Realization

Sheena woke up with all smiles and got ready for the school. She was jubilant since the last evening. She was over the moon. Her father had agreed to send her for the school tour to Kodaikanal for three days. She started dreaming about her travel in the night-long train for the first time with her friends, her stay with them in the hotel room, sight-seeing, shopping, boating…….. one thing after another came to her mind. She had already decided on the dresses that she should wear during the trip. She had also decided to get herself a pair of slippers from her savings. All her memories were around the Kodaikanal trip from the time when her father assured her to arrange the money for the trip, by hook or by crook. After all, for the first time in her life, she was going to go for a trip along with her friends. She will be in the sixth grade by next year. Since her present school offer only up to primary education, she and her friends have to move to different schools for the sixth grade. Afterward, they can no longer meet. Sheena thought it is a good idea to spend a reasonable time with her friends and then bid a farewell to them.

Sheena reached the bus stop. As usual, she started thinking about her trip while waiting for the bus .She thought that she should confirm her teacher about her participation in the trip as soon as she reaches the school. All of a sudden, a loud voice shook her out of her reverie. A biker, who stopped at the bus stop, was talking loudly in his mobile phone. Sheena was quietly eaves dropping on his conversation. “How long will you take to return back the money? You borrowed the money to pay the picnic fee of your son and promised to return it back in one month. It’s been three months since you took the money and gave only few thousands as the interest. You don’t even earn enough to meet out your personal expenses. Then, why do you send your son for the tour? Knowing your status, your son should confine to your home. At least, you should’ve told him that he should not fancy such pleasures, given the fact that his father is capable of earning only peanuts. No matter what, if you don’t settle the money along with the interests before today evening, I will take all the goods from your home and sell it”. After a heated conversation, the biker started his vehicle and flew away.

Sheena returned home. She walked up to her father and told him in a firm tone “dad, I don’t want to go to the trip”. Her father looked at the child strangely.