Two brothers
were playing in
the backyard
when they had a
disagreement.
Three year-old
Caio thought
that he was the
only one who
should enjoy and
ride their
bicycle. Nine
year-old Felipe
wanted to play
too but his
little brother
would not let
him. Losing his
temper, Felipe
shouted:
- You are... you
are... I cannot
play with you!
You’re really
uncomprehending!Enough!
I will not play
with you any
more!
Caio, not
understanding
that word began
to cry and shout
for his mother
who was working
in the kitchen:
|
 |
- Mommy!...
Mommy!...
Felipe
is
cursing!
And Caio
cried so
much
that his
mother
left the
kitchen
and came
to the
backyard
where
her kids
were.
Wondering
what had
happened,
she
asked
Felipe,
who was
amused
with the
fact
that his
brother
thought
he had
cursed,
and
while
laughing
turned
to his
mother
to say:
- Mom,
nothing
happened!
Caio
thinks I
said a
bad word!
- and he
continued
laughing.
- And
you did
not? -
asked
his
surprised
mother.
- Of
course
not!...
I said
that
Caio was
un- |
|
comprehending!
He did not
understand it
and did not like
it! That's why
he's crying. |
The mother
restrained her
own laughter so
as not to make
her youngest kid
even more
irritated, then
explained as she
put him in her
lap:
- Caio, dear,
what your
brother called
you is not a
dirty word. It's
a big word but
it means you did
not understand
what he
explained. That’s
it!
- No! - yelled
the little one,
irritated. - I
understood it!
He wanted to
curse at me! I
will not play
with him either!
Felipe
approached his
brother, hugged
him and tried to
talk to Caio but
he hid his face
in his mother's
lap, as to not
see his brother.
So Felipe walked
away to do his
homework. Some
time later, he
was in his
bedroom doing
his homework
when someone
knocked on the
door. He opened
it and saw
little Caio
wanting to enter.
- What do you
want, Caio? I
can’t play. I'm
doing my
homework.
- Ah! What is
it? - asked the
little one.
|
- I have
school
stuff to
do and
if I do
not do
it, I'll
get bad
grades.
- Why?
-
Because
my
teacher
will
think I
do not
know how
to do
the
assignments
and give
me a low
grade.
Simple
as that!
- Ah!...
If that's
all
there is
to it,
you can
play
with me
now and...
Felipe
looked
at Caio,
who
seemed
to
regret
having
quarrelled
with him,
and said:
- Caio,
I can’t
now. Go
play
with
your dog,
with
your
toys,
with
your
friends.
I cannot
play now!...
The
little
one hung
his head,
sad and
almost
crying.
Felipe,
seeing
his
condition,
felt
sorry
and
stooped
down to
comfort
his
little
brother:
- Caio,
dude,
I'm not
mad at
you. I
just
have
more
im- |
 |
|
portant
things
to do
now and
cannot
play. Do
you
understand? |
-The little boy
nodded his head,
showing that he
understood and
left the room
feeling very sad.
Their mother,
who cleaned the
living room, saw
Caio upset and
asked what had
happened to
which the little
one answered:
- It’s just that
Felipe cannot
play with me.
Can you play
with me, Mom?
The mother took
him in her lap
and explained
that she could
not play now
because she was
too busy with
the household
chores, but that
as soon as she
was finished she
would play with
him.
- No one can
play with me! -
cried Caio,
looking at his
shoes.
The mother,
sorry for him,
looked around
and invited him
to help her with
the cleaning,
stating that
right after it
she would play
with him.
- If you help
me, we'll be
done soon!
Caio accepted
and very
seriously took a
broom and began
to sweep the
floor. Right
then, his little
dog entered the
room and barked,
pulling at the
hem of his pants,
but the little
boy looked
serious at the
puppy and said:
- Toto, I cannot
play now! I'm
busy with very
important work!
When I'm done,
I'll play with
you.
And, with a
serious face,
feeling valued,
he grabbed his
broom again and
resumed sweeping,
saying:
- I also have
chores, don’t I,
Mom?
- Of course,
honey! You're
little but you
sweep very well.
Congratulations!...
Soon you will be
able do other
more important
tasks. You're
really growing
up!
And with a broom
in his hand,
Caio felt much
better and
valued. When his
father arrived
home from work,
he saw his
youngest son
sweeping the
entrance of the
house and
invited him:
- Caio, would
you like to play
with Daddy?
Very serious, he
lifted his head,
looked at his
father firmly
and replied:
- Dad, now I can’t.
I'm working.
When I finish my
job, we can
play, okay?
MEIMEI
(Psychographed
by Célia X. de
Camargo on
31/10/2016.)
