Chapter 4 - Passionate conversation #2

 

When I was around 16-17-year-old I was having a great, sweetly talking, humble Zoology teacher. He was taking the subject in a good manner and his handwriting in board was amazing. Such a gliding smooth movement of his hands out of which words flow very easily on to the board while he was teaching the subject. Even hard topics were made into very soft, easily understandable ones. I am grateful to all the teachers whoever taught me starting from my LKG but I am more grateful to this Zoology teacher as he had showed a way to achieve my goal.

 

Once I join higher secondary school I was reading the subjects with the same interest as I was doing in the secondary. But due to the heavy competition since that school was admitting only brilliant students from various other schools, I was not able to shine much relatively. I was performing as per my levels only. I was not even taken into a special group which was meant for training some selected students towards getting a state/district ranks. I did not do my mid-term tests that much well. I had the enormous confidence on me but since it was not reflecting in marks the school did not select me for that special group.

 

That Zoology teacher was hardly noticing me in the classes as per my observation. I was a mediocre student in the middle benches at most times. The first bench would get attention by answering questions proactively. The last bench would be getting attention by doing mischievous things during the class hours. But that middle bench would be like Mahatma Gandhi when he was a mediocre lawyer who was not getting much attention at those initial times. They would be doing the home works and class works as per the orders from teachers but usually not talk to teachers and not answer to questions as well proactively.

 

I guessed that the zoology teacher did not give much attention to me. I was guessing that he did not even know me in person. But one day I came to know not only that teacher but each and every teacher was observing the progress of all the students so closely and they did know the capabilities of individual students. When higher secondary results were out, I was surprised to know that my cut-off marks were not high enough to secure a seat for getting MBBS which was my and my father’s goal. Being in a depressed state, we were looking for better options to enter the medical field at any cost. Not exactly, because my father was not ready to pay lumpsum amount to private colleges. I was ready to enter the medical field by doing pharmacy, physiotherapy, dental and so on.

 

That day I and father went to the school for an open house for getting the marksheets of my higher secondary. We had a meeting with the Zoology teacher. He was as usual as humble, soft spoken, nice human being. He greeted both of us and we sat in front of him. My father was explaining “My son wants to enter medical field, he wants to become a doctor but the cut-off marks are not good enough. So, we are looking for alternative ways. Even we are enquiring about the improvement center where he can re-do the 12^th standard”. The reply for this gave enormous confidence to my father.

 

The teacher replied, “I have seen your son here in my classes, he is very calm and responsible person. He has the ability to secure more marks easily. You can definitely give him another chance. Most probably he would be able to secure cut-offs high enough to secure the medical seat next time.” This sentence changed my father’s approach entirely and he was convinced completely for giving me another chance. Before that I was also not confident enough to accept to do improvement and my father was also in dilemma as already I had spent one extra year for doing my 4^th standard again. But these words gave a second hope to my father and therefore for me. My father came home and motivated me to do improvement after this precious conversation.

 

When someone is in a state of depression and was not knowing exactly what to do next, if supporting and motivating words are conveyed properly those words are not just words they are the sign boards which will help to move in that direction with full force rather than wandering here and there. I still hear those golden words which was in the important sign board for moving towards my goal as softly expressed by my beloved Zoology teacher now also (as it was repeated by my father also few times after that.) The words are as follows

“Unga son uh naa gavanichirukken. nalla calm aana paiyan romba responsible aana student, avanukku innoru chance nambi kudunga. Avan kandipaa nalla marks eduthurvaan!”