"Please tell there is no assembly, " Radha asked, after resting in her place.
"6th to 10th standard students assemble in the indoor auditorium immediately," the school pupil leader announced from the Dais.
"We'll be there for you," Shyam said after looking at the pathetic face of Radha.
"We'll be at the right time if we start to walk from now," smrithi sneaked in between. She disappeared before getting the reply.
"Where is she?" Sam asked.
"Why you care?. Let's move forward" Shyam said.
krithi got hold of Radha's hand and smiled "Now we can walk safely".
Note the word "we" not "you".
Sometimes the infrastructure around us make the differently abled people to feel like disabled. Because whenever they are trying and forcing themselves to come out of their shell, the stairs, sandy surfaces and many more mock them by saying "You can't".
They walked towards the auditorium. There are two ways for it. One side will be often used by the school and the other side is where Radha will be climbing, which will be used only during cultural. And this side will usually be closed, not locked. Everyone will be standing at the middle of the auditorium. The auditorium is large so no one can see from the middle who is approaching towards them from the other side. Curtains will be on both the sides through which one can see what is happening out there but no one can see IN.
As soon as Radha got sight of that two steps, blue print appears. Everything else blurred.
Her eyes first went in search of the handrail with which she is going to climb up. Then her brain reminded, "No, Radha. Don't look for left handrail, you cannot hold it with your left hand". Her eyes responded immediately by averting the gaze towards the right. A board meeting is going inside her head. Eyes is acting as a projector. Legs and hands are board members. And the brain is the head of all. And it was like, "Right leg, do you think you can climb it?". And the right leg was like "can i get the measurement?". And the eyes said "the tread and riser will probably be slightly under 1'6" (45 cm) and the width will be around 2'6" - 3' (76cm * 93cm)". Right leg said "yeah, I think I can". "I think I can't" left leg cut in between. "Don't worry, I'll raise you up by putting the full weight on me" right leg winked. Left leg blushed. "Ok, enough flirting. Now concentrate on the steps" brain reminded. "So eyes, make sure that the steps are not slippery and sandy". Eyes zoomed in "All clear". "Ok then ready to go" the brain ordered.
Radha is now near to the step. Her hands got hold of the right handrail and krithi got her left hand for support. She made her first step with right leg. No, left leg is not coming up. Sweat is dripping off her. Brain reminded "Radha, ask krithi to hold you tight". And Radha was like "krithi,can you hold it tight?". Krithi holds it tight. Now right leg fullfills it's promise. It took all the weight and lifted the left leg indicating "I'll never leave you behind". 1st step was accomplished. They followed the same process for the next step. And heart was all the time saying "you can do it. I trust you". Finally she did.
Weird right?. Feeling like climbing a mountain?. That's how it'll be like to them. Every differently abled have their own way of doing and seeing everything. If you take an example of the one who cannot see through their eyes, will see through the sound and smell. Moreover, they can even see and feel the small things which we think that don't exist. So the moral is, "if you think you don't have something which others have, then trust me, you definitely have something which others don't have". So next time when you are climbing a stair, be grateful that you can because not everyone can.
"You did it, radha!" Shyam said, who is watching from behind with the fear filled heart. Sam is lost in thoughts whose eyes are refusing to look up other than that two steps. Shyam tapped him from the back "she made it, sam. What are you staring at?"
"I never felt difficult climbing that two steps. Every time I see her, she makes me to feel how much blessed I am." Sam said.
"You're talking philosophy, man" Shyam said, patting his shoulders.
They both climbed and stood beside Radha. Radha could see the students standing in the assembly. It was not like she expected. Everyone's eyes are on the dais. Correction. Not everyone's but some. Some are looking up, some are looking down, some are correcting their hair, some are murmuring among each other.
Her brain was like "Is this what I'm scared of?"
"Hey, Radha. What's up?" Shyam asked.
"Nothing. Just seeing". She is not ready to say it out.
"Sure?"
"Yup"
They moved toward the dais. The more they get closer the more they could see the people standing on the dais. Suddenly their class teacher caught sight of them and rushed towards them.
"What are you guys doing up here? Why do you make her to climb? How did you climb up?"
"All question in one. As same as Radha. Tensed" Sam whispered in shyams ear. Shyam stopped him by nudging him with his elbow.
"Mam, assembly talk. I mean Radha is going to do the assembly talk. Sorry, someone informed that she needs to talk in the assembly today" krithi stammered.
