Road Not Taken ✔

Chapter 30

I got up next day with a headache . Cherry gave me a coffee so that I could feel better . Cherry asked me what was troubling me with a concerned look on her face . I felt lucky to have Cherry in my life as she understood my remorse just by looking at my face. Both my besties are like my mind readers who can sense my sadness and happiness just by a mere glance at my face .

Well I masked a smile on my face and I didn't let Cherry know about my real reason for my troublesome face which I had a few minutes ago. Then I told Cherry " Everything is fine . I just got a bit worked up nothing else . After fetching good night sleep I am perfectly fine ." Cherry was not convinced by my  "tired excuse " as she scrunched her nose in suspicion but she did not push me further to know the truth and thankfully she gave me my space .

Next exam is of  English which is scheduled for tomorrow and I pretty much love the subject . I find peace in the fictional stories of English Literature , reading them make me escape in fantasy world . Fictional fantasy made me remember  my novel One Indian Girl . So, I picked up the novel and I kept reading it until it was lunch time. Reading the novel uplifted my mood . So, I ate lunch contently  and the Almond Porridge  somehow made be remember Badaam Halwa ( Indian sweet dish made with crushed almonds , clarified butter and sugar) because this porridge contained the essence of Almonds . After feasting lunch , I decided to read all the chapters of literature of my course books.

Well what I love about this subject is that it is a student friendly subject with no headache of bulky theorems, lengthy calculations and incomprehensible formulas . Fun fact is that  you can read the chapters as if you are  reading some book or novel . Well, usually.....to study for English exams my way of working is totally different from other subjects as I keep a pillow in vertical position at my back of the study chair and I support my back with the pillow comfortably then I read my course books leisurely .

Even today I did the same thing . I set up a soft pillow in vertical position on Cherry's study table and I sat with my English text books . First I read Hornbill book and then Snapshots book. Then I read the course novel Canterville Ghost . By the time I finished the novel it was already dinner time . I and Cherry ate our dinner of mashed potatoes and carrot cake .

After that Cherry went to her room while I came to the guest room to change my clothes . After that I sat on the armchair near the window of the guest room to practice some creative writing topics for tomorrow's exam . As I finished practicing essay writing, letter writing ,notice writing etc . I looked at the clock it was midnight .

Then Cherry came to me as she got struck on a chapter called 'Browning Version' . Cherry wanted my help in understanding this chapter .I explained her the chapter Browning Version in a short summary .

I begin narrating the story to Cherry " This is a story of a 16 year Taplow who one day goes to school to do extra work for his teacher Crocker Harris in order to get extra grades in the results . On reaching his classroom he finds that Mr. Harris is yet to come to school . Taplow is waiting for his teacher when another teacher Mr.Frank enters the classroom . Taplow tells him that he is eager to take science but he can only take science if his teacher Crocker Harris gives him good grades . Mr Frank tells him that if you are keen in science then you should definitely pursue Science . Taplow tells Frank that  he dislikes Croker Harris's teaching style and  how every student of class  is scared of Mr Harris . Frank asks Taplow to go away and play golf as Crocker Harris is already 10 minutes late . But Franks denies it , thinking that Mr . Harris might follow him to home. Frank envys  Mr Harris for the influence he has on his students . Then Frank asks Taplow if Mr. Harris  beats his students .Franks states that Mr. Harris is not a sadist who would beat students to vent his frustration. Instead, Taplow narrates a incident  where Mr. Harris cracked a classical joke in the class. Taplow also mentions that one day when he asked Mr. Harris about his marks in the final exams , he was told by Mr. Harris that ' You will get no less and certainly no more than what you deserve'.

Then Mrs. Mille Crocker Harris( Crocker Harris's wife) enters the classroom and she asks Taplow to go away for quarter of an hour and come back afterwards. Taplow is puzzled by Mrs. Harris behaviour . Taplow is not willing to leave as he didn't want to disobey  the teacher(Mr.Harris) whom he fears. Then Mrs. Harris suggests that she will take the blame on herself  and asks Taplow to bring some medicines for Mr. Harris from a chemist . Taplow takes the prescription and goes to the chemist to bring the medicine for his teacher Mr. Harris, leaving behind Frank and Mrs. Mille Crocker Harris in the classroom.  MORAL- TEACHERS ARE NOT AS BAD AS THEY SEEM , ALL THEY WANT IS GOOD FOR THEIR STUDENTS.

As ended the story I saw Cherry's eyes were drifting open and close simultaneously  because she was feeling extremely  sleepy . I jerked Cherry to make her alert and shake off  her sleepiness. Cherry yawned and then I and Cherry went to Cherry's room for sleep .

As I lay down on the bed the whole story of Browning Version played in my mind then two things came to my mind . First , Mr Frank had asked Taplow to follow his passion of Science . Secondly , I thought about the moral of the story.

Then I concluded that yes teachers are not as bad as they seem because all they want is good for their students . Then I remembered how I misjudged Shashi miss to be biased for Ruchi but in actual Shashi miss busted Ruchi's conspiracy and saved me from the blame of theft in school. Secondly, it struck me that Mr. Frank had suggested Taplow to follow his passion . So, is following passion so important ,I  thought to myself .

What will happen if I don't follow my passion ? Is it so important to follow the passion? Can Passion earn you a good name in the society ? Can a life be led without following passion? Family reputation versus Passion what is more important to me ? What is really my passion? Is a person following passion  more successful than the person following the social norms to pursue a career ? All these questions flooded my mind as I drifted to a thoughtful sleep .

********CHAPTER  ENDS************