8/9/2019 Chuskit Goes to School by Malavika Roy Singh

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Chuskit goes to school

Once upon a time, there lived a small girl called Chuskit. She could not walk.

Despite this, her spirit never dampened and she did things on her own. However,

the only thing beyond her reach was education. Like most of the children of her

village, she too wanted to go to school but couldnt. Days after days, she watched

with a heavy heart as other children went to the village school.

One day, when Chuskit was playing with her kitty, she saw two uniformed childrenabout to cross the wooden bridge over the stream. She knew the uniform was that

of her village school. Seeing them Chuskit called out.

Where are you going acho le? asked little Chuskit to the big boy.

I am going to school Chuskit, replied the boy.

Oh, how I wish I could go to a school. Can you take me to your school acho

le?Chuskit inquired with a cheerful face.

Oh, I wish I could Chuskit but, I wont be able to help you cross the half-broken

wooden bridge, especially in your wheel chair. And saying this, the big boy, left forhis school.

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Chuskit became sad after hearing the reply and cried silently. She badly wanted togo to school but was not able to. She had told many a times to her parents about it

but, herAppa le, always said that she was too special to leave home.

Chuskit cried to her kitty, Did you see Nono, nobody wants me to go to school. As

she sat stroking her kitty, her mind drifted to her childhood days.

Things were never like this before. It was like a life of a bird and she used to play

around, without fearing any boundaries. She was then privileged to play normally

like all other children of her village.

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Chuskit remembered when she used to play on her own. How she loved visiting the

valley with her elder brother and gaze at flowers and chirping birds.

Arent these beautiful, an excited Chuskit used to cry out, pointing the chirping

birds to her brother.

Chuskit was lost in the sweet memories of her childhood, when suddenly she re-

called the dreadful day.

The day had begun on a usual chilly note. Chuskit, along with her brother, washeading towards the valley for her regular visit. On the way, she always crossed a

narrow stream, which faced her house directly.

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Back then, there used to be no wooden bridge over the narrow stream. And on that

dreadful day, Chuskit had tried to jump across the stream.

What started as a play with her brother had turned disastrous. She had tripped,

making one of the heavy boulders crush both her legs and disabling her for the rest

of her life.

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Oh appa le, my foot, Chuskit had cried out then.

Hearing her shout, appa le had rushed to the spot and carried her all the way to the

village dispensary for medical aid. However, things did not turn in her favor and she

lost her freedom and support, her legs.

But, her family had come to her rescue. Since that day, amma le, appa le and

meme le took turns to give little Chuskit her routine rides to the valley. She was

made comfortable in every situation.

Never for once did little Chuskit feel helpless except, when she watched people go

out of their houses for work or play. She too yearned to go out and play, like she

used to but, her leg reminded her that she was deprived of that pleasure.

Why cant I go out and play amma le? Chuskit once questioned innocently.

Showing some concern, amma le replied Oh dear, if you go out and play, then who

will play with me? Ill be left all alone and I am sure you dont want me to be left

alone, do you?

Little Chuskit was a sweet girl and never wanted to hurt anybody, especially her

mother, so she tried to stop asking her the question but, deep down she remained

troubled.

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Till one fine day her appa le bought her a new support, her new wheel chair. Chuskit

was very happy to be on her own again.

Riding the wheel chair, Chuskit thanked her father, Julley, Appa le.

Oh, its nothing for my darling little princess, replied her glowing father.

Appa le, can I go out and play? pleaded little Chuskit.

Oh sure dear, but dont go near the stream. Just play nearby, replied appa le, who

was trying to keep his own emotions in control.

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Nothing seemed more pleasant than the new toy in Chuskits life. She was moving

around freely. But, poor Nono, he got the fright of his life. He ran helter skelter,

when he found little Chuskit wheeling behind him.

Chuskit, will you let me ride that thing?, asked her brother hesitantly.

Oh sure, you can, and Chuskit allowed her brother to go for a ride.

She remembered how happy Amma le had been on that day, seeing her play again.

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Chuskit looked at her wheel chair and smiled. She thanked god for what she had.

Feeling slightly better, Chuskit wiped the tears from her face. She pulled herself

over the edge and watched the road silently, which from time to time brought many

passengers.

She watched as her village school bus came to a halt. A school boy got down from

the bus.