"Who said?" She asked.
"S... Smrithi" Radha said.
"Are you guys mad or something?. You trusted her and made Radha to climb up. Why haven't you asked me before you did that." She sighed. "She is going to talk today" she said pointing to the one who is standing on the other side holding pen and paper. "Please, ask me before doing such things"
Someone called her from the other side. "Drop her safely back in the class". She left.
Everyone is red with rage except Radha.
"How dare she?" Shyam cursed, stumping his feet harder.
"It's my fault. I should've asked before climbing up. Why didn't I think about it?." Krithi said, walking forward.
"No it's mine" Shyam said.
"It's none of our fault" Radha said.
"Dont say, there is philosophy behind this, Radha" Shyam asked.
"yeah, there is. You said that she talked looking straight into mam eyes without telling a lie, Right?" Radha said.
"Yeah"
"So when we heard the announcement, our mind automatically assumed it as true. And also when smrithi asked us to walk, our mind went to action without thinking. The point is, we already created a certain image of her from the things we saw. This made us to move ahead and most importantly we assumed that she will not lie as she is from gurukulam" Radha said, moving forward with krithi.
"Woah!! " Sam said. "But still we are our mind, right?. Then it's our mistake"
"You are not your mind" Radha said, moving forward by looking backward.
Suddenly Shyam shrieked "Radha, watch your step!!"
Too late. She slipped from the first step and landed in the second. Ankle twisted. Fortunately Krithi got her in time from falling down.
Then Radha double limped to the class.
.......
Radha is resting her head on krithi's shoulder. Shyam and Sam are sitting on the floor with knees folded.
Krithi loves Radha to the core. She never leaves her side. matured, sincere and affectionate girl. She Is good at everything. She's been with her for years with the same love and care. Even if the teacher puts her in-charge of something which everyone will crave for, She'll be like "I'm not well, mam" in order not to leave Radha alone.
Games hour.
"We are lucky for having first hour as games," Sam said.
Shyam is looking at Radha's feet for long. "Does it hurts, Radha?"
It hurts, but she doesn't want him to get hurt. "Not bad as Sam's theories" Radha winked.
No one laughed.
"Sorry for ruining your games hour," Radha said.
"Do you want slap?. Will you think like that if I were you?" Krithi said.
"No,"
"Then shut up,"
Total silence.
"You know what, radha. Sometimes I wish you were normal, " Shyam said, looking down. "I wish you could run after us each time when you get pranked. I wish we all could go out, take pics and see it again and again until it torn out. We love to spend more time with you, Radha. I wish our Radha to be normal. We wish a lot!! Every time when I think about it, it gives me immense pleasure. Just imagine how it'll be like if it's real,"
Radha doesn't say a word.
Shyam continued, "we used to discuss this when you are not here. I'm not saying this to hurt you or something. I never want to. We love you a lot. krithi will always say not to tell this to you. But I cannot hold it anymore. This is the only secret that remained unrevealed between us. Then one day I thought, you too will have this same wish, right?. But you never talked about it. Why?"
Radha's head is still resting on krithi's shoulder. Without getting up she said, "What is the use of talking about it, Shyam. The day I know that I Am disabled or differently abled or whatever it is. I accept the fact. Do you think my mom will not have that wish? Everyone does. But she never said that to me. Not even a single time. Of course yes, I wish. But there's no point of wishing a wish which cannot be granted. But still, I am happy. I'm the blessed and luckiest person you know," Radha said, trying hard to keep a smile.
"Don't say that, Radha. How can you even say that? I still wonder how you are believing in god?" Sam argued. He is not the person to talk like this, but if he does, its difficult to control his emotions.
"I have you guys. I never felt different when I'm with you or when I'm at home. That makes me to believe in God till now".
After a long pause she said " I still don't know how my parents brought me up without letting me know that I'm differently abled. I outraged at them when I know about it. But now, when I think, it was great to live a normal life. Sometimes I even wish to forget who I really am"
"But many of us don't know the value of it, right?. It's a blessing to lead a normal life but still many are cursing it without knowing the value of it. But here, a girl is telling me she is lucky who looks unlucky to everyone else. Am I dreaming or what?." Shyam made a humourless smile.
"Hey I can prove it, Shyam" Radha sat upright to give a brief explanation. "Bet?"
Okay,"
"Dairy milk. Deal?"
