It was bath time, and little Chamroeun, freshly washed and dripping wet, sat patiently—well, almost patiently—on the edge of the bathroom bench. His fur was still damp and fluffy, and his nose twitched with impatience.
“Dad! Towel!” he squeaked, looking around.
Daddy had gone to get a clean towel from the other room. But Chamroeun, full of energy and wiggly nerves, couldn’t stay still. He rocked from side to side, humming to himself, looking everywhere except at the edge he was so close to.
And then… it happened.
One big wiggle too many—and tally! Down he went!
“Thunk!”
Chamroeun landed face-down on the soft rug, arms and legs sprawled like a pancake. For a moment, he was silent. Shocked. Then came the cry.
“Eeeeeee!” he screamed, more from embarrassment than pain.
Dad rushed back, towel in hand. “Chamroeun! What happened, buddy?!”
The baby monkey rolled over dramatically, his eyes wide and lips trembling. His bottom lip poked out as he pointed at the bench like it had betrayed him.
“Oh no… did it jump away from you?” Dad joked, gently picking him up.
Chamroeun sniffled and clung to Dad’s arm, soaking him in the process. He nuzzled into the towel, wrapping it around himself like a little blanket of dignity.
With the towel finally around him and a warm cuddle from Dad, the tears faded quickly. A banana treat helped too.
By evening, Chamroeun was back to his playful self, though he shot suspicious glances at that tricky bench now and then.
