Tring! Tring!

The alarm clock kept ringing incessantly. I was still feeling drowsy and didn’t want to wake up. Just then, someone knocked on the door.
“Come in,” I shouted, irritated.

To my utter surprise, Suppandi entered! Can you believe it? Yes, that character from TINKLE comics. He was in MY room, smiling at me like a fool. I sat up with a jolt.

“Would you hire me?” he asked.

“What? Where did you come from?” I exclaimed, bamboozled.

“Umm… from my previous master’s house…” he nervously spoke.

“And I’m guessing you got fired.”

“Yeah.”

I thought for a moment. “Fine, you’re hired.”

---

THE NEXT DAY

“Suppandi, today my friend is coming. Don’t mess up.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied.

The guests arrived. Everything went well until it was time to eat. My friend’s daughter asked for food, and Suppandi served her and waited, staring at my friend.

“Suppandi, also give food to my friend. Why did you only serve her daughter the food and not her?” I whispered.

“Ma’am, she didn’t ask for food, and my previous master told me to only give someone what they ask for,” he mumbled in a hushed voice.

“First of all, I’m not your old master, and second of all, give the food to her!” I retorted.

“Ok, ma’am,” he replied quietly.

Suppandi served her the same amount of food as the child.

“Give her more, Suppandi. She is an adult. Whatever you give to the child, you should give more to the adult.”

Suppandi followed the instructions. Soon after, I went to the kitchen.

BANG!!!

I ran back as fast as I could and saw my friend lying on the floor. I asked Suppandi what happened.

“Ma’am, the child wanted to play a game and asked me to push her down the sofa, so I did. And I remembered what you told me…”

“And you pushed my friend down the sofa – harder!” I completed his sentence, shaking my head in BELIEF. I knew this was going to happen! Why did I hire him in the first place?

“You’re fired!” I angrily declared.

Tring! Tring!

I woke up, startled by the dream I just had. Thank God that wasn’t real!

Just then, I heard the doorbell ring. I opened the door, and standing on my doorstep was none other than Suppandi.

Author: Renee Dalmia Barnwal, 10 years old