My little brother said, ‘Ranu my exam results will come out today, please pray I remain number One in the school register.’
I was certain he’d top the class without difficulty. So I said, ‘I’m sure no one can take your position, you’re the best.’
However I was concerned when he was taking long to come home. I kept looking out the window , when it was early evening I was Frantic, knowing how much he worked for maintaining first position in his class. What if someone else takes his place.
I watched from the window, I saw three friends of my brother bringing him home and my brother was crying.
I was distressed, could not understand what went wrong. My brother lay in bed weeping.
I was so stunned I couldn’t say anything to him, but watched him cry his heart out.
My mom was beside herself, she immediately called a rickshaw and went to his school.
She thought my brother failed the exam, or else why would he cry so much. When she asked the Principal about my brother’s exam results, he told her, he was second in his class.
Mom returned home she had a broad smile on her face. He is second in his class, she said smiling.
Why did you think he’s crying? I asked quietly.
She said she thought my brother failed his exam. I was amazed my mom had no idea how good her son was in his studies!
This is a Bengali song from a movie, the singer and the actor is my favorite. I have translated it into English. The song is sung with a full orchestra.
Jibon khatar proti patay,jotoi lekho hishab nikash
kichu robena,lookochurir ei je khela, praner joto deya neya,
purno hobena
কন্ঠ ভরা এ গান শুনে ছুটে তুমি এলে দ্বারে
চোখে দেখেও এতো করেও চেনোনিতো কভু তারে
অবহেলায় সরেও তবু আমায় তুমি নাওগো ডেকে
সে তো কবেনা
যে আঁখি হয়না খুশি আকাশ ভরা তারা দেখে
সেই হাসে কাঁচের ঝাড়ে মোমের বাতি জ্বেলে রেখে
জানি আমি আমারে নয় এ গান আমার ভালোবাসো
নিজের ভুলে পথের ধুলায় পরশ মানিক ফেলে আসো
তোমার গানের ঐ ঠিকানায় দেখেও আমায় তবু কি গো
ডেke lobena
When I passed my twelfth grade I wanted to study in a girls college to complete my undergraduate degree.
My older siblings decided Dhaka city is the best place, and Holy Cross College was the best educational instituition.
I went to Dhaka and enrolled in the above college. The college was fine and so were the students. I only had one problem it was traveling on the train at 3:30 am. It was one mountain I was afraid to climb.
I told my mother of the fear I had, i.e going alone in the wee hours of the morning, from Comilla to Dhaka.
Mom told me to recite a verse, she said, ‘it’s very powerful, if you recite it while on the train and in Dhaka city, God Willing you’ll be all right.’
This I treated as my Talisman. I felt safe.
The following is the translation of the Arabic verse:
God,
There is no god but He,
Living and Everlasting.
Neither slumber overtakes Him nor sleep,
To Him belongs what is in the heavens and what is on earth.
Who shall intercede with Him except by His leave?
He knows their present affairs and their past.
And they do not grasp of His knowledge except what He wills.
While taking the roll call of the kids a while ago, I noticed I was hearing the same last name, three times. I lifted my head looked at the kids and asked, ‘Are you kids related ?’
Immediately I heard, ‘We are triplets!’
Wow! I thought three kids, how am I going to know each one if they are indistinguishable.
My problem became simple, when I saw one of them was a girl.
I still had to deal with the two boys who were similar.
I began looking for something, anything that could help me distinguish the two boys.
Seemed like I was able to find one thing that was different between the two boys, yes they were similar, but there was one thing about them that helped me.
I looked at their faces and found one thing which helped me. One of them had a mean face, and the other one was sweet.
Sabethville 
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