Chatterbox shares a secret

SHORT STORY: An exotic hairdo contest gets a touch of drama thanks to Sheila Aunty and some baby squirrels!

Chatterbox peered over Anand’s shoulder as the young boy recorded the events of the day in his diary. Cleverer than most parrots, Chatterbox could not only speak fluently in Kannada and English, he could also read both languages! “Buzz off, Chatterbox!” said Anand. “My diary is for my eyes only.” Pretending to be hurt, Chatterbox hopped onto the carpeted floor. But, he was quite excited.

He had picked up some juicy information from Anand’s diary and couldn’t wait to share it!
Soon enough, Chatterbox spotted Webber, the spider, crawling along  the window sill.

Perching comfortably on the window sill, Chatterbox squawked, “Webber, do you know Sheila Aunty, who lives on the ground floor  of this building?”

“Of course! What about her?” said Weber.

“I just found out that she wears a WIG!” declared Chatterbox.

“I don’t believe you!” replied Webber.

“Believe what you will,” said Chatterbox, snootily. “I read it in Anand’s diary.”

Webber began to crawl away to spin a new web, but curiosity got the better of him.

He scuttled down the building to Sheila Aunty’s apartment. From his perch on the window sill, Webber spotted her in bed, fast asleep.

True to what he’d heard from Chatterbox, Webber saw a glossy black-and-grey wig resting on the dressing table. Sheila Aunty was not entirely bald, but she did have very scanty hair.

“Chatterbox was right!” chortled Webber.

“What about?” called a voice from behind.

Webber turned around. It was Munmun, the squirrel.

“Chatterbox was right that Sheila Aunty wears a wig,” answered Webber. “See, there it is!”

“That’s wonderful news!” said Munmun happily, the sparkle of a new idea in her eyes. “The wig would be perfect for my babies. It’s big and soft; they’ll love it.” Then turning to Webber she added, “I’ll ask Chatterbox to carry the wig for me in his beak.”

The two mischievous creatures darted into Sheila Aunty’s apartment and darted out again, carrying the wig. When the sun rose, Sheila Aunty launched into a frantic hunt for her wig.

“I clearly remember leaving it on the dressing table last night. Where, then, could it have disappeared?” she fretted.

The cause of her frantic worrying was the annual ‘Exotic Hairdo Contest’, organised by the Lalbagh Ladies’ Club. It was just one week away. And like every year, Sheila Aunty hoped to win the first prize for her exotic hairdo!

After a careful but futile search, she decided to go wig shopping as soon as she finished her chores.

It was past eleven when the doorbell rang. Sheila Aunty poked her head out of the door. Facing her was Smitha, Anand’s mother, wearing a look of acute embarrassment.

“Aunty,” said Smitha politely, “have you by any chance lost your wig?”

Sheila Aunty raised her eyebrows. She wasn’t in the mood for silly conversation early in the day.
“Yes, I lost it just this morning,” she replied, curtly.

“This might sound absurd, but my son found a wig in our balcony this morning, cushioned between two flowerpots. What’s more, it even contained two cute baby squirrels!”

It wasn’t April 1, and Smitha seemed very serious. So, Sheila Aunty stepped out of her apartment. If this were true, then she had to see the sight for herself. In silence, Smitha and Sheila Aunty rode the elevator to the third floor and stepped into the balcony of Anand’s apartment.

“Unbelievable,” whispered Sheila Aunty, staring in wonder at the nest that used to be her wig.
“This is absurd! I cannot even say the wind blew it in,” she mumbled.  “I won’t disturb the squirrels. I had  planned go out and buy a new wig. However…”

Sheila Aunty suddenly fell into deep thought. She then spoke to Smitha in whispers, after which she returned to her own apartment to wait in patient excitement for the day of the hairdo contest.

A week later, every member of the Lalbagh Ladies’ Club turned up for the annual ‘Exotic Hairdo Contest’. The contest was organised in the form of a luncheon, where the judges chatted with the participants and chose the winners at the end of the meal.

Sheila Aunty had been winning the first prize every year, so everyone was surprised when she entered the hall  without an elaborate or exotic hairdo.

“I couldn’t wear my hairdo today, but a friend has been kind enough to display it for me,” chuckled Sheila Aunty.

At that very moment, Smitha walked into the party sporting Sheila Aunty’s wig.

The long hair was pinned into an elaborate chignon, befitting a bride. It was adorned with unusual accessories. Leaf-laden twigs, fresh home-grown flowers and grains of sand added character to the wig. And at the centre of the hairdo pranced three little squirrels, utterly unafraid!

In the week following the discovery of the missing wig, Smitha and her son had successfully made pets of Munmun and her babies.

The hall reverberated with surprised gasps and thunderous applause.  After all, Sheila Aunty’s bewitching ‘hairdo’ looked every inch a winner!

Smitha and Sheila Aunty returned home, trophy in hand.

Back in the comfort of her beloved flowerpots, Munmun thought aloud: “I wonder, what surprise is in store the next time Chatterbox shares a secret!”