Meera’s favourite cousin Hari had come to stay with them for two weeks in the holidays. He had come with his mother and father, Meera’s Auntie Radha and Uncle Rakesh.

Hari was also four, the same age as Meera. The two children had had a wonderful time. They had played with all of Meera’s toys, and gone out to the zoo and the museum and the cinema. Now there were only two more days left for Hari to go back home. Meera wished Hari could stay longer because he was so much fun to play with and she had had such a good time with him.

But today Hari had a problem – he was bored. “You want to play the same old boring games all the time,” he grumbled at Meera. “It is always Schools or Hospitals or something pretend! And I always have to do the boring bits! I am not going to play these silly old games any more! I’m bored, bored, bored!” Hari turned away from Meera and sat sulkily staring out of the window.

Meera sighed. Sometimes Hari could be so difficult, she thought. But she did want to play with him all the same. After all he would go away soon and then they wouldn’t see each other till the next school holidays, which were months away!  Rani, Meera’s older sister, suggested playing in the garden. But Hari only frowned and said, “I want to go home and never visit you again!”

Meera and Rani wondered what they could do to cheer Hari up.  Suddenly BZZZZZZZZ went the doorbell. “I’ll get it,” said Rani.  Meera heard Rani open the door and squeal with joy. “Uncle! Uncle!” she cried.

A big booming laugh answered her, and then a deep rich voice said, “So how’s my big girl today? And where’s your little sister? And Hari?”

Hari and Meera looked at each other. It was Uncle Matthew, their favourite uncle!!  Everybody looked forward to his visits, the grown-ups as well as the children. Uncle Matthew usually stayed late, talking far into the night with the grown ups, but as he always said, “First, the children.”

“Hey! Why the long faces?” he asked looking at the Hari, Meera and Rani.  Hari said he was bored with the same old games and wanted go back home, and Meera and Rani explained they didn’t know what else to play with him, and that’s why they were sad.

“In that case, you’re all coming with me to the park,” said Uncle Matthew and shooed them out of the house and into his car. The children climbed in, waving a gloomy goodbye to their parents, and wondering why Uncle Matthew was taking them to the park in the middle of the morning.

“Why to the park, Uncle?” asked Rani.

“We’ve been there almost everyday and there’s nothing new or exciting to do there,” grumbled Hari.

“Ah, but this time there WILL be something new and exciting,” said Uncle Matthew.

“What? What?” asked the three children together. But Uncle Matthew only smiled mysteriously and wouldn’t answer.

Soon they were at the park. Uncle Matthew opened the boot of his car and took out…

“A kite!’ cried Meera, Hari and Rani together.”

“Yes, a kite,” said Uncle Matthew. “Have you ever flown one before?”

None of the three children had. Meera and Rani did a little dance of excitement, but Hari looked disappointed. “Is that what we are going to do today? Fly a silly old kite?” he asked.

“It’s not silly, it’s beautiful!” protested Meera. And indeed, the kite was beautiful. It was a cheerful red and yellow, with a triangle of bright blue at the tail. 

Uncle Matthew gave the kite to Rani to hold. He rummaged inside the boot of his car again and brought out a large wooden spool, around which was wound some strong purple string.  He led the way to a big, open, empty space in the park.

Uncle Matthew showed the children how to string and balance the kite. “The kite must hang level from the string,” he explained, “otherwise it will not fly.” Meera and Rani nodded wisely, but Hari looked bored.

“Now Rani,” said Uncle Matthew, “Take the kite and walk away from me, till I ask you to stop. I will unwind the string.” Uncle Matthew ignored Hari’s sulk and handed him the spool to hold. Then, calling Meera to his side, he firmly grasped the string in his big strong hand.

“Ok Rani, start walking,” he said.  Rani began walking backwards, holding the kite carefully. When Uncle Matthew felt that Rani had walked far enough, he called, “Stop!”  Pulling the string taut, he cried, “Throw the kite into the air, Rani, as high as you can!”

Rani jumped as high as she could and let go of the kite. The kite, caught by the wind, jumped out of Rani’s hands, and rose up, up into the air. Uncle Matthew fed it more string, and the kite rose higher and higher.  The three children watched as it swirled and twirled up, up into the sky, higher than the trees, higher than the tallest buildings, higher even than the birds!

“Here, Meera, hold the string,” said Uncle Matthew handing her the string.

Meera took the string. She could feel the kite at the other end, tugging and pulling as though it wanted to fly away into the big blue sky forever. “No kite, I won’t let you go,” she cried, and hung on even tighter. The string bit into her palms, but she didn’t mind at all.

“My turn now,’ cried Rani after a while, hopping up and down.

Meera carefully handed her the string. Rani’s eyes shone with delight as she felt the kite pull with all its strength.

“I’ll send it higher than the clouds!” she cried.

“Can I have a turn?” asked Hari after a while. Rani handed him the kite even though she never wanted to let go of the string.

“This is so much FUN,” cried Hari, leaping and dancing with the kite.

“Why Hari, I thought you said it was a silly old kite!” said Uncle Matthew, laughing.

“Of course not,” cried Hari, “how can a kite ever be silly? It’s the best thing in the world!”

“I thought you were bored and never wanted to play with me again,” said Meera with a grin.

“No, never, Meera,” cried Hari. “How can I ever be bored with you? You’re my bestest cousin in the world.”

“I though you wanted to go home and never visit us again?” said Rani, giggling.

“I ALWAYS want to visit you! I love being here!’ declared Hari.

Meera, Rani and Uncle Matthew smiled at each other. Hari was no longer bored!

The End.