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Gautam had a peculiar habit of never listening to any topic fully. One day, Mummy asked him to buy potato chips from the market. However, due to his habit, he did not hear her properly and bought potatoes instead of potato chips.

That day Mummy was fasting. In the evening, when she opened the shopping bag to take out the chips to break her fast, she was surprised to find potatoes instead.
“I had asked you to bring potato chips, not potatoes. How many times have I told you to listen carefully to what is being said?” Mummy scolded Gautam.

The market was closed now and it was impossible to get the potato chips.

In his class too, Gautam did the same. Whenever the teacher questioned him, he would start replying even before the teacher completed the question. The answer would be wrong and he would often get scolded.

The school decided to celebrate Children’s Day this year. The students were preparing diligently as the best performers would get an award.

“Gautam, have you started preparing for the Children’s Day?” his friend Tanmay asked.

“I have been preparing for it for many days, my friend. I am sure this year’s first prize would be bagged by me,” replied Gautam, confidently.

As the Children’s Day drew near, the children grew more excited.

“What happened, Gautam? You look very troubled,” asked Dr Sinha when he saw Gautam in his clinic. Gautam visited him for regular check-ups.

“Doctor, I am really very troubled. My whole head is itching. I do not know what has happened to me?” said Gautam as he sat on the stool in front of the Doctor.

“A terrible stench is coming from your body. Your hair also has grown too long. Don’t you go for your regular haircut?” Dr Sinha asked while examining him.

“I have not had a haircut in a long time, because I want to win the first prize in the Children’s Day celebrations this year. I am sure I will be declared the winner because of my long hair.”

Dr Sinha laughed heartily when he heard Gautam’s reason for not getting a haircut.

“What is the connection between Children’s Day and the hair on your head?” he asked.

“Children’s Day is a day dedicated to children. On this day activities are organised and it is not a competition of the longest hair.”

“It seems I did not hear the announcement properly about the Children’s Day celebration. And in the effort of growing my hair long, I have an itchy head.” Gautam was ashamed of himself.

Dr Sinha prescribed a few medicines and said, “First go and get a haircut. Then have a good bath and apply these medicines on your scalp.”

Gautam did as he was advised and soon his itchiness vanished. Since he didn’t want to tell Mummy about his stupidity, he spent all his pocket money on the medicines.

Children’s Day was now only two days away. All children were ready and prepared with poetry recitation, storytelling and more.

“What are you going to do for the Children’s Day, Gautam? Or are you going to just sit around?” Mummy asked.

He thought of lying to her but then he decided to tell her everything about how he had planned to grow his hair long and expected to win the first prize and how he had not prepared for anything else.

“I do not know what I can do? I have not prepared anything and don’t know anything,” he added.

Mummy thought for a while and then said, “You are a very good dancer. You can put up a dance performance and maybe you will enjoy your time and show off your talent. It is not necessary to win, but you will have fun.”

This encouraged Gautam. He knew he couldn’t do any last-minute practice so he decided to do whatever comes to mind as he was good at dancing.

He hurriedly dressed and rushed to school.

“Where were you, Gautam? We were all waiting for you,” his friends said as they were waiting at the registration table.

Since Gautam had registered his entry last, his turn to perform came at the very end. But he was motivated.

Finally, his name was announced and he gave a very thrilling dance performance.

The whole hall gave him loud applause and he was awarded the first prize. He was overjoyed.

He decided that henceforth he will pay attention to announcements or instructions and not jump to conclusions so that he does not make a fool of himself again