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Seeing Chuskit, the boy greeted her Julley nomo le. What are you doing here?

Nothing just watching the road and the passer bys, replied a sad looking Chuskit.

Just then Chuskits grandfather, meme le, came to wheel her back into the house.

Noticing the boy he said, JulleyNono le. What is your name?

Julleymeme le My name is Niza Angmo, the boy replied back.

Looking back at Chuskit, the boy asked Dont you go to school dear?

Chuskit silently nodded her head.

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Meme le immediately took over, stating how bad things had been for little Chuskit.

The road further to school from our house is not in a very good condition and so

Chuskit will face problems in wheeling her chair. Even if one of us accompanies

her to school, the uneven sharp edged rocks can cut us.

Hearing the dilemma, the boy decided to do something for the poor little girl. He bid

farewell to the duo and left for his home.

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As Chuskit watched him leave, she again became tearful at the thought of what she

missed. She missed everything, which the other school children had, a school

uniform, bag and books. She wanted to read and write various subjects. Though the

idea seemed distant, the smell of parchment beckoned little Chuskit in her

thoughts. Poor Chuskit cried and wished someone would hear her plea.

And her plea got heard. The next day Niza spoke to his headmaster.

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Julley Azang le, I wish to speak to you.

The headmaster beckoned him to speak.

There is a small girl living over the edge of stream. She wants to go to school but,

isnt as shes confined to a wheel chair. Dont you think it will be nice if we could

help her join the school?

The headmaster was happy to know that he wanted to help. Seeing Nizas

enthusiasm, he too gave his permission.

Yes, of course we should help the child. Let me talk to the other teachers and see

what they suggest.

Convinced that he would receive some help, Nazi took leave.

Mean while the headmaster thought about the matter and headed towards the staff

room.

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At the staff room, he discussed the matter with other fellow teachers. The problem

reached a solution and all the teachers agreed to bring Chuskit to school. They

decided to mend the condition of the road to her house but, there was one problem.

To discuss the problem, the headmaster called Niza.

I spoke to the other teachers and they have given their permission, but there is

one problem. We plan to make the road, which goes to the stream, but we dont

have enough money for suitable manpower.

Nizas face lit up. The fact that little Chuskit would now go to school made him so

happy that the manpower problem seemed insignificant.

He immediately retorted, Azang le that will not be a problem at all. I will gather

students who will readily volunteer to mend the road.

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The next day, as promised by Nazi, the headmaster found cheerful faces, all ready

to help the little girl. The headmaster was so happy to see the generosity of his

students that he too decided to spread some of it. He called a day off at school,

allowing the students to get down at work without any delay.

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The children, still dressed in school uniforms, got to work immediately. They worked

diligently throughout the day, shifting the heavy boulders away from the road and

smoothing out the surface.

The children assigned work amongst themselves. While some focused on the road,

others worked on rectifying the broken wooden bridge over the stream. The children

laid down the heavy wooden logs one by one, neatly into rows to build a strong

bridge, which would not collapse under heavy weight.

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Chuskits parents and grandfather watched the little children, sweating out, in order

to give their little Chuskit a gift, she had longed for.

Meme le was moved to tears. He decided to help the children by providing them tea

and biscuits. WhileAmma le prepared gurgur cha, a concoction prepared out of

strong green tea, butter and salt, meme le and appa le served it with biscuits to the

little helping hands.

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Chuskits excitement knew no bounds, when she found that the road and bridge had

been made. She started going to school with Nazi, who used to help wheel her up to

the school.

Chuskit once again started enjoying her ride. She again got to gaze at the chirpy

birds and smell the sweet notes of the flowers. But, more than anything else, she

was happy because she got to live her dream. There was nothing as wonderful as

school for Chuskit. She thanked Nazi, who fulfilled her wish to go to school.

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At school, Chuskit was enjoying her classes. She had made new friends, who helped

her all the time.

She had picked many a subjects quite quickly and soon drawing had turned out to

be one of her favorites.

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Little Chuskit had drawn many paintings. However, her favorite was the one where

she portrayed herself with the headmaster, Nazi and her new friends in the class.

Chuskits parents were now very happy and so was meme le.These days its he who

makes gurgur cha for his little Chuskit and reviews her school work, after she

returns from school.