A Cup of Coffee with Life

A Lesson Learnt

"Daaaad", Mayank said in a stretching tone, moving to and fro sideways, holding something behind his hands.

"What's it, Mayu?, Varun asked, looking at Mayank's hands. Varun already knew the answer.

Mayank stood in silence, shying.

Varun smiled. "Mayu, show me your report card". He made sure that his voice was soft and soothing.

Closing his eyes, Mayank placed the report card before his father. "Sorry papa. I'll surely get good marks from the next time". Fresh tears rolled from his eyes, perhaps he feared that Varun would scold him badly, as he barely passed in all the subjects.

Varun proved him wrong. Hugging his son, Varun replied, "Oh my! Mayu, please don't worry. Always give your best. Don't think about the results".

"It's school time now. You've half-day classes from today and everday after returning home, we can enjoy more. Let's go to school now"

Mayank just nodded in response.

Mayank chose to be silent later. Somewhere, in the mid-way to his school, Mayank repeated,"Sorry dad", innocently, apologizing.

"Mayu, you are still on that?As I said, you don't need to worry about the marks. Just give your best. From today, let's do the work together and have more fun. Deal?"

Varun knew that his son was still in a sad mood, thinking something. After a minute, he picked his words, "Mayu, is everything okay?"

"I don't want to polish shoes on the roadside, dad". Saying so, he broke up completely, sobbing.

"What are you talking about, Mayu?"

"Adarsh's mother said that, if we don't study well, we might be on the streets, polishing shoes to the people walking roadside. None would respect us. We'd not be cared. It scares me that if I don't study well, I'd have to do so".

"She was wrong, Mayu. Absolutely wrong".

Looking at his son's bewildered face, he continued, "You should become whatever you want to become. That's an another story. But, no matter which profession a person takes up, he/she must be respected".

"Dad, why should we respect all the professions?"

"I'll answer that while returning home". Saying so, Varun dropped his son at the school and bid a bye.

Slightly disappointed, Mayank walked to his classroom.

It was afternoon. The Sun, which was warm till then transformed to a little yellow inferno. Varun was waiting outside the gate and as soon Mayank saw him, he sprang up and hugged him. But, to his surprise, Varun did not bring a car.

"Let's walk home today", he said, handing over a cap to Mayank.

On the midway, they halted under a shade. "I'm tired. This heat has sucked my entire energy", said Mayank.

Varun was tired too, a bit lesser though. "Let's sit here under this tree for a while". Varun quickly bought couple of icecreams and together, they sat on a the concrete hunch under the giant tree.

"Mayu, look around. There are so many people here; a few are sellers, a few travelling for their work to reach home, there are shopkeepers, workers doing the construction work under the bare Sun. We're tired and feel drained just after walking for a few minutes, but some of these people are working under this scorching heat daily, for hours.

"Look at that young boy", Varun said, pointing it to the cobbler sitting at the opposite side of the road. He would be 3-4 years elder to Mayank; his age would not exceed 12 though. A tiny umbrella with multiples holes, an Aluminum box, a polish brush and a few shoe-stiching tools - these were his possessions. He was constanly rubbing near his chine, probably due to the heat rashes. Adding to these, he seemed starving, even from a distance.

Looking at all this, a tear dropped from Mayank's eye. Varun placed his hand on his son's. Both knew what to do next.

Wasting no time, they bought a couple of sandwiches and an icecream and handed those to the young cobbler.

As soon as he saw the food, the smile on his face grew wide. He thanked Varun and Mayank so much and he insisted on polishing Mayank's shoes in return. Though they initially rejected, the young cobbler's persistence left them with no choice.

With smiles on their faces and immense satisfaction, Mayank and Varun continued their walk again. What they didn't know was that the golden bracelet on Varun's wrist got slipped from its place.

Just after taking a few strides, they heard a call from the cobbler. He ran towards Varun swiftly and panting, he said, "Your bracelet fell down there, sir".

Before Varun understood what has happened, the boy handed over the bracelet to him and left to his little place.

Varun smiled, thanking the young boy in his heart. "Did you see that, Mayu? He was living in penury, starving moreover; he had all the opportunity to sell my bracelet for his living, yet he returned it back.

You need to respect every profession because everyone is fighting their own wars with their life problems. No matter how harsh the life is on them, they're not giving up. Every single day, they are fighting for their families, for themselves.

Your education should make this world a better place for that cobbler, for everyone".

Mayank smiled in return. He knew that he has learnt one of the most valuable lessons in his life.