Award And Other Stories

Author(s): Pratap J Tolia
Publisher: Vardhaman Bharati International Foundation

Page 28

28
The Public School Master
'Bapu; Why don't you get me admitted into your school? I have heard, it is very nice
Finding her long felt and cherished dream unfulfilled since long, little munni was asking her father, the public school master, the other day immediately after returning from her school for which he had the usual, stero-type, evasive reply;
"I will take you some day"
But finding that this 'Some day" had never come for almost a year, her patience was exhausting, her faith in her teacher-father was finding and her mind sensing some sort of "betrayal" in this dilly-dallying particularly when the treatment by her rude, underpaid, careless, poor-class-teacher was progressing towards the peak of physical punishments. Beating by this class teacher and betrayal by her father-teacher-these were the two prominent reasons which had led to her feelings of fear and insecurity. Her conscious and observant father could notice this, when his little, lovely munni was, beyond his expectations, almost breaking and revolting while giving this ultimatum to him collecting all her strength;
"You go on giving the false promises and my miss goes on punishing me daily see !"
And she showed her hot, iron-red hand as proof of the today's punishment. The father was moved. Filling his eyes with tears he took her into his lap, consoled her, kissed her and after pausing a while, he replied in a repenting and apologizing manner 'I am really sorry my 'Bitiya'. You are right that I have given you false promises. Now I will definitely talk to our school president tomorrow for your admission and then will take you to the school with me the day after tomorrow, and yes, there is a small performance also that day by our school children, which you will see, o.k.?"
Finding the straight forward munni convinced and consoled, he called his wife, showed munni's aching hand, told her to go to her school the next day to take stock of her class-mistress and find out the causes of this punishment, he then inquired of Munni:
"Beta What happened today in the class? Were you talking with your friend while your miss was teaching?
"No Bapu, I was completely silent and not talking at all with any body"
"Then what happened, were you not attentive ?"