Sonder Place

There is a place where many houses are all jumbled. There, everything - doors, walls, windows, roofs, paths, and alley- is all piled and clustered, and incredibly each one leads to the others. So just walking among those houses feels like playing hide-and-seek.

Alok lives there. It’s a bright morning. Alok feels brave today. I am ready for an adventure, he declares.

Alok hesitates in front of a house he has walked by often. He barely knocks on the door, and it swings open!

There stands a granny up on a ladder by a huge window.

Good morning. My name is Alok.

That s a beautiful name, Alok. Good morning. Please come in, the granny offers kindly.

Thank you. What are you painting up there? asks Alok.

A sun. I am tracing a morning sun and painting it on my window so that I can keep it all day long. My room gets dark very quickly in the afternoon.

Oh! Alok smiles with a nod.

You have a beautiful smile just like your name! says the granny.
Alok realizes he doesn’t t know the granny s name yet. Her name must be warm and beautiful just like herself! thinks Alok. May I ask your name? he asks.

My name is Yawasedafnworehfoemandelkrapsecnomomfoemanehtni.

Alok mumbles, E…excuse me?

It is Yawa-sedaf-nwo-reh-fo-eman-delkraps-ecno-mom-fo-eman-eht-ni.

Can you tell me one more time, please? stumbles Alok.

The granny repeats her name, but Alok still cannot even call one syllable of her name!

A name like mine is difficult to remember, Alok. People hardly remember or call me by my name. Suddenly a shadow crosses where they are standing. I better get back to work before the sun goes down. The granny picks herself up with a wistful smile.