January 05. “Let’s try and end the story today, Button.”

“Let’s make an attempt.”

“Whose turn is it?”

“Mine.”

“Please continue.”

The child replied—Ma’am, all of us on the island feel that ever since you started to smoke, we have had severe breathing problems, our trees and plants are withering and dying, and the air does not smell as crisp and fresh as it once used to. I know I am overdoing this bit but could you please give up the habit? B

Have you gone insane? How could all this be happening because of my smoking? But let me think this through.

The Princess of Ishika did not sleep that night. What if this was true? What if her people were falling sick and her kingdom was dying because of this habit that she had got hooked on to? Why hadn’t she seen Dolly and Sharky for over a month? Did all these questions have the same answer? Should she then give it up? The princess fell asleep in a very disturbed frame of mind in the wee hours of the morning but with a resolution that she would give up smoking for a while and test it out. B

Some days later, when she went down to the water’s edge, both Dolly and Sharky were there to greet her. Where have you been? Asked Ishika. That thing you were smoking was choking me. The princess also noticed that practically all the trees and plants were looking healthy and radiant once again. Even her people seemed pleased that their princess had given up a bad habit keeping them in mind.

The Island of Ishika started to buzz with life and happiness once again. B