Children Short Story – One Bullet can indeed hit two birds
Photo credit: hamper from morguefile.com
One day Swapnil had an appointment with a doctor for medical check up. So he thought to leave early from office for that day. So he went to the office also a bit early than other days so that he could compensate his early leaving, with a bit more work. But Swapnil never knew that the day was not that lucky for him. As and when his boss came, he called in Swapnil and told him that, he needed to join one call late that day with his boss.
Now the thing is that when you usually do a thing good as expected from you and all of a sudden one day you could not do that for some genuine reason, it is still quite acceptable. But the same scenario if is repeated such that on the day you plan not to do and you’ve been specially requested to do for that day as well, then how much even if you give your original genuine good defensive excuse, it leaves a bad impression about you. It makes your real excuse a fake one.
So the same thing happened with Swapnil also here. Moreover that word ‘No’ might even affect his year’s feedback and many other things.
So Swapnil sat down a bit hopelessly. That day he has come early and was ready to come early the next day also to do the left over work expected from him. But how could he tell that? Even if he couldnt tell that simple ‘No’ for that day, he also could not place that in the form of a request as well.
Then all of a sudden a trick just came to Swapnil’s mind. He thought with that he need not have to stay late, but surely he would utilize that day’s early arrival and the next day’s as well to do atleast the left over work if any.
So he just kept a minute watch on his boss as to see when he would go for lunch. In the meantime he just bought one chewing gum for him. As the boss just got ready for lunch, Swapnil also quickly got ready to implement his trick. He quickly put the chewing gum in his mouth and started chewing. He followed the boss to the canteen, there secretly waited for his boss to finish off with his lunch. As his boss finished and was about to come to his room, Swapnil took the path just behind him and started making a round shape with his chewing gum inside his mouth. He in any of this time dint let his boss notice that Swapnil is with him. Then finding a suitable time and place, just took out the chewing gum from his mouth and pasted that on the back of his boss’s trouser softly and then continued guarding him to his room so that noone could notice the same.
The boss went and sat down in his room and started working again. Immediately then Swapnil, pretending that till that time he was in his seat only and just then noticing something, was coming to his boss to let him know the same, ran inside the boss’s room. Then Swapnil said, “Sir I just wanted to ask you something and discuss on today’s call. May I?”
The boss said, “O sure go ahead.”
Swapnil, “Sir so who would be on the call with us today? What do they want to know? Do we need to present anything in conference?” and so on.
The boss also was happy seeing Swapnil was very much interested for the call rather than being frustrated to stay late, continued and answered Swapnil’s all questions.
It is then Swapnil finding that he has played atleast that much trick that the next day also the boss would not be able to understand his trick said, “But Sir one thing, Please dont mind as I am also not quite sure, but I guess that I saw one small hole at the back of your trouser. I dint notice you going out for lunch but as you returned, I noticed the same, as you crossed me.”
To this the boss almost jumped 10 metres in the air from his chair and screamed, “What? What are you saying?” and was about to stand and feel the same by touching.
Immediately Swapnil stopped him saying, “Sir please dont check here. As you know few always have their eyes on you. So this actually would not look good to them. May be like me noone has noticed this yet.”
The boss realised the same and told, “Yes you are right. O my God? Now what would happen. My all weightage, dignity would crash into dust. I would leave now itself postponing the call for tomorrow. But then also how would I leave in front of all. Not because of time, as for that I could simply give an excuse of my feeling sick. But how would I hide this thing from them?”
Swapnil immediately said, “O, sir for that I could give you a plan. The position of the hole is in such a place that if you hang your bag on your left shoulder and forcefully keep it at your back, the hole could not be seen.”
The boss said, “Is it? Then I would do that only but leave now as I dont want to take any more risk.” and he left after postponing the call.
Swapnil also went home a bit early that day and came early next day and completed all his left over work before the boss could arrive.
Then when the boss arrived, he signalled Swapnil to meet him in his room. But Swapnil dint scare as he was damm sure that the boss would not have had got any idea of his plan. Swapnil smartly went to his room. Then as he entered, the boss burst into laughter and told, “Hey Swapnil that was not at all a hole. That was a chewing gum.”
Swapnil immediately said, “O really sir? I told you yesterday that I was not sure. Actually that white spot on your black trouser was in fact looking like a hole – as if your white underwear was peeping out. So I thought. But anyway sorry sir. For me you had to make such a loss to your work and postpone the call as well.”
To this the boss nodded and said, “O no my dear. That is not a big deal. I could anyway work a bit hard and complete yesterday’s and today’s work today itself. And the call, that can happen anyday till its happening. But just think where would my prestige would have had gone? Today that was untrue, and so if I scold you, then as it can happen with anybody, could happen with me as well one day, and then that day again giving an excuse of being unsure would you not let it go without informing me in fear of another scolding, and my prestige getting crashed.”
Swapnil thought in his mind, “O today since it is your need the call could happen anyday but what bout my need. If I would have had requested you yesterday, could it have waited for today?”
The boss said, “Anyway whatever has happened, has happened. Lets not discuss on that and waste time. But you better keep a notice on me like as you are doing now and remind me if I am doing any wrong. These days I am becoming very casual and forgetful. Let me appoint you as my PA from today. From today your salary would get a 50% hike. Also today you are prepared for the call right?”
Swapnil has got rain without asking for cloud. He was happy and also already prepared for the call. He said, “Thank you sir for the promotion and yes I am prepared.”
__END__
