AS THE DAY TURNS.......
Sunny does not feel like going to school today. His homework on Mathematics is incomplete and so is the one on English. Mrs. Solomon's stern face appears before his mind's eye and her following gushing flow of chosen words through which she highlights his utter incompetence for the sixth standard, expressing her utter surprise at him being promoted to this far and above all, her astonishment at him being such a low-grader while his elder brother, Jimmy being an all-rounder. Twice Jimmy opens the door of his bedroom to ask him to wake up or he will be late. But Sunny does not listen to him, he simply won't go to school, and he has made up his mind. Lying on his back he tries to create stories in his mind to figure out the most digestible one to be presented before his mother to win her sympathy and a 'must stay at home' decree. However, the sonorous voice of his father calling out his name breaks his creative spell and he rushes downstairs with his heart beating faster than normal to appear before his overbearing father, facing him is far more difficult than facing his class teacher, Mrs. Solomon. Quite expectedly, his father pooh-poohs all his excuses as lame ones and so, Sunny, with a long face, is on the way to school sitting beside his champion brother on the bus.
While most of the boys are up to playing pranks on others, a handful of nerds in the herd have immersed themselves in acquiring knowledge not leaving even the short span of travel time to school in scholastic pursuits. Jimmy as usual effuses confidence in his gestures, and words, further lowering Sunny's self-esteem. Absorbed in his own defeatist thoughts, Sunny is cursing the Creator for beingso partial. How happy he would have been if he too were as smart as Jimmy! To date, he could not figure out the reason behind his inability to concentrate on his lessons. Not more than half an hour at least into his books, he finds them boring and gets much pleasure in something much more interesting than the black and white letters. The fish in the aquarium, especially the newest addition with zebra-like stripes, the fighting sparrows on the windowsill, and the varied pitched bawl of the hawker on the road are only a few among innumerable others that attract his mind like a magnet. He feels helpless in controlling his mind. Quite often he feels like asking Jimmy for help. But no, he doesn't want to make himself a laughingstock after all. So he is sad thinking about the imminent catastrophe in the class. However, Sunny's glum face does not go unnoticed by Jimmy. With a small pat on his brother's shoulder, Jimmy asks him to better his facial expression, or he will be troubled by pranky peers against whom Dada will be of no help. On seeing his sermon cast no positive effect on Sunny, Jimmy asks him the reason behind his somber face with an expression of a perfect Mr. Fixit. However, on hearing about the precarious condition of his homework, especially that of Mrs. Solomon, Jimmy senses trouble ahead for his brother. Hiding his feeling of hopelessness Jimmy in his usual big-brotherly tone asks him to stay positive just as their Mom does while alighting from the bus and winks at him with a thumbs up.
As usual, Mrs. Solomon is the most unforgiving teacher that ever existed on this planet and wants only the sincere, smart, and clever ones in her class and so, Sunny,after facing the usual blast of words from her, is performing his daily chore of kneeling at the back door of the class. Out in that position he will be for the entire period. Strangely though, he is not scared anymore. Having been punished by Mrs. Solomon, there is a purgation of that exhaustive feeling of fear from his heart, and a sense of resignation has settled in him alongside a sense of relief. At last, he can let his ever-searching mind roam freely to find something more novel than the lesson on "present perfect continuous tense." He doesn't have to wait for long and catches sight of a pair of squirrels up to some sort of a race among themselves on the high boundary wall. Upon scanning the surroundings a bit more he finds the kitten, the one the entire class dotes on, taking a luxurious sunbath, rolling on the steps leading to the classrooms, and throwing its paws into the air majestically. How very lucky it
is! Sunny thinks enviously about its leisurely life sans exams and homework with a world of freedom. It would have been great if he were born a cat. Just when his flight of imagination is about to dash up a notch higher, a loud shout from Mrs. Solomon jerks him back into reality. While watching the antics of the quadrupeds Sunny has moved away from Mrs. Solomon's direct sight. He squats back to his former position. Some of the deserving ones to be inside Mrs. Solomon's class are turning their heads to look at him with puckish smiles, relishing each moment of Sunny's humiliation. There is a vindictive superiority in their implike expressions, but it is cut short in no time with a threatening diktat from Mrs. Solomon to complete the lesson fastor be ready to sit beside Sunny soon. The latter sadly surrenders to his fate, anticipating spending the Mathematics class, too, in the same place. His knees, too, have become sturdy withstanding the daily dose of punishment, he feels. However, he soothes his bruised soul with the hope of navigating his attention to more entertaining stuff than the decimal point as well. Watching his fellow classmates submit their classwork on Mrs. Solomon's table, he realizes the near end of the period. He is about to stretch up his legs to give his knees some respite, but lo!
