A Bicycle – For a rupee!!!

[JUSTIFY]
“Ding, Ding, Ding….Ding” the school bell rang and all the students rushed out of their class rooms, in a hurry. Almost everyone had thrown their bags under the tree and started playing except for Mani.

Mani was studying 7th standard in Don Bosco Boys Higher Secondary School. He is the eldest son of Muthaiah and Lakshmi. He had a younger brother Kumaran studying 3rd standard in the same school and his little sister Kamatchi a toddler.

Sundar, one of his friend shouted “hey Maniiiiiiiiii….why don’t to play at least today with us da…please”

“No da…I have to go home on time. Kumaran is waiting for me. See you da…”

Mani’s house was almost 4 kms from the school. And Kumaran and himself used to come by walk to the school daily. Mani’s father works for some construction company for daily wages. And Lakshmi works as ward women in the government hospital. For them, to run the family was a big deal and that too with 3 children. Hence Mani was not able to own a bicycle though every one of his friends has one. Most of the time, Mani used to carry his brother on his shoulders and walk. For him, his dream is to have a bicycle for him. But he is such a good and very understanding that seeing his family condition, he doesn’t want to trouble his parents. Having that big dream in his heart, he happily walks to home with his brother daily.

Charity Day – A day that was celebrated by his school every year. They collect funds in the form of tickets that has unique code and on the charity day the school will conduct a lucky draw and give away the prizes. Also on the d’day, the school campus will be decorated well and various eatable stalls will be placed for the students to have their snacks and food. And special attraction would be number of games stalls as well, where there will huge number of students jumping to play and win small small goodies. Parents are most welcome that day. And the entire fund that was collected will be donated to the Orphanage or any trusts.

And this year, the josh had started. Murugan, the class teacher of 7th standard ‘A’ section entered the class room with a pink color note book in his hand.

“Boys…silence”

Hearing his voice everyone got settled in their respective places. Murugan picked the pink color note in his hands and rose up to shoulder level to show it to the entire class.

“As you are all already aware that the Charity day falls on next Sunday, here are the tickets. Since many of you was not able to buy the ticket last time, our correspondent had reduce the cost of each ticket to 1 rupee.”

“…and this time we have very good collection of the prizes for the lucky draw. Let me read out loud…”

“1st Prize – 1 BSA SLR Bicycle
2nd Prize – 1 Ajantha Wall Clock
3rd Prize – 1 Stainless steel water mug
20 complementary prizes – 20 Camlin geometry boxes”

“Pasangala (boys) do not forget to bring money tomorrow and collect the tickets as much as you all want. Who knows…you may become the owner of the cycle next Sunday.”

The class shouted in joy and huge noise on discussing about the prizes. Mani, whose dream was to have a bicycle was pounding with joy!

He could hear his friends, Mukunth saying “hey bore da…I already have 2 cycles at home…”

Srikanth jumps “I’m going to buy more number of tickets…so definitely have a chance of winning at least one prize if not bicycle."

Though Mani’s heart was looking forward for the bicycle, he didn’t show is reaction to anyone in the school. He left the school as usual carrying his brother on his shoulders.

The next day in School…

As soon as the teacher entered the class room, all the students rushed to the teachers table to buy their tickets.

Mani was looking everything so silent and inserted his left hand in his pocket and took a one rupee coin out. The one rupee he managed to get from his mother. After everyone got their tickets, he slowly went near the table and gave his one rupee.

Till then, the teacher who was looking into the note just raised to see who gave this one rupee to collect ticket when everyone was throwing 10 rupees, 20 rupees, etc.

“One is enough?”

“Yes, Sir”

At last Mani got his ticket. The ticket number showed B1236.

It was the Charity day eve, Mani approached his father. He requested his father to take him the next day to school showing the ticket and explained the concept behind the Charity day and the ticket he is having.

Mani’s father was not too bad to deny his request. That day night, Mani was not able to sleep. His mind is running through the cycle images in the air.

