This time it was Lady Flora’s turn to have a spring in her stride as she approached her friend Pheroze. With the cathedral lit up for Christmas, there was no other place they’d rather be. “Well, now someone is in a good mood,” chuckled Sir PM. “I’m still smiling after attending a two-day storytelling and literature festival that was held at the museum. I was missing being around younger people—no offence to you dear Pheroze—and this seemed like the right place to soak in the experience.” Sir PM was listening, and was silently relieved that he wasn’t invited to accompany his friend. Listening to kids for long periods of time wasn’t his cuppa anything, and so he smiled generously as if to approve of Lady Flora’s little exercise.

“Now that’s a novel way to observe the pulse of young people. Good doctor Viegas was also planning to head there since his great-great granddaughter wanted to swing by, and he couldn’t refuse, despite having to forgo his Sunday morning ritual of reading five newspapers in one sitting. So, what were some of your observations?” Sir PM asked his friend, who was tapping her feet gently to the Christmas carols that resonated inside the cathedral. “Pheroze, there were good things to note, and some not-so-very pleasant realisations too. First with the good—I was relieved to note that today’s children, pre-teens as well as early teens, still read. It was a Hallelujah moment for me, honestly. Given that they are exposed to all this fancy technology, who is to guarantee when the love of books will vanish. Secondly, they aren’t afraid to ask questions—though they can be a tad impatient—and yes, they possess a super-active brain that soaks in information at remarkable speed and time.” Sir PM poured them both their evening tea from a flask and brought out a few delicious-looking Shrewsbury biscuits that his cousin sent him from Pune.