"Deal,"
"Fine!. Now tell me, what if I don't have anyone when I climb those steps?"
"You would've felt down,"
"Exactly!!. The most important part is no one Will be there to lift me up. Or if I had a friend like jeeva then how it'll be like?"
Jeeva is a kind of person who gossip about everyone to everyone and will exaggerate minor problem as a big one and would always demotivate others by saying negative words in order to go up.
"He would've demotivated you and would've spread your weaknesses to everyone," he said, scratching his chin.
"Yes. So getting a true friend is a blessing. And not everyone is blessed as I am,"
"That's crap!! I will not accept this,"
"See, everything happens for a reason. And the reason was right in front of us and we are just not aware of it. Since you guys have many things, you are not aware of it. But in my case, I can. So the friends, families, environment we live in plays a prominent role in deciding how much blessed and lucky we are. Health Is important. I will not say it's not. But if you have someone to take care of more than you can, then what else you need?,"
She continued, "ok leave that, now tell me how many years you know me?"
"Five years,"
"Show me someone who has been with their friends till now, even after the shuffling of classes. We've seen with our own eyes that we are the only four who came from the same class even after the shuffle. You call this as happening and I call this as ..."
"Blessing" Sam said, thinking.
"You got it, sam"
"It makes sense now. I never know that these things come under blessings list. So you are telling me that if you have this much to be grateful for, then we are more than blessed and we are not just aware of it. Right?"
"BINGO!!" Radha exclaimed.
"How can you be childish and matured at the same time, Radha? The one who gets scared of little things and the other one is matured enough to find deeper meaning in everything. How?" Sam asked.
"How can you be humourous and science prodigy at the same time?"
"It comes just.. like that," Sam sputtered.
"Copy that,"
"For all your kind information, we are supposed to talk about smrithi now," krithi reminded.
"Let her come. See what I'm going to do. I'm going to thrash her down," Shyam said in rage.
Even before completing the sentence, smrithi entered the class and said "sorry, Radha. You are going to talk tomorrow"
Shyam is out of control now. He was about to throw the water can on her. Sam stopped him.
"What are you thinking in your mind, Han?. Are you expecting us to do everything just because you came from so-called gurukulam? I don't mind where you are from. Do you know how it hurts when your ankle gets twisted? "Shyam shouted and moved closer towards her for each word. "Is this what they've taught you in school?. What do you really want from us?" shyam demanded an explanation.
No drop of fear in smrithi's face. She is looking straight into his eyes.
"Shyam, stop. Stop!." Radha shouted from the front. She double limped, went and stood in between them. "I'll do the talking part, Shyam. Relax, "
"See, smrithi. I don't know why you are doing this.."
"You'll know" smrithi said.
This irritated Radha further. She closed her eyes and exhaled the anger and managed to say calmly "Please don't put riddle in every word. We are not here to solve it. And know this. It's not easy to walk with this," she said pointing at her ankle. "That three of them missed assembly today, and fortunately they don't get caught. If they get caught, the situation will even be worse."
"Tomorrow you will definitely talk," smrithi said slowly.
"Damn!!. Move aside, Radha. Let me do it in my way," Shyam leaned forward.
"Wait, wait Shyam. I'll talk," Radha calmed him down.
Suddenly the blue print of the steps and the view of crowd flashed in her mind.
"Ok, fine," Radha cleared her throat. "You want me to talk in assembly, right?. If I do it, will you leave us alone?. That's your problem, right?"
"Radha, what are you talking about? You have a sprain. Dont you see that?" Krithi asked.
Radha ignored her.
"Yes or no?" Radha stressed each word.
Smrithi nodded yes.
"Ok. Take my word. I'll talk tomorrow no matter whether my name is called or not. Fine?"
She said "ok" and left.
"Are you mad, Radha?" Sam asked.
" she felt good when I went near to her,"
"Dump your feelings!!, Radha" Shyam said, thudding the bench harder in anguish.
"Shyam, listen to me. It's been 9 long years. I've never even tried climbing up that two steps. But when I did that today, It felt somewhat different. You used to say often right, how we feel about things is more important than that thing itself. Even Sam reminds me often, "Just do it and feel it". That's why I said like that. If i'm not using this feeling at the right time, then I may regret it later. Whatever her intention may be, let us use it in our favour"
"But your leg...
"Now tell your line," Radha said.
"We'll be there for you"
To be continued...