The Rice Cracker Thief

I like to travel. I have a ticket to Paris.

I wake up early. I brush my teeth and wash my face. I get my suitcase. I put it in my car. I drive to the airport.

While I drive, I listen to the radio. Today is a good day.

I arrive at Haneda airport and I check in. I check my watch. It is 8:30 in the morning.

I check my ticket. My flight is at 9:45. I have a lot of time.

I walk around the airport shops. I buy a coffee and drink it. I check my watch again. It is 8:55. I still have time.

I buy a magazine and rice crackers. I sit down and wait.

Soon, a family sits next to me. It is a mother and three children. The mother holds a crying baby. A little girl sits next to her mother. And a little boy sits between his sister and me.

I read my magazine, but the baby cries loudly. I try to focus. The baby cries and cries.

I look around. The seats are all full. I can’t change seats. I check my watch again. I still have time.

I hear something strange. I look at the boy. He opens my rice cracker bag. He takes out a cracker and eats it!

I can’t believe it. My snack!

I look at the mother. “Excuse me! Your child —” I start to say.

The mother looks at me. “Oh, I’m so sorry!”

She stands up. Her face is sad. “My baby is crying. I will take her to the restroom.”

The mother runs to the restroom with her crying baby.

“No! Not the baby! Your son! Your son is eating my rice crackers!” I think.

I look at the boy. He eats another rice cracker.

I reach over and take a rice cracker from the bag. I eat it angrily.

He looks at me. His face is surprised. Then, he laughs at me and he takes another cracker.

I can’t believe it. He is a bad child!

I take another rice cracker and eat it quickly. He takes another rice cracker and eats it happily.

I reach into the bag and take two rice crackers. I put them both in my mouth. I try to eat them quickly.

He watches me and laughs. Then, he takes two crackers. He eats one, and he gives the other one to his sister. She smiles and eats it, too.

I can’t believe it. Where is their mother? Is she still in the restroom. Yes, I can hear the baby crying in the restroom.

I look down at my bag of rice crackers. There is only one cracker left.

The boy sees my shocked face.

He reaches into the bag and takes the last cracker!

My last cracker!

He holds the cracker with both hands and breaks it in half. He breaks it in half again. Four pieces. He gives two pieces to his sister. Then, he gives one piece to me.

He smiles at me and he eats the cracker piece.

I am so angry. I stand up and I throw the piece onto the chair. I put my magazine into my shopping bag and I walk away.

I look at my watch. It is 9:30. I can board the airplane now. I walk towards the gate and I hear a crying baby.

I look over and I see the mother.

“Excuse me, ma’am. Your son is very bad!” I tell her. Then, I walk to the gate and I get on the airplane.

I had a terrible experience at the airport. But now, I can relax on the plane. I find my seat and I sit down. The flight attendant gives me a pillow.

I sit back in my chair with my pillow. I look out the window. The plane is flying higher and higher. I don’t want to think about the bad boy in the airport.

I try to sleep, but I can’t.

Where is my magazine? I reach into my shopping bag. I find my magazine but…

But I also find my rice cracker bag.

My rice cracker bag? How?

If this is my rice cracker bag… Whose rice crackers did the boy and I eat?

I realize my mistake. The boy isn’t a bad child! Because…

I am the rice cracker thief.