Rohan, the weakest boy in the class and Sunny's partner at the back bench is falling off his place. Something is wrong with him. He is shivering awkwardly as if touched by an electric rod. Guided by his instinctive reflex, Sunny runs inside the class to hold him from flumping down on the floor on the back of his head. Mrs. Solomon screams and shouts at him for entering the room without her permission and directs a fresh tirade against the contumacious boy without giving him any chance to explain. She leaves her chair and rushes to catch the delinquent red hand, but what she sees is absolutely contrary to her expectations. With his pre-teen hands, Sunny is holding Rohan and not allowing his head to fall on the floor. She is dumbfounded. Without revealing her embarrassment, she sends for the security. In minutes, Sunny assists the guard in bringing the unconscious Rohan to the sick room where the health professional attends to Rohan. The Principal, Mr. Verghese, and some of the senior teachers, too, reach there, and on seeing them the paramedic showers immense praise on Sunny for calling for the timely intervention by Mrs. Solomon and not letting the epileptic boy's headgetting hurt and saving him. Mr. Verghese pats Sunny's back and all the senior teachers watch Sunny with appreciatory looks.
A special short assembly is called before the recess where Mr. Verghese lauds Sunny's efforts in saving Rohan. He calls Sunny an inspiration for all as his feat is the sign of a true character, a gentleman in the making. Mrs. Solomon is apologetic but thanks god, she made Sunny kneel outside the back door from where he could easily notice Rohan falling. While returning home Jimmy lifts Sunny on his shoulders amidst the loud cheer of the boys. In the evening, the smile on Rohan's sickly face and the expression of pride on all other's countenances especially that of Jimmy keep on coming into Sunny's mind giving him deep inner contentment. At his study table, for some unknown reason, he finds the greatest joy ever in completing an entire lesson without any deflection.
As narrated by Dr. Suryanil Sen, aka Sunny CEO, XYZ, thirty years down the line, to a rapt audience of wannabe Management Professionals, about having topped the class for the first time in the sixth standard and never looking back from then onwards.
Sunny does not feel like going to school today. His homework on Mathematics is incomplete and so is the one on English. Mrs. Solomon's stern face appears before his mind's eye and her following gushing flow of chosen words through which she highlights his utter incompetence for the sixth standard, expressing her utter surprise at him being promoted to this far and above all, her astonishment at him being such a low-grader while his elder brother, Jimmy being an all-rounder. Twice Jimmy opens the door of his bedroom to ask him to wake up or he will be late. But Sunny does not listen to him, he simply won't go to school, and he has made up his mind. Lying on his back he tries to create stories in his mind to figure out the most digestible one to be presented before his mother to win her sympathy and a 'must stay at home' decree. However, the sonorous voice of his father calling out his name breaks his creative spell and he rushes downstairs with his heart beating faster than normal to appear before his overbearing father, facing him is far more difficult than facing his class teacher, Mrs. Solomon. Quite expectedly, his father pooh-poohs all his excuses as lame ones and so, Sunny, with a long face, is on the way to school sitting beside his champion brother on the bus.
While most of the boys are up to playing pranks on others, a handful of nerds in the herd have immersed themselves in acquiring knowledge not leaving even the short span of travel time to school in scholastic pursuits. Jimmy as usual effuses confidence in his gestures, and words, further lowering Sunny's self-esteem. Absorbed in his own defeatist thoughts, Sunny is cursing the Creator for beingso partial. How happy he would have been if he too were as smart as Jimmy! To date, he could not figure out the reason behind his inability to concentrate on his lessons. Not more than half an hour at least into his books, he finds them boring and gets much pleasure in something much more interesting than the black and white letters. The fish in the aquarium, especially the newest addition with zebra-like stripes, the fighting sparrows on the windowsill, and the varied pitched bawl of the hawker on the road are only a few among innumerable others that attract his mind like a magnet. He feels helpless in controlling his mind. Quite often he feels like asking Jimmy for help. But no, he doesn't want to make himself a laughingstock after all. So he is sad thinking about the imminent catastrophe in the class. However, Sunny's glum face does not go unnoticed by Jimmy. With a small pat on his brother's shoulder, Jimmy asks him to better his facial expression, or he will be troubled by pranky peers against whom Dada will be of no help. On seeing his sermon cast no positive effect on Sunny, Jimmy asks him the reason behind his somber face with an expression of a perfect Mr. Fixit. However, on hearing about the precarious condition of his homework, especially that of Mrs. Solomon, Jimmy senses trouble ahead for his brother. Hiding his feeling of hopelessness Jimmy in his usual big-brotherly tone asks him to stay positive just as their Mom does while alighting from the bus and winks at him with a thumbs up.
