A Gift

5^th Feb 2012(Pre-Farewell)

“Don’t you have sense, the other guys are studying this time around, IITs AIEEEs and stuffs. And look at you, doing nothing but bothering yourself for what you are gonna wear at farewell” Dad nearly screamed.

“But…….”

“That’s it, am not gonna allow you for farewell. Why do you have to go, its nothing important. You spoilt people and your ways of enjoyment.” Dad interrupted

“Rajani , he is going nowhere, tell him to stay home and study” my dad addressing my mom as if I were the convict, my mom the superintendant and my dad the jailor.

My dad kept on scolding me, contumeliously at that. Parents are weird creatures altogether. Why do they have to travel all the way through the globe from India to china just to show me where Bhutan was. I mean, their topic of discussion started from why I gave less time studying maths followed by all my recent deeds of irresponsibility and mistrust, how I woke up late everyday and inquiry about what I did at night, where inquiry means an actual one with frequent affronting .All this eventually panned out to a decision ,by my father of course, that I wont go to the farewell.  And when it comes to my father, scolding is not the only thing that happens. Insults and ill treatment follow, and that’s what actually hurts.

A small issue turned into such mighty one, hard to believe, but parents may do it. And when you are in your last days of school life, things of these sorts may happen quite frequently.

Every ill word hit me like envenomed arrow in my psyche and heart. I wanted to retaliate, but obviously I couldn’t. So it went on coming, a nonstop onslaught. I was censured for everything that I had done in the last one year.

It finally stopped when dad realized that he was getting late for office, not noticing that he left my eyes welled. I was ravaged and scourged as if a hurricane had devastated a small village. I could take on his beatings and scoldings, but not his insults and disses.

Well. It was all so that I could study, but after all this, I could hardly keep my mind still. I couldn’t study. I shed tears all day with immense grief. Not only did I had to listen so much of insults, in addition to that misery, I wasn’t even going to the farewell. Even worse was that I was nominated for the title of MASTER POPULAR. I fancied my chances to win it initially (who won’t). For nothing, It added to the volume of tears.

Farewell was on the 7^th this month, two days left to go. I could expect nothing, as the occasion was just around the corner. I was feeling drowsy.

Meanwhile

DPS had a tradition to award people with tags like master and miss POPULAR, master and miss  DPS, master and miss VERSATILE and master and miss STYLE ICON. And because farewell is supposed to be the last day of official schooling, these tags had a huge significance. It was a matter of pride for an individual to be awarded with such tags. And after losing a successfully lead campaign in elections, this was the next thing that I dreaded upon. I tried to achieve everything in 12^th, but I could hardly make any of it. This tag would un-do it all. I would finally come out as a winner.

With contrast to the elections, these tags were totally decided by the council of teachers, head wardens, senior mistress and above all, the principal herself. Even the nominations were done by the teachers, precisely, class teachers. I was stunned seeing my name as students who were nominated. With my class teacher Mr. YM, I had initially chucked up the sponge. I suddenly developed a feeling of like-ness for my class teacher. Yeah, small decisions in life make you what you are.

But what was the use now??

I was not going to the farewell. At least it was a decision my father seemed to be adamant about. Talking about me, I was in agony, disgust and plight. I found myself helpless and incapacitated. F**k I could do nothing about it…….

 

6^th Feb 2012(Pre-farewell)

I had been marveling the whole night about what I could do. And I came up with absolutely nothing. Involunatary curses came for my father though.

I would never forgive my dad if I won the tag and didn’t go.

I would never come back home when I go to college.

I hate my parents for doing what they are doing.

Anger speaks for itself. And I did absolutely nothing to stop it. Some time later I heard my mother talking to dad about something as I sat and mimicked studying. I took a heed. It was faint and muddy. But I could make out what they were talking about. It was me.

My mom noticed my tears after my dad had left yesterday. She told it to dad. He didn’t take much interest in the talk. Then she told him about my restlessness when I was studying and at night. And that’s when he too was into it. Dads have it in them, they always think about the future. My future depended on studies.

That’s when I gave up the botheration of farewell. I left it all on god. Let him be the one who decides, I thought. But in some corner of my heart, I knew I couldn’t miss it.

I was very tired, with all that stress all through. Even if dad allows me to go, what shall I wear. I didn’t have the coat that I could wear on that occasion. Actually that’s where it all began. I had been talking about the coat from past 3 to 4 days, over and over again. Seeing that I had no interest in my studies and all I thought was about farewell, he had started what left me ravaged. I had actually vexed him. Wondering that it was the only thing I could do at these circumstances, I kept on studying the whole day. I studied seriously, no restlessness this time. Obviously my parents noticed.

The day ended and dusk came over. Now I was sure I was not going. How could I. firstly my father never gave in for going, secondly I had nothing of that sort to wear even if he decides to take a chance letting me go.

“Tantu, go downstairs, your father needs help with those heavy vegetables he bought.”my mom screamed from across the room.

“hmmm…..” dispassionate as I could be.

“quick, he is waiting” she yelled

Great beta Tantu, so much of shedding tears, one full day with the f**king H C Verma  problems ,the could-be-master POPULAR goes his way carrying heavy vegetables back home. CONGRATS. F**k I am doomed!! Why me always??

As I went downstairs, I saw dad coming with a couple of polybags full of vegetables and fruits.

“go get the rest” dad said.

“yeah” I replied, in rather disgust.

As I opened the car door, I could see no polybags around. I wondered what dad called me for.

“what the…….”

As I saw the rear seat of the car, I lay enraptured.

There was a big bag, with bold writings ‘BLACKBERRY’. Adjacent to it, was a white polybag. No way close to vegetables I thought. As I picked up the polybag, I found myself carrying a shirt,packed, a darker shade of red. ‘ZODIAC’ it was. And sexy it was.

I was shocked, stupefied. Was I daydreaming??…………… no I wasn’t. I could feel  it.

I was tickled pink. I felt exhilarated. Never ever had I gotten a surprise of such magnitude.

A tear rolled down my cheeks. The feeling was different this time around. I was ecstatic. I took both the things in my hand, locked the door as fast as I could, and went running upstairs, threw the door open.

There I saw my dad and mom smiling. Mom was more than laughing.

“didn’t you bring the vegetables??” dad joked and chuckled.

I said nothing, another tear rolled down. I went closer and embraced him.

__END__