So Vireeb ran and ran, leaping over sandcastles and people, children and picnic hampers, knocking down a couple of bright beach umbrellas. The hat, like a mischievous imp, stopped long enough for him to get close, then it rose in the air and sailed merrily away from him.
“You wicked hat!” he yelled, tired and out of breath. Finally, Vireeb couldn’t run any more. He flopped down on the sand, panting hard. The hat danced in the breeze and flew right over to him and dropped down over his face.
Vireeb went to Grandpa and said, “Here’s your hat! You should train it to behave better!”
They lay on the wet sand for a while. Vireeb saw many happy children in a jeep that was racing on the sand, excitingly close to the waves.
“Can we do that?”
“Of course we can!” yelled Grandpa. “We can do anything!”
But they couldn’t find a jeep anywhere. As Vireeb stood, disappointed, Grandpa disappeared. He was soon back with a man and his camel. They both climbed up on the camel, and the man raced the animal along the sand, in and out of the waves. Vireeb screamed, half-thrilled, half-scared. “Who wants that old jeep when we have our own running mountain!” yelled Grandpa.
Afterwards, they went sailing on a yacht. The waves tossed them here and there. A huge bird flew down and almost picked up Vireeb with its beak. He squealed so loudly that the bird grew nervous and flew away. Afterwards, Grandpa calmed him down with an enormous butterscotch ice-cream cone.
At sunset
When his parents returned in the evening, Vireeb and Grandpa were talking non-stop.
“What stories did he tell you?” his father asked.
Vireeb grinned. “You’ll never guess!”
“So is this better than going to the beach?” his mother asked.
“Who said we didn’t go to the beach!” chuckled Grandpa.
