The cost of natural call!

"Nitu, you know...I had a real travelled time in my life while I was visiting one of my relative's house in a far village"- my uncle said on his way to my another aunt's house.

It was long ago....in my childhood, I was accompanying him and my aunt's house was not far away from my home; however we started walking through cross country in order to reach early.

"I was walking along the river bank on the way to my relative's house. When I was closer to a local launch ghat, I saw from a long distance that a big launch came nearer to cast the anchor in order to drop the passengers. I stared at it with my full heart content. Our country is so beautiful and she takes a new look in every morning." he continued, "Suddenly I felt something wrong within my belly.....I understood that it was nothing but a natural call...because I did not clear my bowl early in the morning!"

"What's up?"- I was enjoying his speech.. colouring it to a level that a man was holding a pot running here and there in order to say hallow to "nature". I chuckled inside.

" I was looking for a place to finish up my business...but as I told you, by then passengers were getting down from the ship. And so I was not alone in the site indeed! Suddenly a trick triggered in my mind, why not to try the same inside the toilet of the ship instead? I assumed that the ship would certainly take sometimes to unload and by then I should have finished my job." - he started unveiling his plan, "Well, I boarded on the ship and was looking for the toilet. It killed some of my planned times which I did not pay attention. However at last I got my turn in the toilet ......"

"Then, what happened?" I got interested.

"I could not figure out how my sweet time passed away so quickly....as a matter of fact I was really enjoying the ride! Suddenly, I got a jerk....I looked around to hold something to make myself stable inside....but my business was yet to finish, you know! After a while I came out from my palace smiling with full satisfaction....a kind of fresh relief overcasted my entire mind, I closed my eyes to augment my feelings in the cool breeze outside. As I opened my eyes, instead of my ever known green bank, I casted an appalled look on the river....I ran to the back to make my eyes believe......but alas, the launch was by then miles away from the last station! I sat down exhausted and helpless. Immediately I shoved my hand inside my pocket...looking for last resort -the money I might be needing." -my uncle was seeing it happening again.

"Uncle, may I request you to walk slow, I am really tired of walking." I told him enroute.

"Do not think , we are closer....and will be there very soon" He satisfied me, " By then, the ticket checker with a set of big moustache and a giant belly came before me and asked me to produce the ticket. I narrated each and every confidential events those took place few minutes before to him...but the rude man barely believed that."
"I don't care those; just produce ticket or else be fined for availing unauthorised journey", He roared at me,
"OK, OK please take my money...and get me free from this stupid....", he returned, " You know, I had to pay twice to reach my relative's house! It's nothing but the cost of natural call!"

By then, the sun was setting on the west, the birds were falling back to their nests; I could see a little light at the horizon other side of the bil [a big chunk of low laying land] that's our aunt's house indeed!

Never ending story!

I was then only 8/9 years old, studying at class-II in the Mukul Smriti Primary School at Barisal. It was possible mid of the year...I was appearing in my First Terminal Exam. I appeared my exam nicely in the first day.

My mother asked me," Yes honey, how is your exam today?"

"It was fine. But Amma (mother) the subject I read yesterday...it was not there today! However I could answer properly since I read it earlier"- I replied with little confusion.

"Well, don't worry my sweet heart, it will be alright; but study hard for tomorrow's one, OK?"- Amma smiled divinely at me with usual manner. I nodded only.

In the next day , the same thing happened with my utter surprise! Frankly speaking I did not know what was the problem in that time. Same question asked by my mother and the same answer was produced before her. This time mother told me," Let me talk to your father to find out what is the exact cause of this." I was afraid at that time and had a kind of cold feeling inside!

My father came at afternoon; mother narrated every details of my incident. My father called me immediately and asked me to bring the Exam Schedule. I showed him which I had. He instructed me to get ready for next day's visit (fortunately there was no exam in the next day!) to school-office. Being ordered I just replied like an obedient soldier,"OK, Abba (father)"

I could barely sleep that night! Next morning my father took me to school and entered into the room of Royal Bengal Tigers(my ever fierced teachers lot). My father repeated the same story to the teachers in front of me. My class teacher asked me to produce the schedule. Meanwhile he brought his one. And it was my utter surprise...I had written wrong schedule! And there was no reason why I should not be fired? I was sweating inside and just looking for some places to hide. The teachers were grinning at me; I wished I were a invisible man at that time! I noted the exam schedule of last year! It was so terrible and funny that I could not just believe my eyes even! I was the loser....stood helplessly alone amid with hungry tigers!

So, that was my turn to answer my father. I could feel that my father was certainly ashamed of me! He sighed and went out distressed leaving me behind. My ferocious class teacher ordered me to shove my head beneath the table ...and I could hear only sound of caning! I cursed my self, I cursed my friend from whom I copied and I cursed the originator of educational system! My tears rolled down on to the black floor where I could see a poor face peeping at me crying. I closed my eyes wishing to see my mother's face... "Is she hearing me? Oh, Amma help me, I am in the paws of hungry tigers!" -I murmured.

It seemed to me that I had been waiting forever to hear the sound of the next can, showering on my back, just like a never-ending-story!