THE NEW GIRL (TALES OF INCLUSIVITY) - #WriteAPageADay

 

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She stood out like a sore thumb, the new girl, with her chubby cheeks, her tucked in shirt and her shoes and socks. Her hair was tied into two pigtails, which stuck out like a pair of extra ears. As she walked into class, giggles broke out as the teacher beckoned her in with a kindly smile.

“Class, do welcome Deepika, our new student.”

Deepika felt forty pairs of eyes rake her, and she quailed at the titters that grew louder every moment. She knew that she did not belong here, amidst all the other students who dressed alike and spoke the same language, a language that she could just about manage to speak.

“Come and sit here!” called out a slim girl with hair all over her brown face.

Deepika turned to her like a sunflower veering towards the sun. She made her way across the room and sat down next to the girl.

“Thank you!” she said softly.

The period went by and Deepika breathed a bit more freely. Maybe her first day in school would not be too bad. As the bell rang, a cheer went up. The teacher glanced at them with a frown but went out, leaving them to their own devices.

“Ok, new girl, get up!” It was the same girl who had offered her the seat.

“Let’s take a good look at you.” She flicked at Deepika’s shirt. “Why on earth is your shirt tucked in? And why are you wearing shoes and socks? Regular little alien, aren’t you?” She pulled at one of the girl’s pigtails nonchalantly.

Deepika jerked away from the rude girl.

“Don’t you have manners?” she asked her.

“Oh, you have enough for me and the whole class, new girl!” scoffed the tormentor. She came close to Deepika and whispered, “Alien! Alien!”

There were many girls who laughed, but one girl who was sitting at the back, stood up and said sharply, “Stop it, Anna! Don’t be a bully!”

“Who’s going to stop me? Surely not you, Shobha?” Anna said in a mocking tone. “Why are you taking her side, anyway? You don’t even know her.”

“All the more reason to be kind, Anna!” came the response, as Shobha came towards them. She smiled at Deepika, saying, “Hi, Deepika, I am Shobha. Welcome to our class.”

“Yes, Deepika, say Hello to Saint Shobha!” laughed Anna.

The first few days were tough as most of the students ignored Deepika because she looked and sounded different from them. While her English was impeccable, her Malayalam was only passable, and often, she could not understand the jokes that were bandied around, mainly at her expense. However, she was an intelligent girl and despite having missed the first month in school, she found that she could catch up quite easily.

Even Anna realised that Deepika was quite a sport and slowly warmed up to her. The latter began making friends and soon, the others stopped commenting on her appearance. In fact, they made it a habit to pinch Deepika’s chubby cheeks, and flick her upright pigtails, thus showing their affection for her.

However, there was another ordeal ahead for the new girl. While her classmates included her in their group whole-heartedly, a couple of teachers were not as forthcoming.

The Sports teacher, whose name was Soumini, took one look at her walking along with Anna and said caustically in front of the entire class, “Oh no, here comes another specimen as unruly as Anna! As though one were not bad enough!”

Deepika’s face flamed at the remark. She turned to Anna, a query in her eyes. Anna shrugged, saying, “Oh, she is prejudiced against me. She thinks I am the naughtiest girl in school, and now you are my partner in crime, in her eyes.”

“But she doesn’t even know me,” protested Deepika.

“Some people are born judgmental. Take no notice of her, Deepika!” Anna made a face. Deepika was not convinced. “Anna, shouldn’t she be more open? After all, sportspeople are meant to be sporting.”
“Not this particular sports teacher, anyway. Once she has her knife in you, it will stay forever,” chuckled Anna. “Believe me, I have been in her bad books for the past eight years.”

Deepika went home, her mind whirling. The first fortnight had whizzed by, and she had made a large number of good friends. The teachers had also accepted her because she was above average at academics, and good at debating and singing. The only bugbear was Soumini Ma’am, the Sports teacher, who refused to even look at her or even give her a chance to prove her mettle. She would pass caustic remarks within earshot, and Deepika would go home, upset and confused.

Deepika’s father was in the Army, and he had been posted in a remote area. That was the reason why Deepika had come down to Kerala to do her last two years in school at her grandparents’ palatial home. She was now in the ninth and she knew she had to prove herself and do well. Her grandfather was a highly respected man who had begun a boys’ school in the town and all the boys from the best families had passed out from there.

Earlier when the school had just begun, girls had also been allowed to study there, but as the numbers grew, it slowly turned into an exclusive boys’ school.

That evening, Deepika was unusually quiet. Her grandparents, who doted on her, were concerned.

“What is wrong, Deepu?” asked her grandmother. Her kindly tone set Deepika’s emotions awhirl, and she burst out crying.

Her grandfather heard her out patiently as she told him about her experiences with her sports teacher. “I don’t know why she is so mean to me. Maybe it is because I look different, or even more so because I am friends with Anna. However, I am never rude to her. She does not talk to me or include me in any of the sports.”

Her grandfather looked grave. He was aware that his granddaughter was a well-behaved child, and on top of that, she had been brought up in the Army where etiquette and good manners mattered much. Putting his fingers together, he asked Deepika, “What is the teacher’s name?”

“Soumini Ma’am!” came the tearful answer.

An expression of bewilderment suffused the old man’s face. He glanced at his wife who looked equally startled.

“Isn’t that our Soumini?” she asked him.

He nodded grimly. “Yes, I am sure it is.” He turned to Deepika, and the next moment, there was a twinkle in his eye.

“Tomorrow, go up to your teacher and tell her that your grandfather sends his regards to her.”

Deepika looked at him glumly. “She will probably say something nasty about you as well.”

He shook his head, and repeated, “Just do as I say.”

The next day, during the sports period, Anna and Deepika made their way towards Soumini Ma’am. As they approached her, her expression underwent a change, and she curled her lip in disdain. A sports master stood by her, and she said snidely to him, “There they come. The two trouble mongers!”

“Excuse me, Ma’am, I would like to talk to you.”

Soumini Ma’am looked at her coldly. “Yes?” she said icily.

Deepika persevered. “Ma’am, my grandfather wanted me to convey his regards to you.”

“Who on earth is your grandfather and why should I be bothered?” came the quick retort. If looks could kill, Deepika would probably have been burned to a crisp.

“My grandfather is the headmaster of the Boys’ High School,” Deepika replied softly.

 Soumini Ma’am’s eyes widened and her face paled.

“What do you mean, child? Do you mean to tell me that you are the headmaster’s granddaughter?” Deepika merely nodded, sensing that something momentous had happened. The next moment, Soumini Ma’am’s eyes filled with tears as she enfolded the girl in a bear hug. “Why didn’t you tell me so earlier?” she demanded.

Deepika was flabbergasted. As she stayed silent, Soumini Ma’am continued, “I am an old student of your grandfather’s. I respect him with all my heart.” She wiped a tear, and she pulled Deepika into a yet another hug. “I am truly sorry for having misjudged you, my dearest child. Please forgive me!”

Deepika smiled at her. “That’s fine, Soumini Ma’am!” she replied. “You don’t need to apologize to me.”

That evening, when she reached home and narrated the whole incident to her grandfather, the same twinkle appeared in his eyes, as he said, “Well, I am happy our Soumini realized the error of her ways. No more will she be judgmental, I am sure!”

That was the day Deepika realized how privileged she was to be the grandchild of such venerable grandparents!

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