In response to daily post’s prompt : Abide
When we learn to drive, there are rules we must obey, like when the light is yellow we stop. When there is a stop sign we stop. There are also speed limit and other rules.
One day I pressed the button to cross the street, a light came on for the drivers to stop, one woman instead of stopping increased her speed and zoom by.I wondered had I attempted to cross, it would have been the end of me. She did not abide by the rule. Nothing happened to her, there was no traffic cop to catch and fine her.
One of the schools I attended there was a strict rule, we were not allowed to speak any language other than English. I know the teachers wanted us to be fluent in English. Well one day, I badly needed a pencil to write, mine was not there, I had to finish my work fast, so I went to one of my classmates and said, ‘Tumharay pass pencil hai?”( do you have a pencil)
Wouldn’t you know the teacher was behind me she heard what I said. Her immediate reaction was, ‘do not forget to bring a fine tomorrow.’
When we were little our parents watched us closely, coming home and telling either of them I was fined, would cause a lot of problem, like, why are you fined, what did you do? Okay you were a bad girl, you won’t be allowed to go outdoors and play. At that age the punishment could not be worse.
I tried to abide by rules of the school religiously, occasionally I’d have to skip school when I was unable to finish my homework. The bus driver would wait extra five minutes honking, my dad would say, ‘Ma Ranu school ay geli na.’ ( Ranu , you are not going to school)
I couldn’t tell the truth that I didn’t finish my homework, instead I’d say, ‘I have a stomach ache.’
While eldest sister however would scream from her room and yell, ‘Dad is spoiling her.’
Eldest brother would come by with a huge grin on his face, ‘So what’s the excuse for not going to school today, you have a tummy ache, headache or you’re feeling cold?’
I’d smile and say, ‘Don’t talk too much.’
What I’m trying to say is by trying to abide by school rules I ended up lying, to save my skin from parents and teachers. This is not to say I dislike rules, I love them. Without rules there will be total chaos.
…………………………………………
Sabethville 