The Tiger Who Came to Tea

It’s 4 o’clock.

“Time for tea!” calls Mummy.

I never go the first time.

“Kids!” she calls again.  “Tea time!”

But I want to play on the computer.

“Amitai!  Where are you?”  Her voice is louder now.

I’m finishing my game when the doorbell rings.

“I’ll go!” I say.  I walk downstairs.

Who can it be?

It can’t be Daddy because he’s still at work.

And it can’t be Talia because it’s only Monday and she doesn’t come home until Thursday night.

Yonatan’s learning Torah at yeshiva so it can’t be him.

Can it be Yair?  Hmm … no, he’s meeting his girlfriend.

Or Alon?  One second … no, he’s making a music video with his friends.

Nitzan … of course … is already in the kitchen having her tea.  She’s helping Mummy prepare the vegetables … she’s SO annoying!

I open the door quickly and my mouth opens in the shape of a big O.

A tiger is lying on the stairs outside our house.

“Oh, hello!” he says.

“Can I come in?” he asks.

In the kitchen, Mummy, Nitzan and I sit at the table with the tiger.  We eat peanut butter sandwiches and drink fresh orange juice.

The tiger has the same.

“I’m still hungry,” says the tiger when the plate is empty.

Mummy stands up.  “Do you like pizza?” she asks him.

“Oh, yes!” says the tiger.

It’s 5 o’clock.

The fridge is empty.

The jugs of juice are gone.

And there is no water left in the tap.

The tiger stands up.

“Thank you for my tea,” he says.  He walks to the front door.

“I’ll come back again soon.”

But he never does.