Past tense......Jamia Middle School

It was a fantastic chilled morning of January, a week after schools reopen after half yearly exams.

The class was 4th & section was B.

Hashmet saheb on routine home work check discovered that few pupil didn't finished their work.

He gets annoyed & asked for explanation.

The first student in his catch was"Yusuf".

upon asking yusuf replied as follows the reason for not completing the HW.

"I tried, didnt understand & so i went for fishing on okhla head & later did little swimming".



Now, this was totally indigestible for hashmet saheb that he did swimming.

Yusuf also realised the additives in his lie.

It was too late.

Hashmet saheb shouted "Mukhtar!!! Bring Mukhtari"
{Mukhtar was one of our classmate}
Yusuf directed to stand up facing wall till mukhtar returned with "Mukhtari"

Mukhtari was a fresh stick of bamboo tree with utmost flexibility, the bamboo tree(hub) was situated on the back side of school, in front of present jamia nursery & adjacent to Fine arts canteen.

Hashmet saheb hit Yusuf by stick & there was no sign of pain.

He hitted again & the same results.

He along with all of us were surprised because one hit of that stick can make any body scream.

He then ordered him to remove jersey he was wearing.

He removed the one to reveal another.

Hashmet saheb asked him to remove the second one & he did remove The second one to expose the third sweater!!

Little surprised & asked him to remove all.

Believe it or not!!!!

He has removed 16 nos leaving the 17th on his body.

Hashmet saheb then smiled & asked him to take all the clothes out from the table.

He spared him but loudly told everybody to refrain from lying in the future.

Although it looks like a simple episode but i want to key down this here due to one reason.

Yusuf discontinued education after one year & i got the news few years later that he died.

This small paragraph is homage to a lovely person with a good built & smily face, the only son of his father who once met me while i was in senior secondary school.

Father, a retired jamia employee, looked at me with empty eyes, hugged me & i felt the pain.

The grief of loosing son was clearly reflected through his wet eyes & fainted voice.

I never saw him since after & life continues as there was nothing happened.