The truth that I told!

My mom was a disciplinarian. Being a school teacher only enhanced her fondness with discipline. She had reared us with very high hopes. My elder brother and sister were in the good books of my mom as they always did what was ordered to them. My mother wanted all of us to excel at studies. My elder siblings were really studious and they always scored good marks.

I was kind of black sheep of the family. Though I used to study with the best of my abilities, my marks used to be just  around  50% of total marks.

I was in class IX and I was chosen the football captain of the school team. There was an inter school tournament around mid- year. I was busy preparing for the tournament and that is why my studies took a severe beating. To be frank, I was also not that eager to focus on studies.  So, football gave me a good excuse to be away from studies. All other players of my team used to bring books to the football field to make up for the lost time. But I never showed such sincerity. I thought that I would manage when exam comes.

We had our final match and I was all gung ho about it. Our coach Mr. Sharma gave us pep talk before the match. We scored 4 goals in total against the opposition team and I had scored 2 out of that 4. We won the match. I was given the player of the match award.

My mother, my father ,and my elder siblings all felt proud of me. I was basking in the glory.

“See, one day my darling will win medal in academics too,” said my mother to other family members, massaging my head with oil one day.

It was for the very first time that I had become darling of my mother. I was really relishing these moments.

After one week we had our  end- term exams of 1^st semester. I could manage other subjects well with whatever time I was left with after the match except Maths. But I was hoping that I would pass it somehow.

I once again got myself busy with my football after the exams got over.

After a month the results for end-term  of the semester came and a thunderbolt pierced me. I had failed in Maths. Now, I got really scared as to how I will face my mom. No one had ever failed in our family. When I reached home, I saw  my maternal uncle arrived in the home with his son.

They were talking about the educational scalps that my maternal uncle’s son had achieved and this reminded my mother of my results.

“Today you must have got your results dear, haven’t you?”asked my mom.

“No... the teachers only showed the papers of every subjects, the report card will be given on Friday.” I lied flat.

“So, how have been your marks like in papers such as science and Maths?” asked my maternal uncle.

“I have got 54 in Maths and 64 in English.” I talked about English despite not being asked and for Maths, I told utter lie.

“But if you have to go to IITs then this is not enough at all, you need to learn from your cousin and your elder siblings,” quipped my maternal uncle. He always derived a great kind of cruel happiness in making me feel little before the achievements of his son and my elder siblings.

“You need to study hard, these sports have no future, you see,” He continued.

“Yes… ok”, I said and left the room as quickly as possible.

“He will also do good at studies, he is the youngest of the siblings that is why he is not serious… little by little he will also become serious.” I heard my mother advocating for me.

She was a very strict person, she had rebuked very badly to my brother when he had gone to see a movie instead of attending his coaching classes. And her strict nature was giving me shivers.But at the same time I was clutched by guilt of telling a lie to my mother. I was feeling a kind of restlessness within me. So, I decided to tell her the truth.

I braced up myself for all eventualities and after the dinner I went to the room of my mother. She was busy checking the answer sheets  for her school’s kids.

“I have to tell something to you,” I said feebly.

“What is it…can’t you see that I am busy with answer sheets, tell me tomorrow.”

“No mom I have to tell you now.” I insisted.

“Ok…what is it?” said my mom bringing  a serious look on her face. That gave my shudder for a second but  I gulped that fear down my throat and said with tears floating in my eyes.

“ Actually mom…I have failed the Maths paper of this sem.”

“What?” she let out as if somebody had died.

“I had told you to focus on studies ,but you never listened… always football… football. Now what face will I show to my collogues, they will make fun of me… they will say that a teacher’s son has failed.”  She erupted like volcano.

“I am sorry mom.” I said crying profusely and hugged her. She also started sobbing. I was really feeling bad for her. She had always expected best from her children and here I was who couldn’t pass even a subject.

“Ok… ok.. don’t cry but promise me that you will study hard for the next sem. And anyways I am proud of you,” said my mom consoling me after pause of thirty seconds.

I looked to her really startle. “Proud of me, but why?”

“Because of told the truth… you know it needs courage to tell the truth… life is not only about the academics but values as well… so you might have failed in Maths exams but I am happy that you didn’t  fail in terms of values,” Said my mother kissing my forehead.

That day I knew that mothers are tough on outside but are really gentle and soft on inside. That day I promised myself that I will not neglect my studies and make a balance between games and studies.

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By:  Prashant