Pinki, student of class 5th of Kadi Municipal high school, was in great worry. She searched her school bag, her elder sister school bag, old paper box… entire house but could not found her one and only COMPASS BOX …. Compass box is a small metal box, containing all the instruments to draw mathematical diagrams as circle, triangle, square etc and mostly used by children for educational purpose.
This compass box was kind of ancestral property, which was passed on by her elder brother to her elder sister and finally came to her. She supposed to pass the compass box to her little sister, when she will reach to 7th grade.
Pinki had two more years to study. When she will reach to 7th grade, she will join her elder sister in cleaning utensils, washing clothes and sweeping floors.. work as house maid.
Karshan was least interested in his children’s education, especially girls. He was keenly waiting Pinki to be 10 years old so that she can start earning money for him. Children, for him were source of income only. He was least worried about his responsibilities as father. He enrolled Pinki to the school just to get free midday meal for her. Government’s free midday meal at schools have tempted many poor parents to send their children to the schools, not for study, but to get one time full meal in a day, free.
Pinki was not like her other siblings. She had developed interest in her study books, especially mathematics. She liked the elements of her compass box and liked to draw circles, triangles, squares. She liked to measure everything, by her small scale. She used to draw various sizes of circles and measured their diameters, just for fun. She was gradually losing interest in old gifted dolls and leaning towards measuring length and breadth of surrounding objects by her little scale. Compass box was box of energy and enthusiasm for her. But today she had lost it and she was very worried for that…
When she returned from the school, she could not found her compass box in her school bag. She feared that she might have forgotten at class room and she rushed back to the school. Sadly she could not found the box there. Her worn school bag had holes from which Compass box could have slipped out. She searched entire way from home to school as carefully as her little eyes can do but box could not be found. She doubted her younger sister, might have stolen it !!! She searched entire house but box could not be found. Finally at night, tired and dejected Pinki, accepted the fact that she had lost her compass box.
Under the moon and stars, little Pinki could not sleep. She had mathematics exam after 2 days. She was dreaming to draw diagrams in the exam but her dream shattered without compass box. She did not dare to ask about new compass box to her father, fearing big SLAP on the face.. Neither she wanted to give more trouble to her mother, who was always cribbing about weak finances. Now whom should she ask for the help !! She looked at the moon above.. A circle.. “what can be the diameter ? ” she wondered. She positioned the moon between her fingers and thumb to measure imaginary diameter of the moon. If she would have compass box, she would have measured it by her scale..?? “ Will I never have compass box ?” Pinki shivered by the thought.
Crisis makes mind to think hard for the solution and on positive note sometimes increases the horizon of intellect. Next morning, 6 years old Pinki, had mature look on the face. She started thinking on ways to obtain compass box. She saw her elder sister Maya fiddling with her artificial jewellery box. Maya had stopped her schooling since age of 10 and now working as house maid to one rich family. She is earning reasonably good amount of money and always praising her employer, a gentle Lady, for her kindness. . “ Maya is always praising her employer for her kindness. Why can’t I request her to get new Compass box ? May be she will help out of kindness ” Thought tweet in Pinki’s mind.
Pinki went to Maya and explained her misery and need for money. Maya took her at her employer’s house. Maya’s employer was nice, gentle rich lady. She had gracious look and very mild sweet voice. She heard about Pinki’s need for compass box. She smiled and replied “Don’t worry Pinki, we will get you a fine compass box. “ Smile flickered on Pinki’s face. Lady’ assurance was like relaxing breeze. Gentle lady continued “ Our terrace is not been cleaned for months. Just sweep it once”…
There is no free Lunch in this world, not even for small Pinki. Pinki had to clean huge terrace to get small compass box. Pinki had no option. She took the sweeper and went to the terrace. Terrace was huge and lonely, waiting for someone to clean it. White tiles were dusty. Pinki started sweeping it..
The blazing sun, dirt and vastness of terrace, could not dither Pinki’s resolute to own a compass box. She kept sweeping, kept moving her hands and legs.. The cloud of dust engulfed her and she saw a compass box in it !!! Unknown internal forces have charged Pinki and 6 years old was not feeling tiredness at all.
Pinki swept for 2 hours and removed all the dust and dirt from terrace. Her face and her cloths were dusty but soul was shining. She was eagerly waiting for her compass box. The Gentle lady came to inspect her work and was delighted. She offered her big glass of orange juice, which made Pinki happy. Once Pinki finished the juice, Lady smilingly tinged “ You swept really good but there are stains on tiles.. It requires scrubbing. Maya, give few buckets of water to Pinki so that she can scrub hard on those dirty stains..” and she left.
Pinki was angry on Gentle lady’s gentleness. It was really hard to understand whether her gentleness is part of her nature or her way of achieving her goal !!!! “ Whatever .. they are rich people !! I have to do what she is saying “ thought Pinki and started scrubbing as fast as possible.
While scrubbing the tiles with water and her dripping sweat, Pinki observed a young boy, nearly same age as her, playing in garden outside. Suddenly Gentle Lady rushed and shouted “ Mukul, come inside..It’s so hot.. You will catch heat… “ Mukul rushed inside. Watching this, Pinki felt unknown pain inside.. A sense of injustice.. “Rich people” she murmured and started scrubbing again.
After 4 hours of intense work, terrace looked afresh and shining. Each tile of terrace, thanking Pinki for giving them renewed life. Pinki’s whole body was in pain. Gentle lady appraised Pinki for her work and advised “ Whenever you need anything for your study, you just come to me.. I will give you.. I like to help poor students…” Pinki stared at her with disbelief.
Lady called Mukul “ Mukul, get your old Compass “. Mukul came out with his old Compass box and handed over to Pinki. Lady tweeted “ Mukul had purchased new compass yesterday and so we don’t need this one.. It has all the instruments.. Check it”….
Pinki felt metal of the box. It was cold.. Box was old for them, not for her.. For her this compass box was life, was dream, was fruit of her hard work .. Touch of the box was sweet and energizing. She opened it and saw all the instruments, she loved.. Circles, Triangles, Scale.. This compass box had two scales.. small and large..
Pinki felt that abundant rays of light are emanating from Compass box, and penetrating into her body… She forgot sweeping, scrubbing, dust and pain. She just ran towards her house. She wanted to grab paper and draw diagrams of her interest.
I conclude my short story here and leave Pinki on her destiny. Will Pinki study further and able to drag her family out of poverty? Will Karshan allow Pinki to study further, after knowing her hard work on cleaning terrace ? I don’t know..
One thing, for sure, till girl like Pinki need to wash terrace for a Compass Box, We can’t be called a superpower. We have long way to go…
