Happy Birthday !
This late afternoon in Shi'Kahr, Spock sits cross-legged on a wooden bench. He concentrates on the book in his hands. A few minutes later, he rolls his eyes and sighs.
« How silly! » he says, turning the page and trying to keep an All Vulcan calm appearance. Inhaling, exhaling but rolling his eyes anyway.
« This paragraph is a jumble of meaningless words! AND …Look at this, I'Chaya! » The toddler says to his old and tired Selhat that is trying to sleep next to its young master. Spock shows the picture under the text. « First, no wild animal needs to have an hat!»
Following that short pause, he takes a deep breath, finding the scent of his mother's roses calming. He sighs and resumes his lecture.
Sarek came home to find his wife giggling in the living room, observing their son and his pet in the garden.
"May I request what is a source of fun? Spock looks upset! What has happened?" Sarek asks, more curious than disappointed by his son's lack of emotional control.
Amanda, suddenly containing her laughs, walks toward the coffee table and picks up a small birthday card. Sarek joins her and looks at the recently torn gift wrap on the table.
Sarek guesses that today Spock has received a birthday present from his all human grandmother.
"A children's book, again? » He asks, mentally pleading for another response.
«It is a classic of its kind! » Amanda says, smiling.
Sarek sighs. He remembers the last present of his loving Mother in law, a teacher in her youth.
Yes, it was another classic of its kind: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, master of fantasy and nonsense literature! How great…
Sarek had spent three weeks to explain or trying to explain to his little boy some of the most illogical chapters without going insane himself ! Spock, six years old, had a lot of questions in mind like HOW does a white rabbit manage to tell time?
"The author's name is Doctor Seuss…You will LOVE it!" Amanda says, pursing her lips.
The Vulcan Ambassador is walking across the garden when he is welcomed by I'Chaya.
Seeing his father, Spock gets on his feet, hiding his book in his back, embarrassed.
In a small gesture, Sarek invites Spock to sit down on the bench with him.
« I have already heard about a new gift from your Grandmother. Does it look like Alice in Wonderland?"
« No, Father. It does not. It is even worse! » Spock says.
Sarek bends over Spock's shoulder, watching the drawing in the Terran children's book. "What is it about?"
« I don't know…It is no sense! »
"Could you please read some lines for me?" Sarek asks.
Spock opens his book and begins to read out loud: "When beetles battle beetles in a puddle paddle battle and the beetle battle puddle is a puddle in a bottle…they call this a tweetle beetle bottle puddle paddle battle muddle."
Sarek's eyebrows are now disappearing under his bangs of hair, speechless.
Spock adds « I am 7 years old, Father. I am not a silly human boy! I have already read Terran books written in Grandmother's mother tongue: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Oliver Twist and Around the World in 80 days! Father, does she hate me? Is she kidding me?"
Sarek is now taken aback. "Do you really think that your Grandmother hates you? Each year for your birthday, she sends you a present. It would be illogical to offer a present to someone you dislike."
Spock subjects to a full examination his father's explanation and adds: "You're right…of course. Except if Grandmother Grayson IS illogical! So …Do you think that I have to thank her?"
"Obviously…We should contact her after dinner to do so. I'm sure that she will be satisfied."
In his mind, Sarek knows that his mother in law is in fact kidding him, not his loved grandson!
Sarek is now looking at the cover of the book. Its tittle is Fox in socks! However, it seems that his smart mother in law has traced a line on Fox with a pencil to replace Fox by the word Spock!
"Well…It is a special dedication to you!"
"Nevertheless, I think that the author is mentally ill!" Spock states.
"As a matter of fact, your mother said to me that he was a doctor…Look here …His name is Dr SEUSS…" Sarek says.
"A doctor? Really? »
Four hours later, Spock is in his bed, unable to sleep. His gaze is fixed on his Grandmother's book, already in his bookshelf.
Father said that the author was a doctor…I wonder if all Human doctors are so illogical and foolish.
The End.
