Vitamin-M is a warm, humorous and meaningful story by Asha Nehemiah. The story focuses on Ravi, his grandfather and Ravi’s mother Vidya. It explores the relationship between an elderly person and his family, especially the conflict between care and independence.
Ravi’s grandfather is seventy-five years old. Due to his age, he has begun facing difficulties with his hearing, eyesight and memory. After accidentally taking a double dose of his medicine, getting lost during a walk and falling in the garden of his old house, he is brought to live with Ravi’s family.
Ravi’s mother worries about her father and wishes that someone could invent a “Vitamin-M” to improve the memory of old people. However, as the story develops, we discover that Grandpa is much sharper, more independent and more playful than the family assumes.
Character Sketches in Vitamin-M Chapter
Grandpa
Grandpa is a 75-year-old retired lawyer who values his independence. Although he has some age-related difficulties, he is intelligent, witty, generous and mentally alert.
He loves:
- Chess
- Reading the Tamil newspaper
- His old brick house
- The mango tree in his garden
- Going out independently
He dislikes being treated like a helpless child.
Ravi
Ravi is Grandpa’s grandson. He is:
- Caring
- Loyal
- Responsible
- Curious
- Protective
- Interested in detective stories
Ravi wants to obey his mother but also does not want to hurt Grandpa’s feelings. Therefore, he secretly follows Grandpa when he goes out.
Vidya
Vidya is Ravi’s mother and Grandpa’s daughter. She genuinely cares for her father and worries about his safety. However, she becomes overprotective and sometimes treats him like a child.
Ironically, she forgets her father’s birthday even though she had marked it on the calendar.
Vitamin-M Chapter Summary Class 9 English
Grandpa’s Memory Problems
At the beginning of the story, Vidya feels that Grandpa’s memory has become weak.
There are several reasons for her concern:
- He accidentally takes a double dose of his medicines.
- He gets lost while returning from a walk.
- He falls in the garden.
- He remains outside the whole night because nobody is there to help him.
Because of these incidents, Vidya feels that Grandpa should not live alone anymore.
The Idea of Vitamin-M
Vidya wishes that someone could invent a medicine to improve the memory of old people.
She jokingly calls it “Vitamin-M”.
She thinks Grandpa needs it because he cannot hear, see or remember things as well as before. However, the story later shows that Grandpa’s memory and intelligence are actually much better than his family thinks.
Grandpa Does Not Like City Life
Grandpa dislikes living in the crowded city.
He misses his old small brick house and the large mango tree in its garden. He remembers the peaceful atmosphere of his old home.
He says that the place was so quiet that at dusk one could hear a leaf fall.
Why did Grandpa leave his old house?
He once slipped and fell in the garden. He remained outside all night because nobody was at home to help him.
This incident made Vidya decide that he should live with her family.
Grandpa Wants His Independence
Grandpa feels unhappy when Vidya tells him not to go out alone.
He reminds her that he has looked after himself for most of his seventy-five years. After his wife died, he also managed the household work himself.
Therefore, he feels that he should still be allowed to make some decisions for himself.
Ravi’s Responsibility
Vidya tells Ravi to take care of Grandpa during his holidays.
She clearly instructs him that Grandpa should not be allowed to go out alone. Ravi promises his mother that he will look after Grandpa. But Ravi also understands Grandpa’s feelings. He does not want to make Grandpa feel like a prisoner.
Grandpa Decides to Go Out
Ravi suggests playing chess or watching cricket with Grandpa.
Instead, Grandpa says that he wants to go to the corner shop to see whether the Tamil newspaper has arrived.
Ravi tries to offer to get the newspaper himself, but Grandpa feels that Ravi is treating him like a child.
He cleverly asks Ravi whether he has any objection to Grandpa going outside.
Then he takes his:
- Mahogany walking stick
- Bright-yellow cap
- leaves.
Ravi’s Dilemma
Ravi is now confused.
If he follows Grandpa:
Grandpa may feel that Ravi does not trust him.
If he does not follow Grandpa:
His mother may become angry because she specifically told him not to let Grandpa go out alone.
Ravi therefore decides to secretly follow Grandpa from a safe distance.
Grandpa at the Children’s Park
Grandpa’s first stop is the children’s park.
He buys a paper cone of peanuts and sits on a bench watching the children play.
Ravi hides behind a bush shaped like an elephant so that Grandpa cannot see him.
A small child thinks Ravi is playing hide-and-seek. The child’s mother misunderstands the situation and scolds Ravi.