As usual, Mrs. Solomon is the most unforgiving teacher that ever existed on this planet and wants only the sincere, smart, and clever ones in her class and so, Sunny,after facing the usual blast of words from her, is performing his daily chore of kneeling at the back door of the class. Out in that position he will be for the entire period. Strangely though, he is not scared anymore. Having been punished by Mrs. Solomon, there is a purgation of that exhaustive feeling of fear from his heart, and a sense of resignation has settled in him alongside a sense of relief. At last, he can let his ever-searching mind roam freely to find something more novel than the lesson on "present perfect continuous tense." He doesn't have to wait for long and catches sight of a pair of squirrels up to some sort of a race among themselves on the high boundary wall. Upon scanning the surroundings a bit more he finds the kitten, the one the entire class dotes on, taking a luxurious sunbath, rolling on the steps leading to the classrooms, and throwing its paws into the air majestically. How very lucky it
is! Sunny thinks enviously about its leisurely life sans exams and homework with a world of freedom. It would have been great if he were born a cat. Just when his flight of imagination is about to dash up a notch higher, a loud shout from Mrs. Solomon jerks him back into reality. While watching the antics of the quadrupeds Sunny has moved away from Mrs. Solomon's direct sight. He squats back to his former position. Some of the deserving ones to be inside Mrs. Solomon's class are turning their heads to look at him with puckish smiles, relishing each moment of Sunny's humiliation. There is a vindictive superiority in their implike expressions, but it is cut short in no time with a threatening diktat from Mrs. Solomon to complete the lesson fastor be ready to sit beside Sunny soon. The latter sadly surrenders to his fate, anticipating spending the Mathematics class, too, in the same place. His knees, too, have become sturdy withstanding the daily dose of punishment, he feels. However, he soothes his bruised soul with the hope of navigating his attention to more entertaining stuff than the decimal point as well. Watching his fellow classmates submit their classwork on Mrs. Solomon's table, he realizes the near end of the period. He is about to stretch up his legs to give his knees some respite, but lo!
Rohan, the weakest boy in the class and Sunny's partner at the back bench is falling off his place. Something is wrong with him. He is shivering awkwardly as if touched by an electric rod. Guided by his instinctive reflex, Sunny runs inside the class to hold him from flumping down on the floor on the back of his head. Mrs. Solomon screams and shouts at him for entering the room without her permission and directs a fresh tirade against the contumacious boy without giving him any chance to explain. She leaves her chair and rushes to catch the delinquent red hand, but what she sees is absolutely contrary to her expectations. With his pre-teen hands, Sunny is holding Rohan and not allowing his head to fall on the floor. She is dumbfounded. Without revealing her embarrassment, she sends for the security. In minutes, Sunny assists the guard in bringing the unconscious Rohan to the sick room where the health professional attends to Rohan. The Principal, Mr. Verghese, and some of the senior teachers, too, reach there, and on seeing them the paramedic showers immense praise on Sunny for calling for the timely intervention by Mrs. Solomon and not letting the epileptic boy's headgetting hurt and saving him. Mr. Verghese pats Sunny's back and all the senior teachers watch Sunny with appreciatory looks.
A special short assembly is called before the recess where Mr. Verghese lauds Sunny's efforts in saving Rohan. He calls Sunny an inspiration for all as his feat is the sign of a true character, a gentleman in the making. Mrs. Solomon is apologetic but thanks god, she made Sunny kneel outside the back door from where he could easily notice Rohan falling. While returning home Jimmy lifts Sunny on his shoulders amidst the loud cheer of the boys. In the evening, the smile on Rohan's sickly face and the expression of pride on all other's countenances especially that of Jimmy keep on coming into Sunny's mind giving him deep inner contentment. At his study table, for some unknown reason, he finds the greatest joy ever in completing an entire lesson without any deflection.
As narrated by Dr. Suryanil Sen, aka Sunny CEO, XYZ, thirty years down the line, to a rapt audience of wannabe Management Professionals, about having topped the class for the first time in the sixth standard and never looking back from then onwards.
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