Page 4 - My FlipBook

The room was actually a long verandah with a sloping roof, enclosed with a trellis set in a two foot
high wall, with a door at the centre. Navjyot knew his father had used it as a boy.
Grandpa agreed. “History is repeating itself. The verandah was converted into a room because your
father and his sister, Nimi’s mother, were always squabbling. He said she did not let him work on his
science projects and she complained he was being selfish and mean, and excluding her.”

The room was filled with old furniture and junk. Grandpa told Bond to make it ready for Navjyot to
move in.

Bond did all the work in the house. He cooked, cleaned, did the gardening, marketing, and anything
else that came up. Grandpa had given him shelter and employment when he was homeless and
looking for work.
Bond cleared out the room. Grandpa told him to keep the furniture Navjyot could use and remove
everything else to the junkyard. Navjyot selected a bunk bed, a bookshelf, a cupboard, a table, and a
chair. The cupboard and the table were a little damaged but Bond was handy with tools. He repaired
them and also patched up the roof.
Navjyot found a bird cage in the pile of junk. It was twisted and the door did not shut properly. Bond
straightened it out with a pair of strong pliers and a hammer. Navjyot painted it red. Nimi found a
tennis racket she liked and Bond promised to repair it.
“That bird cage belonged to your mother,” Grandpa told Nimi.

“Navjyot! Give me the cage. It’s mine!” Nimi demanded.

But when Grandpa told her that the tennis racket had belonged to Navjyot’s father, she agreed to let
him have the bird cage.

Navjyot took the cage into his room. The parrot was pecking at the bowl of grain. He cocked his head
to one side and watched Navjyot come closer. Navjyot placed the cage on the table and propped open
the door.
He said, “I don’t like to keep you in a cage because birds are meant to fly. But Robber is always
lurking around you. He will snap you up at the first chance he gets. Please get inside the cage. You
will be safe. When you are strong enough to fly, I’ll set you free.”
Navjyot liked talking to the parrot. The parrot always had a listening appearance and fixed an eye on
Navjyot when he spoke. It did not matter that he did not understand a word.

“Step into the cage whenever you feel comfortable with the idea,” Navjyot said. The parrot
immediately hopped inside the cage. Navjyot was delighted. Now he could carry the parrot with him
instead of confining him to the room. He did not have to worry about Robber either.

Navjyot’s new room was ready in three days. Though Bond helped, Navjyot did most of the work.
The room and the furniture had a fresh coat of paint and Grandpa ordered new mattresses for the bunk
bed.
The parrot had also helped. Navjyot had shown him the color chart and asked him to pick the colors
for the room. He had touched green and yellow with his beak!

Nimi insisted Grandpa should get her room painted in black because Robber put his paw on black in
the color chart. When Grandpa refused, she sulked until he promised to buy her a new cat bed if she
did some chores for him.