He got up early the next day morning and got ready before his father. He was telling his mom

“Ma…I will definitely come with the cycle ma…you see…I will …for sure…”

Mom was staring at him feeling hurt, as they were not able to satisfy their children’s wish.

“Dey kumara…do not worry da…from Monday we can go to school by cycle da…will you sit in front of me or at the back holding me???”

“In front… In front…” shouted his brother.

School looked so colorful and students along with their families were running amongst different stalls. Mani and his father entered the campus. At his first sight, Mani saw the stage and the BSA SLR red color cycle stood at the top row so gigantic. For him, it seems the cycle looks smiling at him and made for him.

Announcement was made that the lucky draw will happen exactly at 12 PM and the head father of the CSI church would pick that first lucky number.

The time was 10.50 AM. Mani’s father and Mani sat under a tree. His father was looking around seeing the students happily enjoying the day as a festival. And he never missed to turn to his son, and Mani was having his ticket in hand and looking at it for a long time. Muthaiah prayed to god not to disappoint his lovely kid.

It was 12 PM and someone grabbed the mike and started making the announcement.

“The long awaited moment has come students. We are going to go in a reverse order – first with the complimentary prizes, then the 3rd prize, then the 2nd and at last the first prize.”

“whooooooooooooooooooooooo whoooooooooooooo” students shouted in joy and excitement.

As and when the number is announced, someone from the crowd will jump and run to the stage to grab their prizes. And now, the first prize…

Mani’s friend, who was standing next, had more than ten tickets in hand not able to hold everything properly to have a check over the number when being called. He gave a sarcastic look on Mani as he was standing with just one ticket in hand.

Again the announcement “the lucky draw of first prize would go this way. A chit will be taken from the pot and it stands the one’s place and next chit will take the ten’s place and so on…”

“Let’s start…father Alphonz…please come forward…and start the fun…”

Father Alphonz inserted his right hand in to the pot and took a chit.

“it is 6” he shouted in joy.

Mani’s father though he prayed god for not to disappoint his son, seems to be not interested in looking the ticket to verify the number. On the other hand, Mani’s heart was beating fast, the last digit in his ticket showed 6!!!

“The next is 3…” excitement never left the father too….

Mani pulled his father to show that his ticket’s last two digits “…36”.

“and now it is 2…all together the last three digits are 236”

Mani can hear people around sighs. Now Mani’s father also bit interested to look forward for the next chit.

“here you go…1” and this time father was almost dancing.

Mani’s friend started crying as none of his ticket matched “1236”.

Both Mani and his father were standing on their toes.

“and here the final serial number…A….” there was silence all over the ground. And that one second tears filled Mani’s eyes and his father felt very heavy too….

And the father continued “...B…C…D…E…F…” he was singing the ABCD song just wanted to make this more interesting.

And suddenly he came back to say “it is ….B…yeah the lucky number is B1236…”

Mani’s father shouted in Joy and Mani still can’t believe his ears. His name was called and he ran to the stage. The father gave him the keys with blessings. Tears were flowing down the cheeks for Muthaiah.

After all the formalities, now Mani and his father returning home in the new bicycle. Mani’s mind is pounding in joy…and heart was thanking god and dreaming about having kumara in the front.

Hope you all enjoyed Cycling!!

[/JUSTIFY]

 

Dearest Saras,

Thanks a ton again for your wonderful feedback. You know what, this is yet another real life story of mine. Just added spice with some imagination thats it. When I was doing 6th standard, I just got one ticket with the same serial number and won the BSA SLR cycle. It was conducted among 3/4 christian schools. The one I got is boys bicycle with the rod in the front. :bonk. You stand as my inspiration as always I state!!! Thanks dear!!!

 

Thanks a lot Faariz!!! I never expected to get a wonderful feedback from you. Good to hear about your cycle purchase. As you rightly said, as bike for college students so is the cycle for school students.

And Faariz, this happened with me da. When I was doing 6th, I had the ticket with the same serial number and won a cycle. Though my friends got more number of tickets, I just had one and god has shown his grace.

Since I was narrating it like a story, edo konjam suspense vekkalam nu ninaichen...:bonk