Wet pants

That wasn’t a good day, I woke up late and the time was running the motorbikes passing me. I know it was later for school but how could I reach there fast all by my foot!

Before that thought ends a motorbike honked standing beside me. A man in a blue shirt hem all tucked inside the back pant with shining black shoes might be taller than my father. I couldn’t see his full face as he wore a black helmet and coolers but his sharp nose and smiling face said he must be a good looking guy.

That rider asked "Hey, Boy want a lift to your school?”

I shook my head to say no but he wasn’t getting it so told me “I am going to the nearby Public Nursery and primary school, Must be you are going there too, aren’t you?”

I thought I could say yes, but my parents and teachers told kids shouldn’t talk to strangers if we didn’t follow it they would kidnap us and sell to the slave market.

However I love motorbike rides which would be a big dream of mine as my father didn’t have one for us. One time wouldn’t be a big issue that too who would find it out if I didn’t share about it with others. Before he changed his mind I said “Yes, Please.”

I didn’t know what was so funny about that, the guy started to remove his cooler and helmet, and a sudden realization came to my mind.

He was a guy who visited our school yesterday with a group of officers.

I hopped on the bike and he started the engine that was so thrilling that the vibration chilled my limbs, he didn’t ride fast but my heart started to beat fast, I know it wasn’t because of fear or panic but out of joy.

The bike gave me the feeling that I was flying on the road.

I started the conversation “Anna (Elder brother in Tamil) why were you and another guy who visited our school yesterday?”

He replied “I work with An NGO, we group of people work for people who need help. We are going to build extra classrooms for your school. So we came yesterday to plan this.”

Yes, I still remember they were talking with my head teacher, and started to tour our school, before they were leaving they gave us some sweets.

A thought raised but I was hesitant whether to ask him or not. Once my Tamil teacher taught us, we should be bold and courageous if the cause was noble.

Out of all fear asked him “Anna. If you don’t mind, can I ask you something?”

He should be wondering what would be that but he said “Yes, what is it?”

Without giving him more thoughts I asked him, “Anna if possible can you build us an extra toilet? Because we only have two toilets, one for the staff so only one left for us. We have to stand in a queue to use that toilet. Two days before my friend urinated in his pants, everyone started to laugh at him. He must be embarrassed, after that he isn’t coming to the school. It keeps on happening in our school.”

Suddenly he stopped the bike and turned around his head to see me, he asked for my name, I told him “My name is Kamaraj” He smiled wide and told his name “Subash Chandra Boss”

After dropping me before the school gate as I insisted on him, he went straight to meet my head teacher.

I was so frightened that I offended him by asking him that. I couldn’t suppress the fear, every one of us went to the assembly ground.

All the time I was wondering what was happening there, within a few minutes which was like an hour, they came out both my head teacher and Subash Anna. He gave me a look of pride and satisfaction. They walked towards the toilet area.

After few days the long awaited summer holiday came we all were enjoying our holidays for a complete one and half month. Once the summer holiday was over and from the next day onwards school starts.

I couldn’t sleep all night, I was so excited to meet my school friends. That day came late, I was early to school. My father took me by bicycle. Whatever comes and goes but nothing could match the feeling of going to school with our father.

It was just a one and half month holiday but the school looked too different with new wall paintings, newly built classrooms, and an extra dark blackboard.

I started to run towards the toilet area.

It was a mere 50 meter distance from the classrooms but that way it seemed like 50 kilometres that I was running.

Dashing on a student, panting for breath, I saw it “The new toilets, with extra urinals” All our painful days of holding it, wetting our pants, the swelling tummies, and dropping out of school were gone.