January 14. “I must stay awake till midnight tonight.”

“Why Button?”

“You couldn’t have forgotten! It’s sir’s birthday tomorrow.”

“Oh that?”

“I have made a card for him but I won’t show it to you now. I want him to see it first.”

“That’s perfectly okay.”

“And what are you gifting sir on his birthday?”

“A couple of white shirts and a red cap he wanted after seeing Terence Lewis wear it on an episode of Dance India Dance. He just went on and on about how lovely the cap was so I decided to get it for him. My elder daughter knows Terence so I’ve asked her to speak with him.”

“Any luck with the red cap?”

“My daughter finally got to speak with Terence and, in place of the red cap, he sent an even better one—a black hat with polka dots which is supposed to be a magic hat because once he wears it—every joint and muscle in his body will start to move and he’ll begin to dance like Jackson.”

“And sir loves dancing. He’ll freak out once you present the hat to him.”

“I hope he likes it. But he’ll get the shock of his life the minute he wears it for the first time as he’ll start dancing without actually putting in any effort. Do you think it’ll take him a while to figure out how to get out of dance mode?”

“Don’t tell him. Let him figure it out on his own.”

“Once he discovers he has to doff it to stop dancing, he’ll begin to have fun doffing the hat and putting it back on again and again and again. Imagine him doing the cha-cha-cha, the jive, the twist…picture in your mind’s eye the sheer surprise, shock and pleasure on his face! Imagine him showing off his dancing prowess to just about anybody!”

“Can I join in the fun?”

“Arre, what kind of a question is that! You must. How can you not join in the fun when I am sharing all this with you? Rani and Mowgli will also be there. After all, ours is one big, happy, mad family.”

“Can I borrow the hat? I love dancing too”

“You can’t. The hat is meant for sir alone and only his body will respond to it. It won’t work for anybody else.”