

Sid needs to have sprouts and salads (S&S) in his diet as these healthy, power-packed foods will make him strong. But he doesn’t like them at all. So his Mom strikes a deal with him to make him love his S&S.
Eight year old Sid opened his lunch box and scowled.
“What happened?” his best friend Tina asked him.
“The same old yucky stuff – sprouts. I don’t know what ma thinks I am – a cow or a horse.”
“If you continue eating raw stuff you might start growing a tail?” Tina laughed and Sid made a face.
Sid emptied his lunch box in the dust bin.
“Sid, take this sandwich. My ma has packed three jam sandwiches today – enough for both of us,” Tina said.
***
That night for dinner Sid’s mum, Anjali had made his favourite custard. As he was about to attack it Anjali declared, “First you have to finish your meal. After which you can have your custard.”
Sid groaned and started working on the chapaati and spinach curry and the salad. By the time he finished the yucky stuff he was almost full but still managed to tuck in two and half helpings of the custard.
Sid and his mum were the best of buddies. They loved each other’s company and had lots of fun. The only time when they didn’t see eye to eye or tongue to taste was in the matter of sprouts and salads. Anjali was a nutritionist and it was her mission to make her family eat the healthiest food.
***
That night Sid was sleeping peacefully when he woke up with a start. His window was open and strange sounds were filtering in. As he tried to disappear behind his pillow he saw a monster floating in. It looked like a giant carrot with round eyes and a wig made of sprouts. It was followed by an equally strange creature which resembled a cucumber with bits of lettuce dangling from its ‘skin’. Last to enter was giant cabbage that was spinning in the air and hissing through its mouth.
As Sid shrank back the weird brutes started jumping and singing:
“Google, gurgle and doodle doo
You better chew us
Or we shall gobble you.”
As they closed in Sid screamed. The next moment he found he was in his bed and his clothes were drenched. He ran out screaming to his mum’s room.
“Mommy!” he yelled and jumping on the bed buried his face in her bosom.
“What happened, Siddie?”
“I think I had a dream,” Sid said recounting his nightmare to her.
“Mommy, Rekha was saying that dreams one sees early in the morning come true.” Rekha was their housekeeper.
“That’s all nonsense, Siddie. But yet dreams do give us a message.”
Sid gave Anjali a blank look.
“Your dream is telling you that you should happily eat salads and sprouts.”
Sid slowly nodded his head even as his face grew long and sad. Anjali’s heart went out to him and she pulled him close.
“Okay champ, let us make a deal.”
Sid’s eyes brightened up a bit.
“You shall eat salads and sprouts every day and not throw them in the dustbin?”
“M…mum how do you…I…I…mean….” Sid stammered, his face turning red with guilt.
“Mommies know everything Siddie. So you shall eat S&S and I shall make one of your favourite dishes every weekend.”
Sid jumped up. “You mean you will make stuff like samosa?”
“Yep and pizza.”
“Boondi laddu?”
“And golgappa.”
“Pasta?”
“And gajar halwa.”
Sid planted a sloppy kiss on Anjali’s cheek and mommy and sonny got into a hugathon!
More to read
The Unknown Heroes of New York
Yummy, Mummy! Anything for a Hungry Tummy
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