I was in the hospital’s recreation room, telling a story to a little four year old girl. Her grandmother was also there and there was another patient who was looking rather nervous and agitated. Restless and tossing his toys at the wall, and getting a scolding each time from his grandmother, but nevertheless carried on aggressively playing. This went on for a good while. Now and then the kid looked at me, out of the corner of his eye, as I had asked if he wanted to hear stories, but shook his head and refused my offer. I paid no attention to him. I left him alone in his own time. Gradually, he got tired of mistreating the toys and being scolded by the grandmother, so I thought I could finally approach him once again. This time I asked if he wanted to hear a nice story. His name was Kaleb. He had very lively eyes and a face of a mischievous little guy! He accepted. I began by telling the story of "Jack and the Beanstalk", which he had not heard before. He suddenly became very interested in the story and followed very closely with great attention. The funny part for him was when I told him that John and his mother had gone to the town market to sell their cow, and that was their only source of income: The MILK COW.
At that point, he stopped me and burst into laughter, and asked:
- Milk? What’s a MILK COW?
- Hey! And where do you think milk comes from, Kaleb ?, I asked.
- From the supermarket of course, and in a box!, he answered.
With him laughing non-stop, I explained the finer details as to how a cow gives milk which is then packaged into cartons to finally get to the super market shelf.
At that moment, he was already comfortably nestled into his grandmother's lap and quietly asked: - Grandma, please brings Chiquinho...
I thought he was talking about the other patient with whom he was sharing the room and so that he too could also hear this very interesting story; but in fact, Chiquinho was really his favorite rag doll, which he soon affectionately embraced, and settled down again into his grandmother's lap and when almost asleep, turned to me and said: - Please keep on telling the story, tell, tell...
Semiramis - Hospital Santa Lydia – Ribeirão Preto – SP - Brasil
Author's Note: Chiquinho is Brazilian for "Little Chico".