Tipu lived in a large joint family. The eldest member was his grant-uncle, Dada.
Dada was very old. Tipu did not like the sound of Dada’s walking stick going ‘tuk tuk’ whenever he walked. He did not like the mess that Dada made while eating with his trembling hands.
One day Tipu told this to his mother. She replied, “Today you are seeing Dada old, weak and bent. Not long ago, he was young, well-built and very intelligent. Do you know – Dada was a great scientist? He even made a time-machine! It is still somewhere in the loft. Ask him about it.”
Tipu could not believe what he had heard. Usually, he never talked to Dada, but that day, he asked him, “Did you make a time-machine? Can I see it?”
Dada was surprised that Tipu was talking to him. He smiled and said, “Yes, I can show it to you. But I don’t know if it will work after all these years.”
Dada showed Tipu how to use it. Then he said, “See if it works. You can go into your past and future. Go ahead and try!”
Tipu did as he was told. Whoosh! He spun into the past. There was Dada, tall, strong, young and famous, surrounded by admirers. Tipu pressed another button. Whoosh! Now he shot in a wheelchair, with white hair and no teeth. Who could this be? Tipu looked closer. What a shock he got! It was him, Tipu, as an old man! Next to him was his grandson, looking away and not talking a word to him.
Tipu could not bear to see this. He quickly pressed the time-machine button again, and returned to the present.
From that day, Tipu was specially kind to his parents, grandparents, Dada and all the other elders. He understood that one day, he too would be old and tired. At that time, all he would want is a little love and kindness from his children and grandchildren.
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