One quiet afternoon, Cutis the little monkey watched Dad working hard in the yard under the warm sun. Dad wiped sweat from his forehead and sighed, “Whew, I’m thirsty.” Cutis’s eyes lit up. This was the perfect chance to be helpful. “I’ll make you a sweet drink, Dad!” he chirped proudly, already imagining how happy Dad would be.
Cutis hurried into the kitchen, dragging a chair over to reach the counter. He remembered watching Dad make drinks before: water first, then something sweet. On the shelf sat two very similar containers—one filled with sugar and the other with salt. Cutis frowned, trying to remember which was which. Both were white, both sparkly, and both looked equally tasty to him.
“Sugar is sweet… salt is also white,” Cutis muttered seriously. After a moment of deep thinking, he grabbed a big spoonful from the wrong container and poured it into the glass. To be extra kind, he added another spoon. “Dad worked hard. He deserves extra sweetness,” Cutis said with a proud nod.
Carrying the drink carefully, Cutis presented it to Dad with a big smile. “Here you go! A sweet drink just for you!” Dad laughed warmly and took a big sip. The smile on his face froze instantly. His eyes widened, and he coughed. “Oh—wow!” he exclaimed, trying not to laugh.
Mom rushed over, worried. “What happened?” Dad held up the glass and burst into laughter. “It’s… very special!” Cutis looked confused and took a tiny sip himself. His face twisted in shock. “Bleh! Why is it so salty?” Everyone started laughing, and even Cutis couldn’t help but giggle.
Mom explained gently the difference between sugar and salt, showing Cutis the labels on the containers. Cutis scratched his head, embarrassed but smiling. “I just wanted to help,” he said softly. Dad knelt down and hugged him. “And you did,” Dad replied. “You made our day much happier.”
That afternoon, they made a new drink together—the correct one this time. As they laughed and sipped, Cutis learned that even small mistakes can turn into sweet memories when shared with love.
