With a small key in his left hand, and the lid of a pickle jar, both smuggled out from his home, Chotu was digging at the ground near the community park with fervour. His friend, Sriram, was sitting with him, watching him with a look mixed with annoyance and surprise at the same time. "What are you digging for? You know, we could have played two overs in this time," Sriram said. "Just watch, I will dig a hole here, and we will bury this key, and we will come back and dig here in ten days to see if the key's still there", Chotu exclaimed rather excitedly. "What sort of game is this? And where did you get the key anyway?". "It is from the fridge in my home. My Mom never locks it, so I thought to take it", said Chotu. "You know,that's stealing"."No, it's not. Now will you help me in digging?", shouted Chotu. Sriram, seeing no other option, got down besides him and started to dig with his hands.
Chotu and Sriram were studying in 3rd standard. In their locality, they were the only ones from the class, and so became friends out of need. They would play cricket together. Chotu brought the bat and ball, and so always tried to bully Sriram into bowling for him all the time. But Chotu, being actually tiny, had to give in finally. Together they did some weird things together, like puncturing the tyres of cycles kept in their blocks' garage, inventing new games when they got bored of playing cricket all the time and what not. They used to interchange their tiffins, coz Chotu liked to eat South Indian food, and Sriram had a soft spot for Poha and Aloo Paratha.
After they were done digging a decent hole, Chotu put the key in the hole, and filled the tiny pit with soil and leveled it.
"Let's go play now. We can still play a few overs", coaxed Sriram. "Alright, but I will bat first", said Chotu. Sriram, not in a mood to argue, said "Fine", and off they went.
That night, Chotu was lying in bed, staring at the fan, and counting numbers in his head, which his mom had told him, was a good idea to do when one was not able to sleep. 237,238...I hope Mom doesn't find out about the key that I nicked...239,240,241....But what if somebody saw me hiding that key there today? Sandeep Mandeep, the two brothers were playing nearby, did they see me?...242....243....244....245...I don't know why Mummy always asks me to have milk before sleeping. I bet that's the reason I have those scary dreams all night long....246......247.........248......Why do I have to go to school everyday? Oh Yes, tomorrow's first class is English. Nisha Ma'am is so nice..249..............250......Why does the fan have only 3 wings? Had it got more wings, it would have given more air na?.......251............
After three days, as Sriram was shouting out his name from below, Chotu hit her sister, who was just five, on her head, and as she started crying, he came running out. "We'll go to the park today and get that key". "What?I thought we were going to play cricket today. You said we would play 8-8 overs each!", cried Sriram. "Haan,but first the key. I want to see if it's still there". "Where will it go anyway?"."I don't know. Chal lets hurry." Sriram, being the less cribbing one of the two, gave in and followed him to the park. They found the spot, and started digging, but soon realised that either they had lost the spot where they had put the key, or the key was actually not there. "Leave it, some dog or something might have dug it out", said Sriram. "What will a dog do with a key?", retorted Chotu, now annoyed, both coz of Sriram and the fact that he couldn't find the key.
It was half past seven, and both were heading back to their homes, Chotu in tension. "What if Mom asks me about the key? She saw me playing with it once. What will I say?". "Ayyo baba, she won't ask. And if she does, tell her your sister might have thrown it down from the balcony",suggested Sriram. "Ya I can say that. But...". Sriram said,"Okay wait here, I will go up to my home and come back in two mins". "Why?What for?"."Arre wait na, I am coming", said Sriram as he ran upstairs. He was back in five mins, with a small key in his hand. Panting, he said,"Here,take this". "Who's key is this?", asked Chotu. "It's the key to my fridge. There are two of them, and this one was kept in my study table's drawer", said Sriram. "You have a study table??", exclaimed Chotu. "Ya Appa got me one, though I don't use it to study. I fall asleep whenever I sit on it.Now go". Chotu was confused. But he went home and put the key where it was previously kept.
That night, he was not able to sleep again, and so was staring at the fan, and counting. 443,444,445...Sriram is such an idiot. Why did he give me his key?..446,447,448...What if his Mom scolds him for giving it to me?...449,450..He shouldn't have done that...451,452...Did he do it because I am his friend?...453..What was it that Nisha Ma'am said about friend when teaching the chapter three? A friend in need...454...what was it again?....455...Oh I can't remember. Will ask Sriram tomorrow if he does....456..457.....458..Maybe he is not an idiot afterall...459...460...What if the key does not fit in our fridge? I forgot to check that!...461....462....Will have to check it tomorrow morning before Mummy wakes up.....463...........
