Memories

“Mom! Mom! Mom, where are you?” Sri Latha ran in searching for her mother. She had just come back from school and was full of questions that no one seemed to answer. The fragrance of onion pakodi made her mouth water and she forgot about her school giving in to the charm of the mouth-watering delicacy that her mom seemed to produce magically.

“Hey!!! Wait till it is done dear!” Mamatha scolded her. “Don’t be so greedy. The pakodas are not going anywhere!”

“Who knows? They are so delicious I am sure gods and goddesses will steal them like small kids!” she said piling up her plate with pakodas.

“Gods won’t steal anything silly! They don’t need to eat.” Srilatha made a sad face.

“Poor gods!! They are missing something precious if they don’t eat! But, I am okay with that. Then they won’t steal my pakodas, you know!!”

“Again the same thing!”

“Mom! Do you know how supernatural your pakodas are? No one can resist them! Even gods!!”

“You have learnt to talk a lot these days! Now, go.” Mamatha said shooing the kid away from the kitchen. She shook her head lovingly at the bubbly child carrying her plate of pakodas as if it were full of gold. The kid never failed to amuse her with her antics. She quickly finished frying the last batch of pakodas and kept some away for her husband who had not yet come home from his office.

“Mom, do you know what happened today?”

“What happened?”

“My School Captain was so angry, she fought with the admin staff in the office!” she said with her eyes wide open.

“Why would she do that?”

“She says they changed our school!!”

“Really?”

“Yes. They took us into a new campus.”

“What!” Mamatha was startled. When she had received the new schedule, she was a bit anxious about the change in timings for the girls but she had not imagined that they would also change the campus. It was as if they didn’t want the girls to interact with the boys.

“Why would they do that?” she wondered aloud unaware that her daughter was listening.

“How would I know? Anyway the girls’ captain went to ask and last I saw she was fighting with them. Do you know we don’t even have a ground to play on?”

“What! How can that be? It has a vast campus and several grounds.”

“Don’t know. You know what they taught us today?”

“What did they teach you?”

“Boys are better than girls. Girls should always obey boys. Boys can punish girls.”

“Did they really teach you that?” Mamatha couldn’t believe her ears. How could any teacher fill the girls heads with such filth?

“Yes. And we should do what the teacher says.”

“I will speak with the principal tomorrow and see your new campus as well.” She wanted to put an end to this nonsense as soon as possible. What was the Principal thinking?

“Mom?” Mamatha looked at Sri Latha who was looking at her with a miserable expression that made her blood boil with rage. “Yes dear?”

“Are boys really umm better than girls?” Mamatha took the child in her arms and placed her in her lap. The kid clung to her making her angrier at the school management. She patted the child soothing her. She found it difficult to keep her wrath away from her voice as she spoke.

“No one is superior or inferior. Everyone is unique and has a role to play in this society.” Sri Latha looked up. “Then why did they say that boys are better?”

“I will them tomorrow okay?” the girl nodded her head. “If they don’t say anything?”

“Oh, they will answer alright. They don’t know me!” the child chuckled with amusement. “Will you scold them also?” Mamatha smiled. “Yes. And perhaps beat them too!” Sri Latha giggled trying to imagine her mother beating the Principal. “It will be fun”

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“Is this your school?” Mamatha was standing in front of her daughter’s new school stunned at the stark contrast between the old school and the new school. She found it impossible to understand the rationale behind the sudden change. She would have to speak with the Principal strongly.

As she walked around the campus she was appalled to see the dilapidated state of the buildings – if they could indeed be called buildings. Which moron would build rooms with asbestos sheets and call them class rooms?

A portion of the walls had been painted black and that was supposed to be the black board. What was happening? Why this sudden change? Why was the discrimination started? Who was approving this plan? It didn’t make any sense.

She walked into the ‘office’. It was a small room with enough space to keep a few tables chairs and a few cabinets. There was a single computer with an ancient looking three in one printer that occupied the far corner of the office. It was as big as 300 litres fridge.

“Excuse me, who is in charge here?”

“..........”

“Excuse me. Mai I know who’s in charge of this campus?”

“.......” the men in the office didn’t even bother to look at her. She was really pissed off by their lack of in attention. Who did they think they were? Didn’t they even have the courtesy to respond? She banged her fist on the table attracting their attention.

“I asked you a question and don’t you have the minimum courtesy to respond? Is this how you treat a student’s parent?”

“Meet the Principal in the boy’s campus.” He answered carelessly and turned towards his colleague resuming their conversation. Mamatha was about to blow a fuse but she realised it would be of no use. She would better meet the Principal and find out what the heck was wrong with these morons.

She dropped Sri Latha in her class and drove to the boys’ campus. She had had to make a full detour to reach the school though it was only divided by a wall. They could have at least built a gate in the wall if they wanted a separate campus for girls. She hoped the Principal would see some sense as she walked towards his chamber.

*********