Papa Packs the Bag

Little one, today was a big day. Today, I packed the bag. The bag for the day we meet you.

I took out the big blue bag. Zzzip! I opened it wide. And I began.

First, my pillow. My big, fluffy, favourite pillow. A Papa needs good sleep! Into the bag it goes!

Next, my guitar. What if you want a song? I know three songs. Well, two and a half. Into the bag it goes!

Then, snacks. Very important. One box of salty namkeen. One packet of biscuits. One tin of Dadi's laddoos. Three kinds of snacks! Into the bag it goes!

Then came a torch. Two umbrellas. A cricket ball, for later. Four phone chargers. And a thick book called "How to Be a Papa."

I pressed it all down. Squish, squish! The bag got so round, it looked like a big pumpkin. I sat on it to close it. Zzzip... zzz... zip!

Then Mumma walked in. She looked at the bag. She looked at me. She smiled her gentle smile.

"Hmm," she said. "Let us see what is inside."

Out came the guitar. "You can sing without it," she said. I nodded. My voice is always with me.

Out came the cricket ball. "That is for later," she laughed. "Much, much later."

Out came the umbrellas, the torch, and three of the four chargers.

Out came the big book. "You are learning just fine," she said softly. That made me smile.

Out came two of the snacks. She let me keep one. I chose the laddoos. Of course.

And the pillow? She thought about it. Then she smiled. "Okay. The pillow can stay."

Then Mumma put in the most important things. Little soft clothes. Socks so tiny, they fit on two of my fingers! A warm, cosy blanket. Her own soft shawl. And all our papers, in one neat file.

Now the bag was just right. Not too full. Not too empty. Zzzip! It closed in one go.

We put it by the door. It is sitting there now, quiet and ready.

Just like us.