The Mosquito

Vrrrroooommm!!! Pet! Pet! Pet! Pet pet!… The mosquito who lived in an auto on Arcot Road woke up with a start. The morning was still dark and it was chilly. “What an early start! I wonder where we are going.”

Mozzy the mosquito came out of his cozy corner in the back of the back seat of the auto. He flew carefully above the back of the seat. The wind was not strong. The auto was going slowly. But if he was not careful and came out too soon while the auto was going fast, he could be blown away.

Just as he was scratching his head, the auto stopped.

“Where are we going, Thangaraj?” he shouted at the auto driver. But Thangaraj just sat there. So Mozzy flew near Thangaraj’s ear and shouted once again, “Enge porenge, saar?” Thangaraj didn’t bat an eyelid.

“Come, mama…” Mozzy heard a boy say. “Coming, Hari… did you get the bag of flowers and fruits?” “Yes, mama,” said Hari.

Mozzy was excited – this means a nice outing – flowers and fruits. We must be going to a temple, he thought.

Quickly he flew back near his cozy corner to see who would be coming with him.

“Please put the flowers and fruits in the back,” the boy’s mother said as she climbed in carrying a sleeping baby. “Yes, mama.”

Thump! A bag landed right next to Mozzy, missing him by a millimeter! Phew!

Aaahhh! But the smell, the sweet, sweet smell of the jasmine flowers and the delicious whiff of ripe bananas. A feast was right in front of him.

“Pollaam, Thangaraj. Kapileshwarar Koyil,” the boy’s father said and pet! pet pet pet pet! they were off.

The wind was blowing again but the morning was quiet and cool. Mozzy could smell the fresh morning air and he could smell the lovely perfume from the flowers in the lady’s hair. So there he went.

There were so many white, fresh inviting blossoms to choose from. And he dove right into the first one he could reach.

Aaaahh! Inside the jasmine the most delicious drop of nectar waited for him to drink it up. And then Mozzy went from one flower to the other.

“Wait a minute,” he thought, “I should see what’s in the bag!” Off he flew into the bag of flowers and fruits. Wow! Roses, jasmines, chrysanthemums, oranges and bananas. “What a day!” Mozzy screamed with joy.

First he drank from the rose, then he drank from the jasmine, then he sipped thick and juicy from the yellow bananas. Then he flew to a red, red rose, and then a squeezy tight jasmine blossom. Oh, it was a party! He hadn’t had so much fun since… well, he had never had so much fun!

“Ninga wait panninga, Thangaraj,” Hari’s father said. “Seri,” Thangaraj nodded.

But before Mozzy could fly back to his cozy corner behind the back seat of the auto, he found himself stuck inside the bag of fruits and flowers.

“Bring the bag, Hari,” his father said. “I’ve got it, papa…”

Mozzy didn’t know what to do! That jasmine nectar was so sweet, he was too happy to realize that the auto had stopped. “What shall I do?” Mozzy thought and trembled. “I have never left my cozy corner behind the back seat of Thangaraj’s auto. Now I will be lost! Out there, I won’t know how to get back. How will I ever get back? What if a big gust of wind blew me away?” Mozzy quivered and trembled and flew about inside the bag of flowers and fruits.

“We’ll ask the priest to do an archana in Giri’s name.” Mozzy heard Hari’s papa say. “Give him the fruits and flowers, Hari.”

Then Mozzy flew out of the bag quickly and buzzed around Hari’s head. The smell of the temple was heavenly and warm and Mozzy thought this was much better than he expected. But he warned himself, “Don’t get carried away, Mozzy, you have already lost your way and you won’t ever be able to get back to your cozy corner at the back of Thangaraj’s auto!” He was frightened and almost in tears.

He heard the chanting of the priest and the sound of a bell ringing very fast. Then he saw a big flickering light coming towards him. It was just too amazing to behold. Then a big hand went past Mozzy’s wings towards the light – and in a flash, he buzzed upwards and flew. Phew!

Then he could smell the familiar perfume of the jasmine in the lady’s hair and there he went. “She’s taller than Hari – I will be much safer hiding in the white blossoms in her hair,” Mozzy thought.

In the heavenly fragrance of the jasmines, Mozzy decided to give his wings a rest. So he crept into a cozy blossom and breathed a big sigh of relief.

“It looks like they have finished their prayers and are going round the shrine. Well, I will just go for a jolly ride in this soft and heavenly jasmine.” And he forgot about his worry of being lost, and fell asleep.

Vvvrroooommmmm…! Petpet pet! pet pet pet! “Veethukku, Thangaraj,” Mozzy heard the man say when he woke up to the sound of the engine. Oh! What a surprise! He was back home after all.

And Mozzy the mosquito who lived in an auto on Arcot Road flew quickly back to his cozy corner behind the back seat feeling happy, safe and sound, having feasted on delicious nectar and gone for an adventurous ride.

The End

Designed and written by Sharan Kailash
In celebration of the birth of my son Arunagiri Szeyuan Lam
March 2000 Chennai, India
All copyrights reserved