Anniversary Gift - Dialogue Only story

"Mom! Mom! Look, can I keep him, please?"

"Keep whom, Vineet? Oh dear, not another pet!"

"But I let the snake go when you didn't want it and the sparrow escaped, so there are no pets now! Mom, please, please, this is a dog and I love him!"

"Oh, Vineet, you and your love of animals and your Dad and his love of golf! Both of you are going to drive me crazy."

"But Mom!"

"Okay, you can keep him as far as I'm concerned, seeing as we were planning to get a dog anyway. He seems nice enough and we'll take him to the vet for his vaccinations and stuff. But mind young man, your Dad has to agree before I can say a pukka yes."

"Oh, thank you Mom, I love you. Can we go to the vet now?"

"Your Dad has to say yes first."

"He will - I'll make him!"

"Then on my anniversary, you'll get a present."

"Is it your anniversary, Mom? Happy Anniversary! Is it Dad's, too?"

"Yes - husbands and wives have wedding anniversaries on the same day. But your Dad seems to have forgotten and fixed a golf game."

"There's the door! He's home! Dad, Dad, look who I found, can I keep him? Mom says yes if you say yes!"

"Whoa! Give him a bath so I can see what colour he is, for crying out loud!"

"Does that mean I can keep him?"

"Hey, keep off me, your paws are ... oh no, now I'll have to change my shirt and I only came to pick up my clubs, Ashok is waiting in the car!"

"There's an extra shirt in your study, dear, why not go there and change instead of all the way upstairs?"

"Good idea - Vineet, run out and tell Uncle Ashok I'll be right there. Let's see now shirt, just in this ... oh ... "

"Yes, dear?"

"Oh! Honey! Honey!"

"Yes, dear?"

"I had to go to the cupboard to get the shirt, and the calendar was taped up there and - oh, I'd marked it extra bold so I wouldn't forget!"

"Dad, Uncle Ashok says how long does it take to change a shirt and grab some golf clubs?"

"Oh, Ashok - I'll go out and speak to him - I can't - I mean ..."

"Mom, why did Dad run out the door like that?"

"You'll see son."

"Oh, hi again Dad, hi again, Uncle Ashok, aren't you playing golf?"

"No, we're going to call your Aunt Kalyani and all go for a family outing. We should be together on the anniversary."

"But what about this dog?"

"I think your Dad is going to let you keep him. If it hadn't been for the dog, he wouldn't have had to change his shirt and if he hadn't had to change his shirt he wouldn't have seen the date on the calendar and if he hadn't seen the date on the calendar ..."

"Now Honey, don't finish that sentence, I don't want to hear! I'll phone Kalyni now! Vineet, leave the dog in the garage with some food and water. He'll be okay till we get back. We can't let him loose in the house!"

"Yay! On your anniversary, I got the present!"