Its a normal day in the hill. The sun is shinning happily in the early sky. A thin breeze giving a sense of serenity around oneself. The birds twitting and chirping all around the trees. A day of happiness and peace all around. The roads are speckled with the little children of the locality. Any time the bell can ring announcing the start of the day of these few children. The children increase their pace with every step towards their destination. Anticipation and fear in the little hearts, the children pray that the bell does not go before they reach their school.
The only school of the Kooty hill, a missionary school built to bring education to the children of the tea-gardens. The school has been a dream-come-true for the poor families who do not even have enough to afford three square meals a day. Working as tea-garden labours, these families have nothing to spend on education or luxary.
The silence of the hill is broken momentarily announcing the start of the day sharply at 8 o'clock. The kids put all their effort to reach the school and stand in the several 'lines' designated to the classes. They succeed in not drawing the attention of the headmistrees and a small smile filled with satisfaction makes it way in the face of these ignorant and beautiful poor children. In a mechanical manner, the children enter their classrooms after the morning prayers. A worderful world where the children are kept aloof from the materialistic world full of hardships that their parents are exposed to.
Arun?
Present miss!
Abhay?
Present miss!
Bindu?
Present miss!
Chetan?
Pesent miss!
Deepak? ... Deepak?
Absent miss!
Fathima?
Present miss!
And this continued till the last name was called from the register! With this done, the usual teaching and learning started. After about fifteen minutes Rajan shouted out, "Miss, Deepak has come."
Teacher: "Why are you late Deepak?"
Deepak: "Miss, father asked for tea. So I started to prepare tea. I found out that there was no sugar. I took money from father and went to the grocery shop but the shop was closed. I came back and told father. Father gave me the direction of the grocer's house. I went to the grocer's house. I asked him to open the shop and give me some sugar. He opened the shop. I bought the sugar. I came back to my home. I prepared tea for father. I gave the tea to father. Then I came to school. And so it got a little late miss!".
Teacher: "Little late! This period is almost over. Go and sit in your place."
The next day also it was the same thing. Deepak arrived at the classroom door almost towards the end of the first period. Rajan shoued out, "Miss, Deepak has come."
Teacher: "So, what is your excuse today, Deepak?"
Deepak: "Miss, today father wanted to go out. So he asked me to get him the kurta and the dhoti. We dressed up in the kurta and the dhoti. He was going out but he fell down on the lawn."
There was a burst of laughter in the class. The teacher silenced the class but she too could not avoid a smirk.
Deepak: "Then father asked me to wash the dhoti. I washed the dhoti. Then father said that he cannot wear the dhoti without being ironed. Father asked me to iron the dhoti. I ironed the dhoti. Father wore the dhoti and then went out. Then I came to school. And so it got a little late miss!".
Teacher: "Yes, just a little late!", replied the teacher with sarcasm. "Go and sit in your place."
This was the usual thing in this class untill one day.
Arun?
Present miss!
Abhay?
Present miss!
Bindu?
Present miss!
Chetan?
Pesent miss!
Deepak?
Present miss!
Astonished looks were exchanged among the students. The teacher looked up. Indeed, Deepak was present in the class.
Teacher: "So Deepak, how come you are in the class in time today! Your father did not ask for tea or wash his dhoti?"
The children burst out in laughter. The teacher wore an inquisitive smile and looked at Deepak.
"Miss, father died yesterday!", replied Deepak in a soft and trembling voice.
Note:- This post is inspired from a movie.
