Remember, what grandma has asked you to do, said Shilpi in an admonishing tone. Her little brother who was immersed in gulping down his orange juice nodded without lifting his eyes as though to say he needed no reminding.
Next Shilpi quickly ran to my husband, shook him by his hand and asked whether he remembered his ‘duty.’
He too nodded mechanically continuing to read the newspaper.
Mummy, do you remember what grandma has said this morning, it was the turn of my daughter who was given to forgetting even important things.
Yes, said she absorbed in cutting vegetables.
Grandma, I put everyone on high alert excepting my dad. Let me go and remind him also, she announced rushing.
But Shilpi, he must be busy getting ready to go to office. What is the use of telling him when he wouldn’t be at home, I reminded the child.
Oh, what a fool I am, said the girl mildly patting her forehead.
Do you need to be reminded of it? teased her brother who had just finished his juice.
As expected the siblings broke into a quarrel, shouting and screaming their heads off.
Please, please children calm down, I pleaded.
Soon we were joined by the others to make peace and in the process missed hearing the door bell .The delivery boy supplying mineral water had by then left our locality and we were left with empty cans!
n.meera raghavendra rao
Just Li'Es 
Obviously the granny had told the grandchildren to be alert to the ringing of the door bell. But in the fracas of sibling squabbles, you couldn’t obtain the mineral water. Moral : Don’t depend on others to do your work. Secondly, children are a nuisance.
The last part of your comment perhaps applies to old people as well!