T
he Khanna household
was busy as a beehive.
Everyone was getting ready
to go watch an India-Australia
cricket match at the city stadium.
Papa Khanna had called in sick at
work, Mama was furiously making
sandwiches and snacks to take
along, Nikhil was getting his face
painted with the tricolour by Abdul,
and Nisha was busy disapproving.
“Papa,” the seven-year-old Nisha
said, ambling into her parents’
bedroom where her father was
carefully shaving before the mirror.
“Not now, sweetheart,” he
replied. “I’m busy getting ready for
the big game. We should get there
early so we can get to our seats on
time.”
Nisha shook her head. “Mama,”
she called out to her mother,
skipping into the kitchen.
“Not now, Nisha,” she replied,
fishing out onion pakodas from the
kadai. “I’m cooking.”
“Nikhil,” Nisha said, going to
her older brother’s room, “I have
something to tell you.”
“Please, go away,” shooed
Nikhil. “Can’t you see I’m busy?”
he grunted before turning to his
friend to discuss India’s chances of
winning the match.
Nisha pursed her lips and
wondered when she should spill the
beans. She had stumbled upon a
secret that morning.
“Hmmm....” she had said to
herself resolving to bide her time
before spilling the beans.
Now everyone was ready to
go. Papa was wearing his Sachin
Tendulkar tee-shirt. Mama was
An indoor gym is the perfect
thing for your class if playspace
is limited. Here is what you
can install for some indoor
acrobatics.- Rope ladders dangling from
the ceiling. - A trampoline.
- Trapeze bars to hang from.
- A wall covered with iron
handles placed equidistant (for
climbing). - A springy mattress for
somersaults and cartwheels.
Short STORY
Crazy over Cricket
Teacher’s
CORNER
wearing her best kurta, neatly
starched. Nikhil looked like a tribal
she had seen on the Discovery
channel. Abdul looked like his twin.
And they all were staring at Nisha.
“Sweetheart, why aren’t you
ready?” her Papa asked.
“Oh, come on, Papa,” Nikhil
said impatiently. “Let’s go! If she
doesn’t want to come, leave her
behind.”
“Don’t you want to come?”
Mama asked her.
A grin spread across Nisha’s faceas she shook her head and pointed
to the calendar. It said June and not
July. Suddenly everybody realised
they had got the date of the match
wrong! They were a month early
for the match!
“Groan,” said Papa as he
hurried to call his office.
“Sigh,” said Mama as she
thought of all the extra food she
had made.
“Aargh,” said Nikhil as he
thought of how much he wanted to
strangle his little sister.
Nisha was stumped. She believed
she had done them all a favour!Annie Besant Jon
“If you train hard, you'll not only be hard, you'll be hard to beat.” Herschel Walker