Sunday, 23 September 2012

The reserved front row seat!

 He always was a loner and never used to mingle with other kids.He always was dressed untidily,uncombed and used to sit alone in a corner on his own looking somewhere in class.He never used to do homework even after scoldings,beatings and punishments.
 A new teacher had come to that school and she was made the class teacher of the boy's class.After few days,he was the topic of discussion in the school meeting.The new class teacher poured out complaints after complaints about him.The other teachers too added.The principal mentioned that the boy had studied there from nursery.He used to be smart enough and was a good kid.The said developments had taken place since an year or two.
The class teacher started to think in another manner.She wanted to know what could have went wrong.She started digging about each and every aspect of the boy's life.She came to know that his father had died a few years back and was living with his mother on father's pension money in bad conditions.His mother too had cancer and was almost bedridden.All she could do was barely cook for the child with lots of difficulty.Other than that she couldnt take care of him in any manner.
 The teacher realized why he was always unkempt.She decided to change her approach towards the boy.She started giving him individual attention inside and outside the class.She went to his home one day,spoke to his mother and suggested to send him to her home for a while every morning and evening.She started to take care of his life like a mother,dressing him up,taking care of his homework etc.She told the other teachers his truth so that they paid him extra attention and care.There were remarkable improvements in the boy and he passed the high school with flying colors.The government offered scholarship to the boy to study further after knowing his conditions.The same year the class teacher was to leave the school as she was getting married and was shifting to another part of the country.She bid good bye to the boy with heavy heart and regrets that she couldn't be there for him anymore.She adviced him to come up in life and went away.
 After few years passed,the teacher shifted back to the same place with her family.One fine day she recieved a wedding invitation at her home.The name on it sounded familiar to her.She guessed it could be that boy from the past.She ignored it thinking it could be any student of hers by that name and he was gracious enough to send the invitation just like all her other students.One fine day as she visited her old school,she was told that the boy whom she had cared for had reached a coveted position in a Government organization in the country.She felt proud and was confirmed that the invitation she recieved was his itself.He was to marry few months later to an orphan girl he had chosen.
 After few days,she recieved a letter from him asking her to make her presence felt in his marriage, and that she will be sent a car to come.She felt that the old student must be showing off as now he was a big shot.Else why would he simply send invite and notes instead of calling in person.
 On the day of the wedding,a car came to her home to take her to the wedding.As she was curious to see her old student,she just simply sat in it without much fuss and started towards the church where the wedding was due to take place.She reached the venue late.But the ceremony hadn't begun.It seemed as if everyone were waiting for someone.
As soon as she reached the door,a man in his early thirties came to her smilingly,bowed to her feet and introduced himself as the boy whom she had helped in school.On asking about his mother,he told that she had passed away in his college days itself.He had studied on scholarships and working part times.Thereafter,he had landed a coveted job position on merit.He apolgized for not inviting her personally as he had been busy taking care of a major Government assigment since a few months.He had searched for her adress earlier,but in vain.He had come to know only few days before,through a chance meeting with another teacher,that she was back in the same place few months before.Later he mentioned that everyone had been waiting for her to begin the ceremony.
 She realized that wedding was already delayed and suggested him to go ahead with the ceremony as it was already late enough.The preist too reminded him not to delay.So the student requested her to occupy the seat that had been reserved for her in the front row and be there till the end of the ceremony.As she walked to the front row,the student turned and smiled at her with a grateful look and teary eyes.She was surprised all along by his attitude towards her.And she was even more surprised now because,the seat that was reserved for her had a placard with "MOTHER" written on it..!

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