Ravi finally has to crawl out of the park while trying not to be noticed by Grandpa.
Ravi is trying to act like a secret detective but instead he becomes the centre of attention.
Grandpa at the Tea Stall
Grandpa next goes to a tea stall.
Ravi hides behind a banyan tree and watches him.
The vendors misunderstand Ravi’s behaviour and think he might be another vendor. They question him.
Ravi eventually hides behind a shiny silver car.
Grandpa Enjoys Forbidden Food
At the tea stall, Grandpa enjoys things that Vidya normally does not allow him to have.
He drinks:
- Sugary tea
- Two bananas
- Ice cream
Ravi becomes worried because these foods are banned for Grandpa at home.
He thinks that his mother would be shocked if she saw Grandpa enjoying them.
Grandpa Crosses the Road
Grandpa then crosses a busy road. He moves through the traffic in a zigzag manner.
Ravi becomes extremely nervous. He hears the screech of brakes and becomes frightened that Grandpa might be injured. But Grandpa safely reaches the other side and enters a barber shop.
The Barber Shop and the Bus
Ravi follows Grandpa towards the barber shop.
Soon Grandpa comes out and walks quickly towards a bus stop. He boards a bus.
Ravi runs after him and manages to get onto the bus just before it leaves. Inside the bus, Ravi sees a man wearing a yellow cap similar to Grandpa’s. Ravi assumes that it is Grandpa.
But when the man removes the cap, Ravi discovers that he is a complete stranger.
The Mystery of the Yellow Cap
The stranger is wearing:
- White pyjamas
- A white shirt
- A yellow cap
These are similar to Grandpa’s usual clothes.
The cap even has a coffee stain similar to the one on Grandpa’s cap.
The stranger explains that an old gentleman from the barber shop had given him the cap because the day was hot. Ravi now realises that he has been following the wrong person.
Ravi Becomes Worried
Ravi goes back to the barber shop.
Grandpa is not there.
He also checks the park, but Grandpa is not there either. Ravi becomes frantic because his mother had trusted him to look after Grandpa. He tries to call his mother and father, but both telephone numbers are busy.
The Big Relief
Ravi finally returns home. As soon as he enters, he hears the gentle sound of Grandpa snoring. Grandpa is safely sleeping in his bedroom.
Ravi is extremely relieved. He feels great affection for Grandpa and gives him a hug.
Ravi decides not to ask Grandpa where he had been because that would reveal that Ravi had secretly followed him.
Grandpa’s Clever Answer
When Vidya returns from work, she asks what Ravi and Grandpa did during the day.
Grandpa calmly says that he had a quiet morning, but he does not know about Ravi because Ravi had disappeared. Ravi becomes confused and embarrassed. This suggests that Grandpa may know exactly what Ravi had been doing.
The Birthday Surprise
Grandpa gives Ravi a wrapped gift. Vidya is surprised because Ravi’s birthday was three months earlier.
She asks Grandpa if he has forgotten. Grandpa replies that he gives a gift to every child in the house on his own birthday.
Vidya then looks at the calendar and realises that it is Grandpa’s birthday. She had forgotten it.
Who Really Needs Vitamin-M?
Grandpa has gifts for:
- Ravi
- Ravi’s mother
- Ravi’s father
He then jokingly tells Ravi’s father that his daughter needs Vitamin-M for her memory.
This is a funny reversal.
At the beginning, Vidya thinks Grandpa needs Vitamin-M.
At the end, Grandpa proves that Vidya is the one who forgot something important.
The Detective Book
Grandpa gives Ravi a book called The Best Detective Stories.
He tells Ravi that the stories can teach him how to become a good detective and, importantly, how not to get fooled while following a suspect.
This is a strong hint that Grandpa probably knew that Ravi had followed him. Ravi is left wondering whether the twinkle in Grandpa’s eyes is innocent or mischievous.
