The Great Paraat Search

Note: A paraat is a kind of deep, huge trayish plate thing.

Detective Aaji was on the case. Three days ago, a paraat had mysteriously disappeared from the kitchen. Ever since then the whole household had been suffering from the suspense created by the disappearance. Everyone from the maid to my mother were scared and suspicious.

Strangely enough, Aboli didn't care. Maybe it was something to do with the fact that she left home at 7.00 am and returned at 4.00 pm, which, of course, weren't the best times to bring up the disappearance of a paraat.

For two days aaji searched and searched for that elusive paraat. No place from the smallest corner to the most obvious countertop was left unsearched. Of course, it being aaji doing the searching, there were no visible signs of it. No stone was left unturned, but then each unturned stone was put back in its place.

But then, there came that day of decision. Aaji brought up the topic in the evening, on the dinner table. Aboli was inside, peacefully reading a book. Mom, aaji and aajoba discussed all possible reasons for its disappearance, from the maid taking it, to having accidently left it in the terrace with something in it to dry. But no, nothing.

Then mom casually came into Aboli's room and looked around and lo! there it was! The elusive, beautiful paraat, shining in the fluorescent light of the tubelight. There it was, in a blue cloth bag under Aboli's desk. Next to it was Aboli, calmly and serenely reading a thick green book. Mom laughed hysterically. Aboli looked up, startled from her trance.

After giving Aboli details on just how amazingly blockheaded she was, mom asked Aboli how she wanted to justify taking the paraat to school without permission. To which Aboli gave the calm and cool reply,

" There was an experiment in school and I needed it".

Mom (apopletic with rage) thundered,

" And what bulbs did you light in your wonderful experiment?"

" I didn't do it yet."