The Hectic Day-4

"Ma'am..." he started. 

I responded rather curtly, "What?" 

"Why are you hitting so forcefully on the desk, ma'am?", he said recklessly as if he were talking to his long lost friend. 

It was too strange for me to react or respond. But he just went on without waiting for my response, "It will hurt your palms, ma'am. Clutch it! Tap this book on the table!!"

They were unexpected words of kindness at an unexpected moment from an unexpected mouth. That made me stand tongue-tied half guilty and half ashamed for having turned so savage in front of those tender children.

But thankfully they couldn't read my mind. "So? You use book to tap on the bench?", I blurted out with pretended seriousness, staring at him. His response was a wide sheepish grin. By then I understood that I could rant and rave at them but that wouldn't make any sense. So I decided to have rather a light touch on them. 

I went again to the board this time with a confidence that I could manage their mischiefs and enthusiasm and hardly opened my mouth to ask a question. Again a score of hands went up dangling in the air with maddening noise. 

I must admit that it was too difficult to keep my cool but I had to. This time with added patience, I dealt with them. I Could see that each child wanted to share its view. And the entire class was in a frantic state too. 

Then I deliberated for half-a-minute which strangely drew their attention towards me. I understood it's not our continuous words but the pause among them that makes sense. 

Then I began to pose questions gradually to sum-up. With the same zeal and energy they went on. It was still not so comfortable but I could feel my irritability receding in due course of a period. The patience, with which it was much better for me to tackle those children. 

The bell went. It was the end of the sixth period. I went to rub the board. A boy said, "Ma'am, next period is English too!" Then I let out a feeble smile and left the class saying, "Thank you all!" to which they responded in unison.

(To be continued...)