Mahesh Paudyal
He was a very popular teacher. There were some reasons that made him popular. He was a man of positive attitude, and always kept smiling. He could never see red, and was a stock of stories. His stories had a flavour of village life and many children loved them because they were from villages. In myths, fairy tales and animal stories, no one would match him. He was therefore a perennial source of entertainment for children.
But no one knew what stuck him; he decided to leave the school in midsession. He took my opinion as well. I said, one should decide in favour of a career that sounds more prospective and more promising. He did accordingly.
In the afternoon, he entered some of the classes and took leave from the children forever. He knew, after the delivery of the news, it would be unwise to loiter around for two reasons. First, people do not stay back after taking leave. Second, he knew and everyone else knew that the children would react violently and that could shake his interior.
He left. After the lunch break, a group of children went to the principal to ask why their NB Sir had left. The principal was not there. They went to every other office only to be shooed away. Ultimately they turned up to my room.
“Sir, why did NB Sir leave us?”
“He has some important work. He will come after a few days.”
“No, he will not. Last time when Pravin Sir left, you had told us the same. Did he come back?” That was Akriti, catching my throat with an intellectual firmness.
I had no answer. I looked out of the window and wished the children understood everything.
A long discussion ensued. Their tears turned my office into an ocean. I gave them a hundred of logics, all in vain though. At last Muskan said, “Sir, he left because he will get more money elsewhere, right? Please tell him to come back. We are ready to pay more fees. We will tell our parents.”
Why NB Sir left the school could have many other reasons. But Muskan was not altogether wrong. I could not answer her. I could only calculate how much love she and her friends bore for the dear departed. And, I simply regretted how we the adults neglect their world, simply because we have the mirage of material prospects in our front.
