Remote location

“I’ve looked everywhere!” Ratty exclaimed. His eyes were narrowed, his long, slender ears twitched slightly as they always did when he was irritated. “The TV remote’s gone. I’ve searched the whole house…it’s vanished. And the game’s going to start in five minutes!”

“Don’t fret, dear,” murmured Zareen, looking at her elder son. “Chip will know for sure...you know how he’s always watching TV, he must have left the remote someplace where you can’t find it. You know how absent-minded your brother is…”

“Absent-minded? Hah! Deranged is more like it! Do you remember last Saturday, Ma, when he wore my T-shirt and my shoes without even realizing it? And then he went off with his pals on a hike down the Nettle Trail the whole day? My brother’s a nut!”

“Now, now, dear, calm down,” Zareen replied. “I’m sure Chip doesn’t mean to rile you…why don’t you just call him and ask about the TV remote?”

Ratty scowled. “I’ve tried calling him fourteen times; there’s no reply. Either his phone’s in silent mode as always…or he’s too busy with his pals to bother answering.”

Zareen sighed and put down the clothes basket she was carrying. “All right…come on, I’ll help you look for the remote; we’ll start with this room and work our way to Chip’s room. I’m sure we’ll soon solve the mystery of the missing remote.”

An hour later, they solved the mystery all right. They found Chip’s phone, in silent mode of course, under Chip’s bed. He had walked off with the TV remote instead of his phone...

[260 words]