Coloring the World

“I am not a fool!”

“I am not a fool!”


Anu casually glanced at her second year special English class. It was empty as a shell, a challenge to teach since the beginning of the semester. Eight students registered. Three or four turned up for the class she taught twice a week.

She spotted five of them loitering in the corridor and almost ran to catch up with them.

“ Hey, don't you have a language class now?”

They looked down as if counting toes. Long unkempt hair was strewn over their brows half covering their eyes. More like recalcitrant puppies, Anu felt amused and irritated. They were reed-thin and tall, looking bored. Is this the future power of India? She thought whimsically.

“Come along. We will start with Boswell’s piece”

Reluctance was loud and clear in “aw, not today Ma’m”. She led them towards the classroom pretending indifference.

Almost every week of the next month, she went after them. By the end of the first month, just half the class attended without pressure. The rest followed out of sheer curiosity.

Boswell’s Dr. Johnson was a bit tiring for them with long sentences and sardonic humor. However, they found Johnson’s eccentricities, irresistible.

“An enormous man, Johnson went up the hill but feeling lazy to climb down, would lay on the ground, and roll down the hill.”

The class rang with laughter at the great master’s laziness and clever avoidance of physical effort.

Strike the iron while it is hot, Anu thought preparing her lesson-plan for the rest of the topics.

Gradually, she slipped in sessions of reading, writing, learning the meanings and the elements of style. Short tests, quizzes, and discussion followed. She went with them to the library and worked along side of them.They shared an occasional lunch.

Her colleague Sofia observed, “ You take them too seriously.” Disdain in her eyes showed how unimportant it was to work hard for the boys. Well, different people, different goals, Anu smiled to herself.

She no longer went looking for them.  Amar, the only boy who was a bit slow and less competitive, worried her a little. She paid more attention to him once the syllabus was completed.

Soon it was exam time and then the needed break. The results were out a week later.

“Hey, guys congratulations! Every one of you made the grade. You are very good, all of you.”

The boys greeted Anu’s jubilant announcement with a “Yahoo” followed by a quick jig.

Anu sparkled. The Principal praised her saying that her students’ success was her success.

Sitting down to a celebratory dinner that evening with the eight boys, Anu observed, “ Amar, I was worried about you. But you were fantastic.”

Amar raised his big brown eyes and said, “ I’m not a fool Ma’m, not with the kind of motivation I got from you.”

Anu’s eyes welled in joy.


Word Count:494


A note.
Special English refers to Language and Literature in India




Second Place winner in Coloring the world contest.