Labelled

We just don’t want any more accidents Patrick” , said Mrs Fatima and dragged me down stairs to the principal’s office. I hate it when things turn out to be disastrous unintentionally.

Followed by a long chatter with our educational facilitator Ms Fatima ,

I was pinned against the wall and the coordinator ma’am frowned at me and asked me what has happened ? I readily explained exactly what has happened expecting an unbiased judgement. “It was a small incident “ I retorted.

"It was break time and I stuck out my arms like the wings of the chopper and started whirling with the ruler in my hand. I thought it was fun and everybody else was doing something or the other to just have some fun. But I didn’t know the ruler would hit on the wall and break. suddenly Ms Fatima barged in and a piece of plastic has cut through her arm. I apologized to her several times"

but “out of the class” she screamed and the whole class cracked up. “ I didn’t complain Co-ordinator ma’am that Ms Fatima had a long chatter with another assistant teacher outside our classroom regarding our new class-teacher who gave her unwanted headache ! But she was expected to take care of us that time, neither I told anything about that nor about her calling me a ‘vampire’ who came to suck all the blood out of her vein. I didn’t mind her calling me a 'beastly monster'.

 She was yanking me forcefully down the hall to the principal’s office. My eyes watered over . She tugged me so hard that I was bumping onto the glass walls around the principal’s office like a dizzy fish in an aquarium.

“You stick your feet on the floor for the whole time until you are called inside principal’s office”, said Ms Fatima..

“But I wanted to rejoin the class” I said with disagreement because it was Miss Rimjhim’s class and I like maths . Maths is musical to my ears. I can calculate in my mind in just seconds unlike anyone else and Ms Rimjhim gives me star for correct answers which means that I am a good boy. I never hurt anyone on purpose. It’s all for fun. “ I pleaded to her.

"Yes, and even that fun you had with Eloise that day too my dear, isn’t it?” Blurted out Ms Fatima. "Your concept of fun is getting heavy on all of us you little blunder head !” Said Ms Fatima grinding her teeth. I noticed there was no blood coming out of her bruise though.

Didn’t I want to help Eloise when she was crying on being separated from her ballet group just because she didn’t wear the proper shoes? I felt like she is crying like crazy, asking me to help her to join back. Then a brilliant idea popped up in my mind to help her and I cut her full shoes exactly like a half shoes designed for ballet with the precision scissors and surprised her so that she can join back the girls group . It was not so awfully stupid as has been described by Eloise’s parents. Everybody looked at me like I was a criminal charged with murdering the President or something. What’s so wrong to be funny or innovate ? I think this school is teaching us to be dumb robots instead of thinking and laughing human beings. 

However, I was sent for by principal ma’am and narrated the whole incident jumping from foot to foot to give her a clarity of the exact scene. She exchanged glances with Ms Fatima and nodded like both knew some secret about me. I don’t know why people always give each other a secret look around me, but I don’t care. I have my own secret notion about them as well which I didn’t share with them either. So it made us even.

“Patrick, you listen to me .I want to help you. But before that, you have to help yourself. It’s okay that you want to have fun. That’s what everyone else wants. But everyone doesn’t hurt their teacher in the name of fun. “ Principal said. 

“But it was an accident, I said and I apologized for that. I am sorry for that. But it will heal up soon as its a tiny mini cut. No one says anything to Reet when he dances on his toes like red ants are biting him all over his body. I don’t complain when other children bully me. I hate it when I am pulled out for no reason. It’s just that you all are conspiring against me to send me to the special school. I know that. It will make your work easier. My heart knows that. But I like my friends here. I like to study in this school. I want to be one among all other classmates.” I will work on my behavior.” I defended myself. 

“You go back home. I called up your mom for an urgent discussion. We will mutually sort it out “, said principal ma’am .

Next day, I woke up to see mom has decorated the entire home and got a cake. I forgot, it was my birthday. She called me and pressed me down onto the couch and told me that I am the most wonderful thing happened to her in her entire life. She also told me that I have a good heart and I respect everyone. I am a quick learner like no one else and hence I am special because I have special ability to change the world and make it a better place. So I don’t need that school again. It will be a special place where I am needed. That sounded great. She patted on my back and I moved ahead to cut the cake and celebrate my 9th birthday with a better feeling hoping to be understood by my new educators.