Miss Slippery (Part - 2)

1.4 Miss Slippery Part - 2

PART - 2

The bell had already rung when I reached the school. The teacher was in the classroom. I sought permission to enter. The teacher wore a frown on her face, but she let me enter and told me to see her in the teachers’ room, after the class. Her tone was not of annoyance or anger. Yet an unknown fear made me nervous. Reassuring myself that she was a kind-hearted teacher and would not punish me, I reached the teachers’ room with hesitant steps. The teacher greeted me with a smile and asked me to sit by her side. Her tender tone turned my sighs into sobs. She pulled her chair close to mine and patting me on the head, said, “What makes you cry, my child? I haven’t said a word to you.” After a brief pause, she continued, “Tell me what your trouble is. Confide in me, for am I not like a sister to you? ‘‘A rare thrill ran through my entire frame. For a moment I felt I should cling to her and cry and cry. Of course, I did not do so, but I kept gazing at her with tearful eyes. Tenderly, teacher continued, “Do you know the meaning of didi? It means elder sister. Won’t you tell your sister your troubles? ‘‘Amid sobs I said, “The girls keep teasing me.” She laughed, ‘‘Why are you scared of them? If you cry like this, they will pester you all the more. So ignore them. Who is your friend?’’ I shook my head and teacher smiled. It seemed the teacher had poured her smile into my eyes. “Like to be my friend?’’ she said. The bell rang. She rose. With a tender pat on my back, she said, “Listen! You were a sister alright! Now you are a friend too. But I like my friends to be brave. You’ve got to try to be brave. I’ll always stand by you, rest assured, my little pal. Now rise and hop off to your class.’’ Excitement made my face flush – red-hot to the ear-tips. Never before had anyone lavished love on me thus and here was my teacher who had spontaneously accepted me as a sister, a friend! I was beyond myself with joy. I wanted to chuckle – to burst into nearhysterical laughter. On winged feet I ran to my class. Soon I was lost in a rare reverie. I forgot that I was sitting in a class of wild girls whose prime pastime was teasing me. During the break, the water bottle that I was drinking from, fell on me and I got fully drenched. Right in front stood Maya and Chanda, laughing away to their hearts’ content. Chanda teased, “From the slippery hands of Slippery, the slippery bottle went slip, slip, slip!’’ “And now, let’s watch the fun,’’ said Veena. I was squeezing the water out of my wet frock. Remembering the teacher’s words, I turned my back to them and ignored them completely. They were nonplussed and went away. I sensed a feeling of victory. Before the school closed for the day, the teacher came to the classroom again and said to me, “From today, you are going to be responsible for bringing the register, chalk and duster every morning. Come, take this key, carry these notebooks to the teachers’ room. Count them and keep them in my drawer. Ask the peon to show you my drawer.” My otherwise trembling legs were now filled with some miraculous strength. I rushed enthusiastically and completed the assigned job in a jiffy. When I placed the key on the teacher’s table, she looked at me and smiled. I smiled back. I was thrilled from top to toe. I felt my little heart inflate with pride. I found no awkwardness in moving about in my still-wet frock. Nor was there any trace of fear, while returning home.
- Adapted from the story by Popti Hiranandani