* !!!!HANDWRITING!!!! *
Sadananda Sir, who has been retiring from teaching for ten years, says that; old age is the gateway to the end of life. As always, today even Sadananda Sir waiting at the district collector's office to finalize the pension file, which has not been done yet.
The day became younger about the afternoon, still, the gentleman (collector) has not been seen yet. Whomever in office he asking, wait is the full and final answer. It is very difficult to get back to the village twenty-five kilometers away, if it will delay, vehicles to the village from here are very few after the evening and it is very difficult to get around. In this thinking, still, sir waiting for the collector. Said, “Digvijay Pradhan”, his favorite student has become a collector and joined in his home district today. Sir has a great hope; “DIGA (Digvijay Pradhan)” must pass the file, there is a lot of hope and hope on his favorite scholar student. It was two o'clock for the day when a government vehicle came and stood in the office yard; the office peon ran away and took the bag, all the employees of the office stood up. Digga, no! No! Digvijay Babu got out of the car and got on the steps of the office. Sadananda Sir came in front and called, “Diga”! Who called with this nickname? Digvijay Babu looked at Sadananda Sir and said; "Sir you??? Did I have some work to do? Before Sir answered anything, Digvijay Babu said; “be Sited”. Digvijay Babu went to his office room. Sir is now a little happy and relaxed, he is proud to see his student and his excellence, and thought that the wait to get the work done for pension is going to end today.
But why Diga is not calling Sir inside the office? Is he busy in his work or he forgot about me; like this thought is pepping in SIR’s mind but he thinks; no, no, DIGA will call him inside to meet, he is a collector now and there is so much responsibility for collectors, he will call me, he sure call me to meet. Two more hours have gone again in this waiting.
Office hours about to finish, the day is over, it’s about to evening. Almost clerks of office have been left for the day. Still no one calls to meet with Diga. By the moment, Digvijay Babu said as he leaving the office, the office peon carrying bag in front of him and putting it in the vehicle. “Sadananda Sir” got up again and stood up and called “Diga”! SIR’s voice was faint". As it looks this moment is the hardest in life. Digvijay Babu looked at SIR and said; "Sir, I have told clerk Sutar Babu about you, he will help you to get your work done, meet him”. And Digvijay Babu left for the day.
Who is Sutar Babu, where is his table? Sadananda Sir reached at Sutar Babu, Sutar Babu was about to leave almost at that time, Sadananda Sir asked; are you, Sutar Babu? Sutar Babu looked up and said; yes I must, what was needed? SIR said, "Diga said to meet you”. Diga? Sutar Babu asked. "Your Collector BAbu… Digvijay Babu! Sadananda Sir replied. "Oho I see, Digvijay Sir, Saying this, Sutar Babu said; the time has over for the day and you've come many times before. Do one thing, you come and meet me directly next Tuesday, and I'll make your work done that day. Today you leave, said Sutar Babu and as he left, suddenly turned around and said to Sadananda Sir softly; “Listen again, you must have brought five thousand rupees when you arrived on Tuesday. Otherwise, nothing could have happened”. Sutar Babu left on. But Sadananda Sir was standing up! Everyone was gone, Peon came and said,” Let's go outside and lock the office, It’s going too late. Before thinking about the five thousand rupees, Sadanand Sir slowly stepped out of the office yard, his face darkened, and he ate breakfast as he started from home, and the day passed like this. Before thinking about it, he looked at the tea shop and said, "It's too crowded to have tea. If you look at the time, think about 6:25 pm.
No time to drink tea as the last bus from the city to the village at 6:30 pm. There was a lot of crowd; He'll go straight to the bus stand. Thinking that Sadananda Sir would have walked to the bus stand. Whatever he arrived at, if he had been a little late, the bus would have been gone. The vehicle has been moved out from the bus stand almost. He quickly got into the bus without thinking because that was the last vehicle to the village for the day. There is no seat, too much mob. But feet is intolerant, the way today passed was painful and not age-friendly too!! It's very difficult, no more patience almost. "Where did the bus conductor go," will you get me a seat? Sadananda Sir asked unanimously. RAMA (Bus Conductor) looked at the crowd, the bus conductor called, "Let's get in here a little bit”. Rama managed to get a seat for SIR. Sadananda Sir relaxed with the seat. The bus is running the wind is blowing through the window; the body is still breathing at least. Sir started reviewing the behavior of his favorite student Digvijay. He does not even oblige to Sir? What’s so significant about a goat’s head that it doesn’t even have time to talk to him?
When Diga was passed the matriculation in the first division, Guru Kishor Babu, Diga's father, took Diga to my house and wore me this ethnic wear (Dhoti, Kurta as a traditional ethnic wear in INDIA) this dhoti kurta! Didn't Diga see this dhoti kurta? Did Diga know that Sutar Babu was asking me for a bribe of money? If so, why didn't he tell me directly? And if he doesn’t know about the bribe, then didn't he tell the thread guy “who I was”? What has changed his direction? What has lost the value of the education I have given? There were so many questions in Sadananda Sir’s face. So much so that the conductor came and asked; "Where are you going”? The weak voice (SIR) replied, "I will go Uttarbaha (the place where SIR’s house is)”, the conductor gave a ticket and walked forward in the crowd. But SIR called to take the fee, Rama replayed to wait a while. But why is it that is so disgusted with the word “waiting”, still, the age has no way to do something about it and he'll give it to the conductor when he back to him.
People are slowly getting out of the bus. Almost everyone got off, and the vehicle arrived at Uttarbaha. Sadananda Sir has to get down. Sir asked to give the fee; where are you, conductor? The bus conductor heard from outside, and replayed; Please Come out, I'm here! Sir went down.
Rama took the grace of sir’s feet and dust. Who are you? I can't recognize you, child!! Sadananda Sir asked. I am Rama, Ramakant, Ramakant Pariha, the conductor replied. Sir, You don't remember? I dropped out of school at the 6th standard. You had beaten a lot due to my “HANDWRITING” and I stopped going to school. Now Sir memorized, yes he remember, he beat Rama a lot saying that English handwriting was not good, at that time Rama smiled a little and said see Sir today I have my family and mother and father preclude from surviving due to that “HANDWRITING” only! You can't read what I wrote on the ticket I gave you, but this signature has made me rich. When I arranged a seat for you SIR, I recognized you. That’s why I did not take the fee from you sir; I can bear it for my “GURUJI” (sir). And Rama begged the blessing with foot grace from Sir again, saying, “I am coming, sir”!! And walked inside the bus and the bus was on way to its destination!
As Sadananda Sir increases his feet towards his house, the virtual body is moving to reach home but a question is blinking killingly in mind. Sadananda sir thinking and thinking and thinking!! Sadananda Sir’s mind is eliminating Digvijay and Ramakant. Digvijay is a good-ranking government officer today, and Ramakant is a bus conductor!! Digvijay was a fast class student, behind whom Sadananda Sir devoted all his teaching, but this Ramakant a school dropout, still he remembers his GURUJI (Sir)! But Digvijay even not remembers Sir’s a single sacrifice. And who is the best in these two students?? The only difference was what? Nothing more than “HANDWRITING”!! And Sadananda Sir has already convinced himself that, “HANDWRITING” can never be the standard to judge a good student, no, no!! Not at all!!
Moral of the Story: A handwriting can never be a judgemental characteristic for a divine student.
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