Read Well

Read and enjoy my new story :

The school was closed because of summer vacations. Tarak was alone. All his friends had gone to relatives or hill stations. Only Tarak was left in town. He had no friends to play with, so he was sad and bored up. His elder sister was at home, but her annual examinations were round the corner, so he could not disturb her too. His family had a plan to visit a hill station, but they could go only after her sister's examinations were over.

Tarak lazily strolled into his father’s study room. His father was an advocate and worked mostly from home. His father was very fond of books, so his study room was decorated with a great number of books on different topics. His father was not in. He looked around if he could find a book that he could read to pass the time, and in the process, get some knowledge.

On his father’s writing table lay an open book, with the stapler on it to keep it open. He decided to check it. He ignored the heading and read the first couplet :

“A quarrel a day

Keeps you healthy and gay.”

Tarak could not believe his eyes. How could a book say that quarrelling everyday would keep one healthy and happy? The question lingered in his mind. He read it again and read it aloud to make sure what he read was right.

‘A book could not tell a lie, more so a book that lies on my father’s table,’ thought he.

His father had two bookshelves for books other than the law books. One had a chit on it that read ‘GOLD’. He kept only good books in it that deserved reading and re-reading. On the other bookshelf, the chit read ‘RUBBISH’. He stored those books in it that he considered were worthless, his father had told him one day.

‘A book on my father's table ought to be a good book for sure,’ thought Tarak as he walked out on the street. The words still rang in his mind. ‘The book could not tell a lie, so I must give it a try,’ said he to himself.

Tarak was alert now. He was looking for an opportunity to pick up a quarrel. Picking up a quarrel needed an excuse, even if a silly one, so he was looking for it seriously. Rather he got a genuine one and a little too soon.

Not far he had gone when he saw Manish coming. He was the naughtiest boy in the colony. He always had some or the other mischief up his mind. He often rang the neighbourhood doorbells and threw stones here and there. He often vanished with the ball that the children were playing with.

Tarak saw in Manish the best chance to try out the edict as mentioned in the book. He watched him come over.

Manish had a piece of stone in his hand. He was looking around to make the best use of it. And he got to see what he wanted. He saw Kali, a stray dog. It often played with the colony children, who had named it Kali after the colour of its coat.

Manish raised his hand and hurled the stone at Kali with all his force. It hit it on the back. Poor Kali! It ran away screaming in pain while Manish looked at it with a sense of victory in his eyes.

Tarak got a chance. He called out loudly, “Hey you! How dare you hit Kali?”

“Who are you by the way, its brother?” retorted Manish with a grin from cheek to cheek.

They argued and at last came to blows. One big punch landed on Tarak’s nose and it started bleeding. Seeing it Manish fled while Tarak made to his house hurling choicest snarls on his adversary as well as the book.

It raised quite a storm at home. Tarak’s sister wiped his wound clean and applied ointment over it. His mother wanted to go to Manish’s house but his father advised against it. Hot temper cooled down in some time.

A few minutes later Tarak sat in his father’s room. They sat on the large sofa near the writing table. His father enquired, “What made you pick up a fight with him? You know the kind of boy he is.”

“Your book advised it,” said Tarak as tears flowed down his cheek.

“My book! Which one?”

“It’s right on your table.”

“Show it to me.”

Tarak stood up and picked up the book. It was still open at the same page. He read the couplet once again to reconfirm what was written in it and then showed it to his father.

His father looked at it and burst out laughing. He found it difficult to control his laughter while he uttered in between “How foolish of you!”

Tarak was fully puzzled. He by now knew that picking up a quarrel was not a right thing, but what made his father laugh so hysterically.

After some time, His father asked, “Did you really read it?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Did you read its heading?”

“No.”

“I should pity you now,” said his father. His voice was serious and stern. “When you read a paragraph, you must also see its heading.”

Tarak nodded as if he understood everything. “And read its heading yourself,” his father added.

Tarak took the book and read the heading which was given in big and bold words just above the couplet :

‘PRACTISE IT NEVER’.