Page 17 - Up_and_Aware_Class_4

From Behind the StorieS

Ritvik enters his house running. His father who is reading a newspaper gets startled.

Ritvik is a naughty child. Whenever he enters the house in this manner, it means
that he has done some mischief in the neighbourhood. Breaking windows while

playing cricket, scribbling on the walls of neighbours’ houses and playing loud
music in the balcony, are some of them.

Father: (out of concern) What happened Ritvik? What have you done this

time?

Ritvik: (hesitatingly) Nothing, papa.

Father: You are hiding something, Ritvik.

Ritvik: Err…I broke Mrs Robin’s flowerpot accidentally.

Father: (shocked) What! How did you do it?

Ritvik: I was running after my kite and toppled over a flowerpot in her

garden.

Father: (furious) Great! Now she will come to our house to complain about
you. There isn’t a single neighbour who hasn’t complained against you.

Ritvik: (with his head hung in shame) Papa, I will not do this again. Please

save me this time.

Father: (warning) Alright! This better be the last time.

Ritvik keeps his fingers crossed all day and goes off to sleep with nightmares of
Mrs Robin blaming him for the menace he has created in the neighbourhood.

Thankfully, Mrs Robin doesn’t turn up at his door that day and he is saved. The
next day, Ritvik and his father plan a visit to Ritvik’s uncle’s place, in another part
of the city. They reach the bus stop in the morning and board the bus that goes to

his house. Ritvik spots two empty seats from a distance. He rushes to occupy them.

Ritvik: (excited) Look! Empty seats!

Father: Let’s sit.

As both of them reach near the seats, they are shocked to see their terrible condition.

Ritvik: (disappointed) They are torn. Even the windows are broken!

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