Trial

“So here we are”, Safa said, while throwing the chalk in the dustbin and turning around to look at her students as she passed a smile to them, which was one of the most elegant features of her personality. “Okay now, hurry up and pack your bags, there will be a test on last three chapters tomorrow” Safa exclaimed in a serious tone. “Remember, these marks will be added to the final exam”. Within a moment, students excitingly rushed to get their bags set because does for a short last discussion in which they talked about each other’s concerns and hardships to come with solutions and in turn help each other collaboratively. The next day when the problem resolved, they happily used to describe their achievements to their teacher. This whole idea of Safa to inculcate the habits of helpfulness in her students helped her gain satisfaction and pleasure.

Safa said “Okay…silence, please. There are only 3 minutes to let you off, so keep calm, we will not have a long discussion today. The only thing I would do right now is to bring up the point of taking care of your neighbours, help them up with their chores and be kind to your servants as they work day and night regardless of how hot the weather gets for your comfort while you chill in you air-conditioned rooms. So take care of them, they get tired too…” as she ended the days teaching. As soon as the school bell rang, cheerful chaos busted in the classroom as students started leaving the room to make a queue outside after shaking hands with their teacher which was an everyday ritual set by her. No one leaves without this gesture of goodbye.

As usual, Aaron, a person distinguishable for disability in his right hand and blemish face due to burns he suffered in a fire accident, was the last one in the queue. Safa, who was irritated by his burnt face and hand, always tried her best to not shake hands with him in dislike, even though Aaron used to wait as long as he had until he was let off by his teacher with a handshake. Today again, Safa with hatefulness apparent on her face tried her best to avoid the handshake but had to as Aaron patiently stood to wait as she was his favourite teacher. She hesitantly shook her hand, with only three fingers, while she thought about how she cannot even think of having a complete shake of hands with him. This incomplete handshake used to make Aaron proud in his own eyes even though he knew about the teacher’s unwillingness because it made him feel equal to the rest of his classmates. As soon as Aaron went, Safa cleaned her hands in disgust. As she waited for her brother to pick her from school, her conscience made her feel guilty as she used to think about how being a teacher, she often thought she was supposed to teach her students the difference between good and bad, but then used to overcome by thinking that it’s her who had given Aaron a good impression in class of students and teacher who used to be loath him as they thought that a student like him should be in a disability school rather than a normal one which was an idea opposed by Safa in front of everyone at school and raised her voice to get him admitted in the school she taught, stating the fact that Aaron is not mentally disabled and came from a good family. This mindset of Safa made her quite famous among her students and colleagues.
When her brother did not come after a few minutes, she went outside to get a cab when she saw Aaron nearby waiting for his driver. Aaron passed her a smile when he saw her, and as an act of courtesy, Safa smiled back after which she turned her face away so that he does not come to stand next to her. Suddenly someone approached Safa from behind. As she turned to check out, she screamed in fear as a blind beggar with a distorted face wearing dirty clothes asked her to help her cross the road. The beggar explained to her how no one is helping her out and she had to go to the pharmacy on the other side of the road to get some medicine. Safa went to deep thought as to should she help her out or not because she was getting agitated with her and took a few steps aside to distance from her. Aaron was seeing the whole thing. He came to the beggar and helped her cross the road. Once they crossed, the beggar started praising and praying for him. Safa stood on the other side of the road, seeing everything in her when Aaron came to her and said with happiness on his face “Teacher...you were trying me outright? Today at the end of the class you gave as a lesson to be helpful to others in need. See how I learnt all the smile stuff from you and put them to practice only because of you”. At that moment, Aaron’s driver called him. Before he reached out for his car, Aaron turned back and said to his teacher with hope in his eyes “Miss, please shake complete hands with me and I will wear gloves from tomorrow as my grandmother says not to put someone in difficulty”. In the end, Aaron raised his hand to shake her hands. This time, Safa with both of her hands gave him a full shake of hands. An eight-year-old taught her a valuable lesson today……