What?“ yelled Din Din. “You did what?”

“I just looked through your shelves. I was hunting for my project material,” retorted Derek.

“You aren’t supposed to touch my things, no matter what!” Din Din shot back.

“Boys, boys! What’s the matter?” cried Grand-mama as she entered the backside of their cave home which the brothers used as their bedroom. There were four lofts cut out of the cave walls, softened by golden piles of hay which served as their beds.

“Grand-mama! Derek’s always messing with my stuff! I need my space. Even Dave and Don keep upsetting my loft and misplacing my things,” Din Din complained.

“Well, our part of the cave is just too small for the four of us,” replied Derek defensively.As the brothers quarreled, the elders sat at the dinner table and mused.

“I was expecting this,” said Grandfather. “Ever since we have moved into this cave with you all a few months ago, this house has become crowded.”

“Yes, father. I agree that the boys are also growing. This cave is rather congested for the eight of us,” answered Mr. D.

“But there is a solution,” Mrs. Dee added with a smile. “We have been in search of a larger cave in Fruit Park.”

“Really?” inquired Grand-mama. “Have you found a bigger cave which is empty? And can we afford it?”

“You don’t worry, Mama,” said Mrs. Dee. “Ever since I have started my chocolate business, we have had an opportunity to save.”

“The stegosaurus family is talking about moving out of their cave.

Smith — the head of the family — works at the fruit farm I’m employed at,“ Mr. D added. “I will find out further details from him tomorrow.”

The next evening when Mr. D returned home from work he was all smiles. At the dinner table, over a large, steaming bowl of celery soup and mashed peaches, he announced, “I spoke to Smith today! They are looking for a smaller cave. Their sons have moved out and now their cave is too large for the old couple to maintain. We have worked out a perfect exchange! They are ready to move into our cave and we will shift to theirs. The agreement will be finalized before Old Rex tonight.”

Din Din and his brothers could hardly believe their ears! They let out a whoop of pleasure!“Yipee!” hollered Din Din! “A bigger cave!

“Woohoo!” yelled Derek, Dave and Don as they danced around the table. What they didn’t know was what a tough job it was to pack up all their possessions. The entire week was spent in putting things in jute baskets and labeling them.

“All the kitchen earthenware pots go in these two baskets; the kids’ school stuff is to be put in the largest basket,” instructed Grand-mama as the others followed directions. As soon as the brothers returned home from school every day they got caught up in organiz-ing their things in baskets.

“I can’t find my box of coloured chalks and slates,” whined Don.

“That’s already been packed, dear!” Mrs. Dee said.

“I need to take them to school tomorrow,” he moaned.

“Well, you’ll just have to rummage through the basket marked ‘school supplies’. Just make sure you put all the other things back properly,” their mother replied.

And the same frenzied pace and confusion continued for the entire week as they packed, labeled, cleared out their useless stuff and organized themselves.

“Come on boys,” Mrs. Dee urged that Sunday morning. “Wake up! Today is the big day! It’s the day we move to our bigger home!”

The four dinosaurs sprang out of bed and within no time were bathed. After a quick breakfast, they helped carry their packed baskets out of their cave home.

Their neighbors had come to bid them goodbye.

“We’ll miss you,” said Mrs. Flo from the brontosaurus family who lived next door. Her young children who used to play with Dave and Don also seemed solemn as they waved.

Din Din gulped. As he glanced behind at the cave entrance surrounded by the bright bougainvillea which his mother had so lovingly planted, he realized it would be difficult to say goodbye to his childhood home. There were so many memories this cave held. He and his brothers had grown up here, laughed and cried, celebrated and complained within these rocky walls. Could any other house be a home?

His father’s voice jolted him out of his reverie.

“There are ten baskets in all, sons! We need to make two rounds to carry them to our new home. It’s a ten minute trek. Let’s go! Dee, you wait here for us to make a second round,” instructed their father.

Once the baskets were loaded onto the brothers’ backs, Mr. D led them towards their new home. Their grandparents followed.Din Din’s heart was thumping with anticipation. They were finally moving to their new home!

“This is it!” announced Mr. D as they approached a large cave opening bordered with pretty cherry trees.

“Hello!” greeted an old dinosaur couple. “Welcome!”

“Hello, Smith!” Mr. D returned the greeting. “Mrs. Dee is awaiting your arrival to show you into your new home.”

While the elders talked, the four brothers unloaded their baskets and took a tour of their new home.

“Oh my! Four rooms!” exclaimed Derek.

“What a huge kitchen!” squealed Dave.

“Mom will be ecstatic!”

“Just look at the size of this dining table! It’s double the size of our old one!” cried Don.

“So? Do you like it?” asked Mr. D with a smile.

“We love it, dad!” replied Din Din. That night as Din Din lay on his new loft, sleep didn’t come easily. “It’s probably the new environment,” he mulled to himself.

The next day was a school day and the Terrestrial School was further away from their new home. “We have to leave fifteen minutes earlier today!” said Din Din.

It took Din Din’s family the entire week to settle down and unpack their belongings.

“I miss home,” shared Din Din with his Grand-mama late one night as he put his head on her paws. “It’s taking quite some time getting used to our new home. I mean I love it here. There’s so much space and finally some privacy because I just have to share my room with Don now….”

“I understand! And this is perfectly natural. But soon you will get so used to this home that our old home will seem like a distant dream,” replied Grand-mama. “That’s how adaptable we animals are. And remember, home is with those we love. And there’s no place like home!”

Have you ever shifted houses? What was the experience like?Write to us at DLand@KandNs.com

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