Powerful spells of rain deprived our home of electricity thus letting the little green peas in our refrigerator to sprout. . The feel of life sparking in them — the group of green round bodies each waggling a tiny white tail — wow, it was fascinating! And since these little ones had dared to come out of their shells, we thought, they deserve a place on this lovely earth. So, my sister and I set out with these super heroes to our backyard to plant them.
I carefully placed each one in the tiny holes my sister had made in the moist mud. Each time she buried one, I bawled, “Careful, not too much mud...They have to breathe you know; they have to come out”. Having accomplished our mission, satisfied and tired, we returned home.
I was just drifting off to la-la-land that night when my sister shook me wildly screaming out loud, “Oh my God! How did you plant our peas?” Had she lost her mind? Wasn't she with me when I did it? “With hands, silly...,” I mumbled sleepily. “I mean, how exactly did you place them there?” she emphasised each syllable with effect. I stiffened. “Umm.......with their sprouts up so that they can come up faster. Why?” “Oh!” she sighed and sank into my bed. “The sprouts are root-radicals. They are supposed to go down, to the earth, for water and minerals. What have we done?” Realisation struck me, hard. Yes, I'd learnt all these in my lower classes. I'd goofed up. “So, now what?” I gasped. She sighed again, deeper and longer, and finally said, “Maybe their roots would spread above the soil and the peas would grow beneath. We will have to dig for peas...!”
Vidya M.G., Vidyodaya School, Thevakkal
