Sangita Padiyar

Amma sent me in with a packet of Prale-G. No, it was no ordinary packet. This was the one which came with the butterfly sticker. She promised to wait outside till I was done. There were others inside, just like me. Most of them were crying, some wailing even. I thought it was because their Amma didn't give them Parle-G.

I offered mine to the girl sitting next to me, but she looked sternly at me and said "I cannot take anything from strangers". But I was no stranger, I thought. I looked out of the window to see Amma smile at me. She was proud, I could tell. She held her chin high, above all the others standing beside her.

Ms. Bhanumitra walked into class. She looked pleasant yet many of the kids wailed, louder than before. One ran towards the door, Ms. Bhanumitra tried to stop him and he bit her! More kids wailed. Pandemonium broke out.

Why were the kids crying? She was a nice lady, I promise. Yes, she did show us the wooden scale once in a while, but that was only when we disobeyed. My Amma did that too when I didn't listen to her. They didn't seem to understand. I think it was because their Amma's didn't show them the wooden stick, instead told them they would be sent to Ms. Bhanumitra.

One day, Ms. Bhanumitra announced that there would be a Story Telling Competition and we could recite stories that were their on books, or we could make up stories.

I won. This was the story I narrated.


(outside a classroom in a school)