Junior Vocab
Meera and Her Tiny Plant
Meera: "Look, Amma bought me this tiny plant from the market!"
Arun: "It’s just a plant, Meera. Why are you smiling like you won a prize?"
Meera: "Because I’m going to take care of it. It smells like the mud after the first rain."
Arun: "Hmph. My cricket bat is cooler. It hits sixers."
Amma: "Both are special. Did you give your plant a name?"
Meera: "Not yet. I was waiting for the right moment."
Arun: "Plants don’t need names. They just stand there and do nothing."
Meera: "They drink water and make baby leaves. That’s not nothing."
Amma: "When we named you, Arun, you were a tiny baby too. You just yawned and slept."
Arun: "But I’m a person. Of course I got named."
Meera:named too." "Maybe the plant will feel like family if it gets
Arun: "Family? It doesn’t even eat dosa."
Meera: "It can watch us eat dosa. I’ll tell it all our secrets."
Amma: "Go on then. What will it be named?"
Meera: "Hmm… its leaves are bright and bossy. I want something sunny."
Arun: "Call it… Leafy. Or Greeny. Or Planty."
Meera: "Those sound like you forgot to think."
Arun: "I did think! Fine, don’t use my ideas."
Meera: "Wait. It came from the Sunday market near the temple, remember?"
Amma: "Yes, from the aunty who wore the jasmine flowers."
Meera: "Then it shall be named ‘Bazaar Sunshine’!"
Arun: "That’s too long. You’ll get tired saying it."
Meera: "No, I like how it feels in my mouth. Bazaar Sunshine."
Amma: "So it’s decided. Your plant is named Bazaar Sunshine."
Arun: "Can I water Bazaar Sunshine sometimes? Only sometimes."
Meera: "Okay, but gently. Or it will get scared."
Arun: "Plants don’t get scared… but I’ll still be gentle."
Amma: "See? Now that it’s named, everyone wants to take care of it."