Q 249 words

On the day of the next hospital appointment Petrach insisted that he
came too.

"You don't have to see someone about a map this time?" said
Ninny.

"We don't joke about maps," said Petrach.

"Sorry Petrach," said Ninny.

Petrach wore his best blue underpants and Ninny put on her pea-green
hat. For little Psigor they hired a fancy-dress costume. He would go as
a melon.

They took an earlier helitaxi than normal and waited impatiently with
the other parents and offspring. At last the doctor was ready to see
them.

"Ah," said the doctor, "you've brought me fruit. Melon, my
favourite."

"That's little Psigor," said Ninny. "We dressed him up. To celebrate
his not shrinking anymore."

"Let's not catch our horses before they've bolted," said the doctor
and he took out his theodolite.

"Are you going to measure him with that?" said Petrach.

"I just want to get him at the right angle," said the doctor. "I don't
want there to be any mistakes."

The agony was almost unbearable as Petrach and Ninny waited for the
results. For the first time in what seemed like months Petrach took
Ninny's hand. She had almost forgotten what it felt like.

"I've come to a conclusion," said the doctor at last.

"Which is?" said Petrach.

Ninny almost couldn't look.

"He's the same size as before."

Ninny let out a huge sigh of relief.

"Does that mean he's going to start growing now?" said Petrach.

"That," said the doctor, "is a moot point."