I Am Nokhodi... Achoo!

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Uncle Larry sat down beneath a pretty apple tree, waiting for his assistant. As he was fed-up, he picked a red apple from the tree, and took a bite of apple. At that point the fourth marker was removed, and Mr. Assistant showed up.

The assistant patted Uncle Larry on the shoulder, and said,"You are a promising Uncle! What was the name of the story?"

Uncle Larry smiled at him, "Kadoo ghel ghele zan. It's Parmis's favorite story."

Mr. Assistant noticed a pink wrapping paper lying on the ground, "Did you get another birthday present?"

Uncle Larry took another bite of the apple, then pointed at the piggy bank, "Yes, now I have a piggy bank."

Minutes later, they crammed a red apple and the tank into the basket, and left the apple orchard for the next marker. They went straight until they reached a marvelous road; the maples lined both sides of the road, and the pathway was buried beneath the golden coins and reddish-purple sumac.

Mr. Assistant pointed at a phone booth standing at the corner of the street, "Oh Look, a telephone booth is over there! I bet that it's out of order." Suddenly the telephone began ringing. Uncle Larry said, "Can you answer it for me?"

Mr. Assistant asked, "Are you afraid? isn't it odd that you are afraid of the telephone?"

Uncle Larry knitted his brows, "No, I'm not afraid. Everyone knows that Larry never answers the telephone, his assistant does it."
The assistant's cheeks glowed with embarrassment. Uncle Larry added," The booth is locked, though."

Mr. Assistant approached the booth, and opened its glass door and went in. Uncle Larry's eyebrows were raised in surprise. As soon as Mr. Assistant moved his hand toward the telephone, it stopped ringing.

Mr. Assistant turned to Uncle Larry, "I'm sorry. In my view that was Parmis. There's no harm in calling her."

A wry smile crept over uncle Larry's face, "If I had a coin, I would call her."

Mr. Assistant said, grinning, "Take a look around, you have plenty of coins!"

Uncle Larry replied, smirking,"Not every flower can say love, but the rose did." He looked his assistant in the eye, "Mr. Assistant, Not every coin can fit this telephone, but Parmis's coin!"

---, "How, how can you find her coin among thousands of coins?"
Uncle Larry blinked at him, "It's no trouble at all, on the contrary, it's very easy.!"

Uncle Larry went off, he stood in middle of the street and stared at the coins. Mr. Assistant stared at him, too.
 First Uncle Larry sneezed loudly, "Achoo!" after that he shouted, "Yalla Sekeha, biyaid too delam" (= Golden coins, Come on, come into my stomach!) Then he kept opening his mouth as if he wanted to eat something.

Quick as a flash the whole of the coins vanished, but one. It was Parmis's coin. Mr. Assistant froze, his mouth dropping open. Uncle Larry closed his mouth, and picked up the coin. Mr. Assistant was still confused and puzzled.

Uncle Larry said, "Now I can call her." Mr. Assistant said nothing. Uncle Larry asked, "Are you okay?"

Mr. Assistant asked, "Where are the coins?"

Uncle Larry pointed at his stomach, "In here."

--, "Really?"

Uncle Larry laughed, "No, I was only joking. I don't know where they are, I only tried to be Nokhodi for a while."

--, "It is also a Persian story?"

Uncle Larry nodded, "Yes, Nokhodi is a little pea with magical powers. As he sneezes, his stomach grows so big that he is able to swallow everything in a moment."

Mr. Assistant laughed, "Oh, I see."

They went back to the booth. Uncle Larry dropped the coin into the slot. As he tried to dial the phone number, the door of the coin box flew open, and a paint brush as his birthday present fell out.

 The fifth marker wasn't any more. Uncle Larry took a deep breath, he was very happy that everything turned out all right.

A north wind began blowing, and a sumac storm arose. Uncle Larry walked fast up the road. Mr. Assistant dropped the coin into his basket and followed him.

Best Wishes
M.T☺

M.T