Kittu wondered why Sneaker Paati’s frown was growing by the minute. He wondered what part of his story had upset her. Suddenly, his eyes fell on a carton next to the enormous red suitcase Sneaker Paati had begun unpacking. The carton was still bound in tape.

“How many pairs do you have, Sneaker Paati?” Kittu asked, trying to change the subject.

“Of what?”

“Sneakers, of course!” Kittu explained, “I have two pairs. One for every day and the other one I wear when we go out.”

Sneaker Paati frowned some more and rummaged through her suitcase. She pulled out a pair of white sneakers. “This is mine,” she said.

“But how can you be ‘Sneaker Paati’ if you only have one pair of sneakers?” Kittu cried in disappointment.

Sneaker Paati shook her head. “Oh ho. You call me Sneaker Paati because you think I own many pairs of sneakers,” she said.

“Kittu,” Mummy’s horrified voice came from behind them. “Shobha Paati just woke up. Leave her in peace,” she added, taking hold of Kittu’s arm. “And why are you calling her Sneaker Paati? What is wrong with you, Kittu? Don’t you know you should call her Shobha Paati?”

“I actually like Sneaker Paati,” Shobha Attai said, and Kittu wondered why there were steel-like glints shooting from her eyes at Mummy. “Let him stay with me.”

“Sneaker Paati is going to fix Horlicks’s ear and tail. I want to stay here and watch,” Kittu piped up, wriggling out of Mummy’s clutch.

“I can do more than just sneak around.” Sneaker Patti said as Mummy stood there wringing her hands. Kittu wondered why Mummy seemed so worried.

“Attai,” Mummy began apologetically. “I don’t know what to say …”

“How does one manage to get some tea in this household?” Sneaker Paati cut in. “I need a big, big mug of tea.”

Mummy fled as if a bull was chasing her. Kittu wondered why.

“What is in that box?” he asked suddenly. “Is that for an unboxing reel?”

Sneaker Paati’s right eyebrow rose like a cat’s tail. It arched and went up high. “What do you know about unboxing videos?”

“Plenty,” Kittu said shrugging. “I help Mummy make reels for her Instagram account.”

Sneaker Paati nodded. “Ah, I see. And no, this is not for a reel. Not everything needs to be up on Instagram!”

Kittu giggled. He agreed. “But when Mummy lets me use her phone, I like looking at animal and funny videos … and car videos too.”

“Me, too,” Sneaker Paati said as she hung up her clothes. She emptied the contents of the bag into a wardrobe drawer, placed a few bags on the bed and shoved the empty suitcase into a corner.

Kittu prodded Sneaker Patti. “What about the box?” He pointed at the object of his curiosity.

“Later,” Sneaker Patti said, pushing the carton with her leg towards the foot of the bed. “There is a surprise in there …”

“Tell me something Kittu, why were you at home on the evening you opened the chocolate box? Why were you not playing with the kids in the building? Your father said you have a very nice play area and that you have a bicycle as well.”

Kittu pretended not to hear her. “When will you fix Horlicks’s ear?”

Sneaker Paati gave him a long look. She rummaged in her handbag and pulled out a little white envelope which said, “Sewing Kit”. She opened it and, thrusting a needle towards him, said, “Kittu, do you know how to thread a needle?”

“What’s ‘threading a needle’?” Kittu asked.

Sneaker Patti’s eyebrows rose like two question marks this time. Kittu had never seen eyebrows that could speak as much as Sneaker Paati’s could. Now her eyebrows demanded: Are you serious?

“You know about unboxing reels but can’t thread a needle? Tsk! Tsk! Here,” she said, showing him the hole in the needle. “See, this is the eye of the needle. It’s very simple. All you need to do is take a piece of thread. Now, lick the end and slide it through the eye.”

Kittu took the needle and the piece of cream-coloured thread. He licked the free end and said, “This is so easy-peasy.”

Sneaker Patti didn’t answer.

Six attempts later Kittu stomped his foot. “Why is this stupid thread not going through the eye?”

Sneaker Patti’s eyes narrowed. “The end of the thread is so wet with your spit that you could sail a ship on it. Here, watch me.”

Kittu couldn’t believe the ease with which Sneaker Patti snipped off the wet end of the thread with her teeth. She then rubbed the end between her fingers, held up the needle to eye level and slid the thread through the hole in one swift move.

“Can I try?” Kittu said jumping up and down with excitement.

“You mean may I,” Sneaker Patti murmured. “You may, but not now. I need my tea and some ‘me-time’.”

Kittu nodded his head. He supposed the “me-time” was like when he would climb into Kittu’s Korner. He heard footsteps coming towards them.

Appa and Mummy entered the room. Mummy held a tray with mugs of tea, and Appa wore the smile that he used when he made a mistake and was caught. He heard Sneaker Patti say, “Take that sheepish smile off your face, Ajith. And Anu, thank you for the tea.”

Kittu grinned. So that was what the smile was called – sheepish. He saw a sheep’s head on Appa’s body, and he laughed and laughed.

Excerpted with permission from Sneaker Paati, Anita Nair, Puffin.

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