Hard Words from the Chapter Vitamin M
| Hard Word | Simple English Meaning | Hindi Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Frail | Weak and delicate | कमजोर और नाज़ुक |
| Shuddered | Trembled because of fear or a strong emotion | डर या भावना से काँप उठना |
| Poky | Small and uncomfortable | छोटा और असुविधाजनक |
| Forbid | To order someone not to do something | मना करना |
| Pottering | Moving around doing small, ordinary things | छोटे-मोटे काम करते हुए इधर-उधर घूमना |
| Winced | Showed pain, embarrassment or discomfort | दर्द, शर्मिंदगी या असहजता का भाव दिखाना |
| Bustle | Busy and noisy activity | चहल-पहल और भाग-दौड़ |
| Jauntily | Happily and confidently | खुशी और आत्मविश्वास से |
| Dilemma | A difficult situation requiring a choice | दुविधा |
| Craftily | In a clever or slightly tricky way | चालाकी से |
| Crouch | To bend the body low | शरीर को नीचे झुकना / दुबकना |
| Duck | To lower or move the head/body down | सिर या शरीर को झुका लेना |
| Quizzical | Showing that one is puzzled or curious | हैरान या जिज्ञासु |
| Conceded | Accepted that something was true or gave up | मान लेना / हार स्वीकार करना |
| Forbidden | Not allowed | निषिद्ध / मना किया हुआ |
| Zigzagging | Moving from side to side | टेढ़े-मेढ़े रास्ते में चलना |
| Screech | A loud, harsh sound | कर्कश चीख / तेज़ आवाज़ |
| Briskly | Quickly and energetically | तेज़ी और फुर्ती से |
| Volley | A large number of sounds or things coming together | लगातार बहुत-सी आवाज़ें / चीज़ों की बौछार |
| Deterred | Prevented or discouraged from doing something | रोकना / हतोत्साहित करना |
| Confront | To face someone or something | सामना करना |
| Frantic | Extremely frightened or worried | बहुत घबराया हुआ / बेचैन |
| Creases | Lines or folds on a surface | सिलवटें / झुर्रियाँ |
| Darted | Moved suddenly and quickly | अचानक तेज़ी से जाना |
| Stricken | Seriously affected by an unpleasant feeling | किसी बुरी भावना से बहुत प्रभावित |
| Solemnly | Seriously and formally | गंभीरता से |
| Trailing | Following someone | पीछा करना |
| Gleam | A small shine or expression in the eyes | चमक / आँखों की चमक |
| Humiliation | Feeling of being ashamed or embarrassed | अपमान / शर्मिंदगी |
| Attire | Clothes or clothing | पहनावा / वस्त्र |
| Furious | Extremely angry | बहुत क्रोधित |
| Boomed | Spoke in a loud, deep voice | ऊँची और भारी आवाज़ में बोलना |
| Thudded | Made a heavy dull sound | भारी आवाज़ करना |
| Creeping | Moving slowly and quietly | धीरे-धीरे और चुपचाप चलना |
| Sprinting | Running very fast | बहुत तेज़ दौड़ना |
| Grunted | Made a short, low sound | धीमी / घरघराहट जैसी आवाज़ करना |
| Evicted | Forced to leave a place | बाहर निकाल देना |
| Shrieks | Loud, high-pitched cries | चीखें |
| Whirr | A continuous low mechanical sound | लगातार घूमने की घरघराहट |
| Flushed | Became red in the face | चेहरा लाल हो जाना |
| Countered | Replied to an argument | तर्क का जवाब देना |
| Embarrassed | Feeling ashamed or uncomfortable | शर्मिंदा / झेंपा हुआ |
| Stranger | A person one does not know | अजनबी |
| Suspect | A person believed to be involved in something wrong | संदिग्ध व्यक्ति |
| Generous | Willing to give or share freely | उदार |
| Nostalgic | Having a feeling of longing for the past | पुरानी यादों के प्रति भावुक |
| Wistful | Showing a gentle feeling of sadness or longing | उदास और लालायित |
| Affection | A feeling of love and fondness | स्नेह / प्यार |
| Mischievous | Playfully naughty | शरारती |
| Independence | Freedom to act on one’s own | स्वतंत्रता / आत्मनिर्भरता |
| Dignity | The quality of being worthy of respect | गरिमा / सम्मान |
| Suspicious | Feeling that something may be wrong | संदिग्ध / शंकालु |
| Anxious | Worried or nervous | चिंतित / बेचैन |
| Loyally | Faithfully and supportively | निष्ठापूर्वक |
| Tiresome | Annoying or tiring | परेशान करने वाला / थकाऊ |
| Conceded defeat | Accepted that one had lost | हार स्वीकार कर ली |
| Ultimate | Greatest or final | अंतिम / चरम |
| Humiliation | Loss of pride or self-respect | अपमान / बेइज्जती |
| Dilemma | A difficult choice between possibilities | कठिन दुविधा |
| Peculiar | Strange or unusual | अजीब / असामान्य |