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#5 What a name ?!?

The birds were flying to gather food in v-shaped patterns; chirping, singing, diving in the golden sun. The sun was feeble today, and it's rays could not make an effect on the shivering earth. It had been less than ten degrees these days, giving just a reason to snuggle in the bed exceeding the sleeping time limits. Amidst all, there was this school, with pupils yawning in the first lecture, and the workers relishing hot tea.

A cold wave tore through the sweat shirt his mother knit for him as KC looked at Nick. Beside him was Joy. "I doubt if that keeps him warm for long...", he thought as he admired his thick fur jacket his dad sent from Canada.

They were, in all, four of them. Soon, they would be asked to remove their sweaters and then run all around the school at least five times. Then, they would have to empty the dustbins of every class into the main bin. By the time it would be over, it would be time for the first break, and their classmates would laugh at them when they see them holding the bins, and with white shirts bathing in dust, they would get a good spanking from mom while she will break her hands washing them. Their reason:
THEY WERE LATE.

Of course, KC was late. But he wasn't late. He went out of the house as soon as his mom packed his bag with the lunch box, which had hot chapattis and pickles in it. Exactly at 7:10 AM, he was at the bus -stop, waiting for the city bus.

The road was empty; the only vehicles passing by were taxi cabs and buses with windows tightly shut. The air seemed ironically fresh as the cold wave was on... no normal mortal dared to face it.

KC waited for the bus, it was almost time that it arrived. He went on counting cars as they passed by, looking in the faded lighting of their windows. "If I have a car..", he thought. "Dear, you must study first! Then you can buy your own car!", Dad spoke in his mind. Of course he was going to study, and one day grow so big that hw would have three cars. One for him , one for mom, and one for dad.

(Day)dreams have have a bad habit of being broken when you actually start enjoying them. A bus whizzed past him.

"Hey!!", he screamed. The bus went ahead on its path, its velocity unaffected by his call. The doors-windows were shut, and his voice was too weak to penetrate them.
One gone. Five minutes lost. Fifteen minutes to go.

"Mom...!", he sighed. She wont be happy with this. He was getting late.

Again the task began. Now he could spot some two-wheelers. The bus-stop was still empty, no one was walking, though. After seven cars passed by, a bus was seen. He raised his arm, whispering, "Stop right here!". It was still thirteen minutes to prayer, and he could be safely in school before that. He thanked God.

He saw someone coming from the opposite direction. A man was walking to him, in a black jacket. He had a walking stick. It seemed like he, too, wanted to get the bus.
He waved his hand. But he was far away from KC where the bus screeched to a halt. He ran, and in the effort, stumbled over a brick, his walking stick thrown away from him.

KC looked at him. He was trying to feel the land about him with his hands. He had dark spectacles.
HE WAS BLIND!
Still, he wanted to go by a bus! And he could never find one! There was no one to help him stand up, and he needed help!

KC never knew he could think so quickly. But he let the bus go. He held the groping hand of the blind man, and made him stand. He picked up the fallen stick, and placed it in his grip. He dusted his black jacket which was dusty due to the fall.

"Sir, Can I help you?", He asked.

"Thank you, son.. ", he replied in a firm voice, "When can I get a bus number 133?"

"Sir, this bus that left was bus number 133..."

"Oh.. I missed it... sigh.."

"Don't worry sir, another one will surely be on the way.."

"Hope so.. please, can you do me a favour?"

"Ah... yes, sir! So can I!"

"Please remind me if my bus comes..."

"Oh sure, sir! It is my bus, too!"

"Aha... that means, it is OUR bus! Are you a student?"

And the conversation continued till the bus reached their stop, and Joy commanded him to stop right there with him till the prayer was over. "We are late..", He said. He was scared.

Now they were standing in the middle of the ground, while others looked at them from the balcony. Joy and Nick were discussing about the possible punishments.

"I heard we have a new principal...", Nick whispered, "Hope he might leave us... it his his first day!"

Joy laughed.... as the first boy was called into the office. The tension of the unknown outcome made these three classmates chill to their bone. On a while, the first boy returned. He hastily ran past them, without his sweater... and.. without his shoes...

It was KC's turn..

"If only... ", he thought as he walked to the principal office, "If I had climbed that bus..."

It was no good repenting. He was in the office, the chair was empty. There was a dark-blue sweater hanging on the rod, and a pair white shoes lying below. Soon, they will be multiplied by two, he thought.

The door creaked open, faltered steps.. accompanied by the tapping of a walking stick. An unknown excitement passed through KC. It was the blind man! He was the new principal!! No matter he didn't notice him walk to the school from the Bus-stop!

"What is you name?"

"Krishnacharan Sharma, sir..."

"I think... I may call you Kaushal... is it OK with you?"

-----------------------------------------------------------

Nick and Joy saw KC running. But he was running with his sweater ON. Even his shoes weren't removed. KC quickly ran past them. But instead of circling the school, he went towards the classrooms. They scratched their heads.

KC was happy. Mom always said, "One good turn deserves another...". She's so true! he thought as he entered the class, smiling as ever...

Comments

ahaan, this one looks like this is for children, well written boss!!

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