The Adventures of Baby Eline & Grandma Naomi - A New Partner

"Ram, how come you are so good at looking after kids?"

" I babysit my sister when mom is busy in the kitchen or when she goes to bathe. She is the same age as Eline. I know a trick or two to keep babies smiling grandma." Grandma smiled and replied, "Yes indeed you surely know how to keep them smiling."

"Grandma, Look!!! there is a log floating with a man on top of it, will it crash on us?"

"Well son, sit tight, I am going to slow down this boat with the oar, but I wonder, why the man is lying and not sitting?"

"Is he hurt grandma?"

"I hope not." Naomi, took the oar and with all her strength started to paddle in the opposite side of the current to slow down the boat. Though it slowed down a bit, the log and the boat were passing together side by side and Naomi saw the man was older than her lying eyes closed with a big gash on his forehead and wet completely. Naomi shouted, "Hello!!! Hello!!!! Sir!!!" No answer.

Grandma, if we leave that grandpa on the log, he will die. Can we save him? Please grandma, he is all alone. We are the only people to help him. He will be frightened grandma." Eline started crying, Ram slowly patted her and said soothingly, "There....there... no crying Eline... you are a good girl, uncle Ram was not angry at you." Naomi swallowed her smile at the baby talk which was indeed effective as Eline calmed and started blabbering her woes.

"Yes, Ram, we will surely help him,  don't move and hold tightly okay? Thank you Ram for consoling Eline, you really are very good at it."

Naomi didn't have a clue on how to get this unconscious man into the boat, she kept her oar between the man's hand and the log  to stop the log from moving ahead.

"Ram, can you slowly crouch and take the boat's rope?"

Ram slowly sat on the floor of the boat and took hold of the rope and gave it to Naomi. Naomi prayed inwardly, "God, if that man gains consciousness now would be a great boon." Which, didn't happen, but the river narrowed here making the boat and the log go together simultaneously which made the progress slow, but Naomi was worried if the boat was crushing the man's leg. Naomi took hold of the man's hand and checked for the pulse which was strong enough.

"Ram, I am going to take Eline out and keep her on the floor of the boat, will you make sure that she will not roam about?"

"No problem grandma, I will look after her, we will all be together, you can save grandpa easily." Naomi took Eline off herself and placed her with Ram. "Ram, I am going to stand up, sometimes the boat might shake, but you should not get frightened okay?"

"Yes, grandma, you save that grandpa." Naomi slowly rose and took hold of the man's hand and tried to raise the body slowly, so that she could tie the man with the rope but he was a dead weight and she didn't want to topple the boat, so she opened her water bottle and poured water on the face of the man, hoping against hope that he gains consciousness. She inwardly pleaded, "God, wake him up plea......se". Nothing happened for a minute or two and then his eyes started fluttering... and it opened to the relief of one and all.

"Hi sir, are you okay??" The man watched Naomi for sometime and then he blinked and raised his brows when he saw Naomi holding his hand.

"Not to worry sir!!!! Ram, Eline, Tiger and myself Naomi  were going for a ride down the river and we found you on your vehicle, so we thought you would like to accompany us, so what do you say, are you game? Naomi winked at him to play along.

"Oh wonderful!!! this is a great boat and I would be glad if you could give me some space for me to sit and become your partner."

"What do you think Ram? Is it a deal?"

"Deal Grandma."

"What is your name sir?"

"Robert"

.....to be continued.....

See you.

Meena