A Change of Plans

Joshua awoke bright and early. He had been waiting for this day all week! The family of three had been exceptionally busy the past month. His parents worked overtime while Joshua crammed for his end-of-year examinations. Finally, with their responsibilities done and dusted, his parents promised to take him cycling with his cousin, Emily.

Just then, the doorbell rang. “Who could that be?” Joshua wondered as he hurried to the door. To his astonishment, his grandfather stood waving at the door. Joshua stared at his grandfather warily, unsure of what to make of their unexpected guest. “You’re here!” his mother called out from behind.

Disappointment gnawed at Joshua’s heart as his parents explained that they had to postpone their much-awaited plans with Emily. They assured Joshua that his grandfather would take good care of him in their absence and they would be back home by evening. Grudgingly, Joshua agreed, albeit with a heavy sigh.

A cloud of disappointment lingered in the air until his grandfather’s warm voice interjected, “Well, how about a game of chess?” With a flourish, he unveiled an exquisite-looking chess set from his bag and set it on the table in front of them. Joshua’s interest was piqued. With a tentative nod, he accepted the offer.

His grandfather began to explain the rules and movements of each piece and the objective of the game. Then, he patiently shared tips and explained strategies. Slowly, the fog of confusion lifted from Joshua’s mind, replaced by a growing fascination for the game.

Time trickled by and soon, Joshua’s parents returned home. They were surprised to see Joshua and his grandfather huddled over the table. Approaching the duo, his parents apologised again for the change of plans and promised to make it up to Joshua the following day. With a smile, Joshua looked up and reassured them that the day had turned out to be unexpectedly wonderful.

The Chan family were on a week-long family trip. They had meticulously planned every detail of their trip, from packing snacks to plotting their route and the itinerary for each day. It was the third day and they were bound for Crystal Lake, an enchanting tourist attraction nestled between rolling hills and lush forests.

Penny and Oliver scrambled to get off the bus. Mr and Mrs Chan had planned a brief stopover in a small town outside of the city to catch a connecting bus to their final destination. However, the scheduled time came and passed with not a single vehicle in sight. Asking a local, they learnt that the roads had flooded from the storm last night and the bus would not be coming.

“What should we do now?” Mr Chan asked, scratching his head. “Why not make the most of this unexpected turn?” suggested Mrs Chan with a smile. Just then, something caught Penny’s eyes. She tugged at her mother’s sleeve and pointed to a colourful flyer plastered on a lamp post nearby. It announced a local festival, and it was being held that very day!

The family of four wandered into the town and were pleasantly surprised by the vibrant decor and the rows of stalls. The sweet scent of pastries danced in the air and they could not resist their allure. Each bite of flaky croissant brought forth a burst of flavour in their mouths, melting their hearts. All day, they strolled along the cobblestone path, basking in the music, festivities, and the warmth of the townspeople.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow over the town square, the Chan family realised they had stumbled upon something magical, an experience they would have missed in this overlooked town had things gone according to plan.