This is a post by Teamea Francisca (moving fingers). I liked it and thought should post it here for all to read.
Enjoy.
"Last night I met the strangest creature. Its funny cos I wasn’t out of home. So where did the creature come from and what was it doing in my bed? I don’t know. Cos it was an unusual conversation I had.
I am a deep sleeper, that’s what my brother says. For whenever the dogs in the neighbourhood bark too much or the clashing thunder or firecrackers wake him up, he watches me seem so peacefully asleep. “Dead to the world” as he says. He wonders what I’m dreaming about, as he sees a small smile on my face and sometimes it’s even a thoughtful look he says, but I seldom believe him. Cos I don’t remember having seen a dream or been to another world or imagined myself in a situation that wakes me up startled or as if out of another place and time. My sleep time always seems to finish so quickly that I don’t think I have time for a dream to run through my head!
I know I was suddenly very thirsty at night and I woke up for a drink of water. And there sitting very comfortably on the edge of my bed was little Mr. chikyckiky and he was crying! Now what was I to do? Do I wake up mommy or daddy or my brother Tom? They’d all had a very tiring day yesterday and surely wouldn’t want to be woken up by me at such a late hour, so I decided against it. I tried to talk to my guest but he only made a sad face blank at me each time I spoke. And then I figured he probably didn’t speak any English. So I switched to Konkani and even a little broken hindi and asked him what was the matter. But again he didn’t seem to understand. “Oh dear oh dear”, I said “what to do? How do I talk to someone who doesn’t speak a language I do?” I sat quietly watching Mr. chickychicky with the tears slipping down his egg like body. He looked quite like humpty dumpty from my old poetry book, jut that he didn’t have a fancy hat and big black boots. And if you are wondering how I got to know his name… well I didn’t I just call him that since that’s the only thing he said to me, “Chicky chicky ooo. Chicky chichi waaa.”
I certainly wanted to know what was the reason for his tears, perhaps her got lost and landed in my bed. That’s surely what it was I thought. But then what was I to do, how would I find his friends or family? And tried showing him picture books to see if I could get him to smile but he didn’t seem to recognize any of the images of fruits and vegetables and animals I showed him. That is strange I thought perhaps he didn’t come from this part of the country, but then common who doesn’t know a tomato? Or a cat?
I then came up with a great idea. I opened the window and lifted Mr. Chicky to the sill. It was rather late I know for the clock showed 2:05am. I then began to sing a lullaby to make him feel better. I must have fallen asleep myself ‘cos I don’t know what happened after that. I woke up to the sun shinning brightly on my face leaning against the window. Where was my new friend I don’t know. Maybe his family found him while passing by.
I tried to tell mommy about my experience last night but she said it must have been a dream. But I don’t think it was. I had sipped from the bedside glass of water and the window was open too. As for Mr. Chickychicky, there’s nothing to say he really was here, except my memory of him. I do hope he got home safe and comes to visit me again."
