Poki, the playful little monkey known for his cheeky grin and endless energy, started his morning like any other—full of hope for a bowl brimming with sweet fruit. Bananas, mango slices, papaya chunks—those were his favorites. Every morning, he’d jump excitedly to the feeding spot, eyes wide with anticipation.
But today was different.
As Poki bounced eagerly to his feeding area, tail flicking with joy, something caught him off guard. There was no colorful pile of fruit waiting for him. Instead, a dull, grayish mush sat in the bowl. Poki froze. He tilted his head. He sniffed. Then he looked up at his caregiver, as if to say, “Are you serious?”
It was porridge.
The other monkeys didn’t seem to mind. Some had already dug in, licking the sticky meal from their fingers. But Poki? He sat still, his face a picture of disappointment. He poked the porridge with one finger, then quickly wiped it on a leaf. He sniffed the air again—just to be sure no fruit was hidden nearby.
But no. No bananas. No mangoes. No juicy watermelon.
Poki sulked. He turned his back to the bowl and crossed his little arms, gazing out at the trees. A few of the younger monkeys ran past him, splashing water and giggling. Normally Poki would have joined them in an instant. But today, with no fruit in sight, he just couldn’t find the energy.
The caregivers noticed. One chuckled softly. “Oh, Poki,” she said, “we didn’t forget about you. The fruit delivery is just late today.”
Still, Poki pouted. He finally dipped his finger in the porridge and gave it a reluctant lick. His face twisted. Not awful—but certainly not mango. He tried another bite. Then another. Slowly, he started eating, even if he wasn’t exactly thrilled.
Eventually, Poki’s mood began to lift. After all, a full tummy is better than an empty one. And just as he licked the last bit from the bowl, something wonderful happened—one of the caregivers returned, holding a single ripe banana.
“Guess what finally arrived?” she said with a smile.
Poki’s eyes lit up like sunshine. He squealed with delight, bounced in circles, and took the banana with both hands like it was a treasure. He ate it slowly, savoring every bite, and gave the caregiver a grateful look before scampering off to join his friends.
Even on porridge days, it seems, joy always finds its way back to Poki.
