Years ago , I was enjoying my school days
on the banks of Bharata River where the Government Higher Secondary School
Kuttippuram situated. I used to sit beside the window and enjoyed each and
every moment outside the walls. My eyes roved all the ways and brought all
interesting stories outside though they did not have any particular authors.
The days passed over just as the water in the river and the school closed after
the second terminal examination.
When the school re-opened I found the
teachers with a bundle of answer papers in their hands .
''
I could not sleep all these days , you know Basheer''
''
Why ? Won't you get the pass mark?"
''
Who will be the toppest , Aswathy or Amrita?"
These were the questions that we discussed
when our physics sir came to the class . But I kept silence through out the
class and stared at his hands . He took each paper and called the names one by
one. Silence dominated all around and I seldom took breath until the moment my
name was called.
''Basheer...Basheer...Basheer...what
the hell have you been doing there?"
He called me thrice and I jumped from my
seat and stood shocked for a moment. I stood bowed in front of him while he was
checking my answer sheets once again. Silence...pin-drop silence...
''
Will you get Thirty Five out of Eighty ?" , He asked
I said nothing as if my tongue was tied.
I was dead sure that I wouldn't get Thirty Five because the exam was rather
difficult and my answers wouldn't be sufficient to get such a mark.
''
Will you get Thirty? '' , he once again broke the silence. But I stood in the
same manner without giving any answer. He was so irritated that the third
question came to me like a bullet.
''
Idiot , will you get at least Twenty five? the minimum mark! ".
A shudder surrounded me when I saw his
left hand moved towards the sticks. Actually he was compelling me to say yes
though I hadn't any confidence to say so. My memories led me to the examination
hall and the questions I answered with the help of my friends.
'Why doesn't he go down to Fifteen' , I thought until he jumped over me as a leopard
'' You Buffoon, will
you get at least TWENTY ? "
''Yes''
I nodded my head without any interest on my face and waited for the
proceedings. To my surprise , he began to laugh , he laughed and laughed and
fell down on the table . Holding my answer sheets on his left hand he came forward
and turned the paper slowly towards the crowd. Hardly after a second, the entire class laughed aloud and I stood as a
stone in the midst of them without understanding anything. I was so hurted,
insulted and above all isolated even in the midst of the losers. But the crowd
suddenly stopped laughing when they saw a drop of tear slowly fell down from my
eyes which carried all the pains, sufferings of that moment.
''
Can anyone tolerate that much insult in a class room! ?''
''
Am I that much stupid! ? ''
''
Is it right to call the student 'Buffoon' who got through the S.S.L.C examination in the first class! ?''
''
Is it fair to call the student 'Idiot' who got all the papers in the first
year! ?''
Injustice! A clear evidence of injustice!
Without speaking any word, the teacher turned the paper slowly towards my face
as he wanted to justify his deeds. I saw my physics paper with my naked eyes ,
I felt as if the sky had fallen on me. What a sight! How incredible! I found
Eighty below the line and a big zero above the line! First time in my life ,
first time in my home ! Father ! My father! How!
''Is
that Twenty? '', the teacher asked and indulged again in laughing.
'How
do I present a zero in front of him! I thought about my father , seeing his
face through that big zero. I felt nothing when the stick fell on my pants but
stood as a role model to all the losers who prefer to introduce my score to
their score in front of their parents.
But days again fell down as the leaves of a
huge tree and I passed in the public exam in the second class.
''Unbelievable''
, the physics teacher said when he came to know the news.
''
No , he kept his word'' , the English teacher said , ''Seventy Eight on English
in Plus Two is a new record in Kuttippuram !"
Now it is the readers turn to decide whether
I am a zero or a hero!
