Meanwhile, the little old man had just opened his shop and was attending his first customer.
‘Are you looking for anything in particular?’ The woman seemed in such a rush.
‘Yes please. I haven’t got time to browse. I just want a book for a young boy who loves anything to do with the jungle.’
The old man stared into her eyes for a moment, then beckoned her to the counter.
‘That is very remarkable. Such a book I’ve had delivered to me today. It’s not yet on the shelf.’
He reached under the counter and placed a book on it entitled, Children’s Jungle Stories. The woman didn’t even notice that the monkeys on the cover were actually swinging through the trees. She just opened her purse and handed over the money.
‘Do you want me to gift wrap it? Children just love teddy be—’
Before he could finish, she replied, in an agitated voice. ‘No, I haven’t time. Just give me the paper, I’ll wrap it later. You can keep the change.’
The woman gathered up the book and the gift wrap and put it in her carry bag, checked her watch and dashed out the door. The old man shook his head wearily and went back to his chores.
Later that night she arrived home from work, her bag full of office documents to be finalised that evening. Her husband glanced up from his computer, smiled, then returned his gaze to the screen.
‘Peter is in bed. I only had time to nuke some spag bol for our tea. I told him we’ll take him somewhere on the weekend, but I have to play golf on Saturday, and Sunday I have to go into the office.’ His wife slumped down into the sofa and let out a long breath.
‘Well I have so much on this weekend. I have to finish the Darnegie Report for the boss or my job will be on the line. And I have an essay for uni due on Monday. Any of that spag bol left?’
Her husband nodded. She remembered Peter’s birthday and hurriedly wrapped up the book in a scruffy manner, and went to his bedroom. Luckily he was still awake and reached for a hug.
‘Happy Birthday, Petey.’ She gave him a brief kiss and handed him the book. He held it up and examined the teddy bears on the wrapper.
‘These teddies are cute, aren’t they Mum?’
His mother shook her hands anxiously. ‘Don’t worry about the paper. Hurry up and open it up.’
Peter tore open the paper and his eyes opened wide. ‘A jungle book. Thanks Mum. Can you read it to me?’
His mother shook her head. ‘I’m sorry Peter, I’ve just got too much to do tonight.’
His eyes lit up. ‘What about Dad?’
She shook her head again. ‘Not tonight Petey. You know Daddy has so many emails to answer from work and he’s so tired. Maybe tomorrow night.’
Peter sulked for a moment, then leant up from the bed in anticipation of a kiss but his mother, already moving to the door, only smiled, gave a little wave, and walked out the door.
Peter picked up the book and looked at the cover to see a band of chimpanzees swinging happily through the trees. He must be tired as he thought for a moment that they really were swinging. He tried to read a little, but soon his eyes grew heavy. He wished he was in the trees with the chimps so they could tell him their story as Mum and Dad were always too busy to read to him. Soon, he dropped off to sleep. The book fell shut and the book cover was soon alive with chimps, scampering up and down the tree limbs and swinging on the vines.
The next morning Peter’s parents stood at his bedroom door in shock, just like Sally’s parents, for all of Peter’s furniture was gone. The room was filled with greenery and the sound of squawking parrots, and the buzzing of insects echoed off the walls. A lone chimpanzee sat on the earthy floor reading Peter’s jungle book. He let out a scream and threw the book at the stunned couple. Peter’s mother picked up the book and stared at the cover in disbelief. She let out a scream and fainted. Peter’s father picked up the book and looked at the cover to see a little boy swinging merrily through the trees with the chimps. The little boy was Peter.