The Bewildering Box Chaos

It’s an ordinary day, typical for a day in the prolonged spell of summer vacations. This time, we went for a short trip to Pondicherry, and came back in 3 days. I’m spending the remaining few days of the holidays by reading books, running around the house, playing with my sister, and the like. 

And typical enough, my mom calls me, so that I can return a small box we borrowed from our downstairs neighbour. I do as she asked, and climb down the stairs to go to their house. 

But just before I rang the doorbell, I noticed that their door was locked from the outside. They were not at home. That’s ordinary.

But my mom doesn’t think so, because she had just seen them that evening. I sigh and assured her that they weren’t there. She didn’t argue.

The next day, my grandmother urged me to return the box. I go downstairs to go to their house - no, they’re still not back.

‘I saw them just an hour ago!’ she replied, but I shook my head and informed her they weren’t there.

The very next morning, my mom handed the box to me, saying that they were very much at home since she just saw them enter the flat. I shrug and take the box downstairs but their door is still locked.

My mom makes frustrated little noises, while I try to while away some time. An hour later, my mom hands the box to my sister this time, and tells her to go return it. 

On her way out, my sister clarifies with me which door to go to. I tell her to go to the door exactly below our house, and she skips away.

Buy she comes back with the same reply I had come back with each time. They weren’t there.

My grandmother comes forward to argue, but my mom hastily and angrily grabs the box and pulls my sister and I downstairs.

I thought she’d be struck with realisation and embarrassment once she saw the door - but she didn’t go to that door. 

She rings the doorbell of the house opposite to the ones I’d been visiting almost every time of the day - and a smiling old lady opens it, and welcomes us inside.

‘You’re home!’ the lady cries. ‘I was going to give you these wonderful sweets I’d made - but your door was locked. But you’re back now, have a seat!’

My sister was staring at the lady innocently, while my mom says, ‘I came over to return your box, I’ve been meaning to for days - but Shriyandhaa was ringing the wrong doorbell. And we have been home all week too!’

The old lady lightly hits her head with her palm. ‘You weren’t the only one ringing the wrong doorbell!’ But she quickly scrunches her brows. ‘A box to return, you say?’

‘Yes, this box is yours, right?’ my mom said, now doubtful. 

The lady regards it with a confused expression. ‘Of course not dear! You need some sweet.’ 

We have some of her truly delightful sweets and leave her house. My mom quickly walks over to my grandmother.

‘The box isn’t theirs,’ she says, and my grandmother looks as confused as my mom did. 

‘Which house did you go to?’ my grandmother asks, just to be sure. 

‘The one downstairs…’

‘Downstairs? The box belongs to the house on the right, UPSTAIRS!’ 

Facepalm.

I guess old is gold, and wise, and smart, and someone you should definitely go to for extra clarification.