The morning started with an unmistakable sound that echoed through the house: achoo! It was loud, dramatic, and followed by a sniff so exaggerated that even the monkeys outside paused to listen. Cutis sat up on his sleeping mat, hair sticking out in every direction, eyes half-open, nose red, and face scrunched in annoyance.
“I’m not sick,” he muttered stubbornly, wiping his nose with the back of his hand. “I’m just… a little tired.”
Dad, standing nearby with a cup of warm water, raised an eyebrow. He had heard this before. Every time Cutis caught a cold, he said the same thing. And every time, what followed was a series of reckless, hilarious decisions that turned an ordinary sick day into a comedy show.
“Drink this first,” Dad said gently, holding out the cup.
Cutis took one look at it and groaned. “Warm water again? Dad, I’m not an old man.”
Before Dad could respond, achoo! Another sneeze exploded out of Cutis, so powerful that a nearby monkey jumped off the table in shock. Dad couldn’t help but laugh.
“That sneeze says otherwise,” he teased.
Cutis ignored him, standing up dramatically. “I’m fine. I can still do everything.”
That was the beginning of the chaos.
Despite being sick, Cutis insisted on following Dad outside to feed the monkeys. His steps were unsteady, his head heavy, but his confidence was completely untouched. He grabbed a basket that was clearly too big for him and marched forward like a hero going into battle.
Dad watched closely, already amused. “Cutis, maybe you should rest today.”
“No need!” Cutis declared. “Being sick is boring.”
As soon as they reached the feeding area, the monkeys surrounded them excitedly. Cutis tried to bend down, but halfway through, he froze, sneezed again, and accidentally tossed a banana straight into the air instead of handing it out. The banana landed perfectly on a monkey’s head.
For one second, there was silence.
Then chaos.
The monkeys burst into loud chatter, some laughing, some chasing each other, while the banana-wearing monkey looked deeply offended. Dad laughed so hard he had to lean against a tree.
Cutis blinked, confused. “I meant to do that,” he said weakly, rubbing his nose.
Dad wiped tears from his eyes. “Of course you did.”
Instead of slowing down, Cutis became even more reckless. He tried to carry food with one hand while sneezing into the other, resulting in fruit rolling everywhere. Monkeys slipped, grabbed, and squealed in excitement. One small monkey jumped onto Cutis’s shoulder, startling him so badly that he spun around in circles.
“Hey! Hey! I’m sick!” Cutis protested, wobbling.
The monkey ignored him completely, tugging at his hair. Cutis tried to shoo it away, lost his balance, and sat down hard on the ground. The monkeys paused, staring.
Dad rushed over, concerned. “Are you okay?”
Cutis sat there for a moment, then burst out laughing himself. “I think… the ground attacked me.”
That was it. Dad laughed even harder. He laughed so much that his stomach hurt. Seeing Cutis, sick, dusty, surrounded by mischievous monkeys, blaming the ground for his fall—it was impossible not to laugh.
Even when sick, Cutis’s energy was unstoppable.
Later, Dad tried to get Cutis to rest under the shade. He wrapped him in a light blanket and told him to stay still. Cutis nodded seriously, eyes half-closed.
Five minutes later, Dad turned around and found Cutis attempting to climb a small tree.
“CUTIS!” Dad shouted.
Cutis froze, clinging to the trunk. “What?”
“You’re sick!”
“So? I’m climbing slowly,” Cutis replied, before sneezing again and sliding down the trunk, landing on his feet with a dramatic stumble.
Dad covered his face, laughing. “You are unbelievable.”
Cutis puffed out his chest. “I’m brave.”
“You’re reckless,” Dad corrected, still smiling.
As the day went on, Cutis’s sickness showed in the funniest ways. He tried to act tough, but his body betrayed him constantly. He would talk confidently, then suddenly forget what he was saying mid-sentence. He would run two steps, then stop to catch his breath like an exhausted old man. Every attempt to prove he was “fine” only made things funnier.
At lunchtime, Cutis insisted on helping cook. He sniffed the soup, sneezed into the air, and nearly dropped the spoon. Dad quickly took over.
“Sit. Eat. Rest,” Dad ordered.
Cutis sat down, crossed his arms, and sulked for exactly ten seconds. Then he started telling stories—dramatic stories about how he was “stronger than sickness” and how the cold was “afraid of him.” His voice grew softer with each sentence, until his head slowly drooped forward and he fell asleep mid-boast.
Dad stared at him in disbelief… then laughed quietly.
Even sleeping, Cutis was funny. He snored lightly, hugging the empty bowl, mumbling nonsense about bananas and monkeys. One monkey crept closer, curious, and gently poked Cutis’s cheek. Cutis didn’t wake up—he only smiled and turned his head.
Dad covered him with a blanket, his laughter fading into warmth.
In the afternoon, Cutis woke up feeling slightly better—or at least thinking he was. Immediately, he tried to stand and nearly tripped over his own feet.
“Careful,” Dad said.
“I’m okay!” Cutis said at the exact same moment he sneezed again.
Dad laughed. “Your body keeps exposing your lies.”
Cutis rolled his eyes. “My body is dramatic.”
By evening, Cutis finally slowed down. The sickness had clearly won, but not before providing endless entertainment. He leaned against Dad, tired but smiling.
“Dad,” he said softly, “did I do okay today?”
Dad looked at him, eyes warm, smile wide. “You made me laugh all day. That’s more than okay.”
Cutis grinned proudly. “See? Even when I’m sick, I’m useful.”
Dad laughed again, pulling him closer. “Yes. Super useful. But tomorrow, you rest.”
Cutis yawned. “Maybe.”
As the sun set and the monkeys settled down for the night, Dad looked at his reckless, sick, stubborn son and shook his head in disbelief. Even on his worst days, Cutis brought joy, laughter, and life to everyone around him.
Sickness might slow his body, but it couldn’t touch his spirit.
And for Dad, watching Cutis stumble, sneeze, and still try his best—it was super funny, deeply touching, and absolutely unforgettable 😂
