“Let’s try to sort out things to understand how it could happen that the boy had disappeared in an unknown direction,” offered Grandpa. As a former military-man, he liked accuracy and order in everything.
“It would be better to think where we can look for him.” Grandma sighed. As a former military-man’s wife, she knew that this ‘sorting out things’ can take a long time.
“Pavlusha, you two must have been finishing your model today. Vova told me that it was almost ready. He wanted to help you. At least, that’s how I got it,” said Vovka’s Mama.
“That’s exactly what we were going to do! We had already assembled the aircraft and had only to paint it. But first we wanted to test the aircraft. You see, if the model has any defects, you’d better fix them before having it painted. And even if the test goes well, still…” Pavlik was embarrassed to talk about the forthcoming competition. He thought about it every day and even hoped to win in it, but to think was one thing and to say it aloud – quite another. Actually, it was like declaring that in his wheelchair he might be a champion in chess and modeling, the things he was good at. He stopped short, but then realized that the grown-ups wouldn’t understand that and began explaining.
“The aircraft might get scratched during the test, but we want it to shine in the competition.”
“That means that Vova was supposed to come to you today to fix the aircraft, right?” asked Grandpa.
“Yes, but he was going to the store first. He had been waiting for you and wanted to buy something tasty for tea,” said Pavlik.
“He went to the store and something happened to him on the way,” sobbed Grandma.
“Oh, mother, what are you talking about? Nothing has happened to him; he’s a clever boy and knows that you can cross the street only when the traffic lights are green. And he knows that you mustn’t go anywhere with a stranger, even when he asks for it. Look at the table, he had bought everything and made tea. The only thing I don’t understand is where he went afterwards,” said Vovka’s Mama sadly.
“Where he went! I am telling you, somebody rang the door bell, and he opened the door! Maybe they were criminals – there are plenty of such stories, you know. They could have pretended to be kind or in need, and then seized him and ran away!” Grandma started to cry again.
“How can you even think of that, mother! You know Vova, he will never open the door to a stranger! He would talk through the door and do whatever they asked him for. He would call the ambulance or emergency services, but he wouldn’t open the door even to the neighbours, only to us, the members of the family. Of course, he is a little boy, but not a silly one,” said Mama indignantly.
