This is a photograph of me

  Today I‘m the C.E.O. of one of the famous multinational companies, yesterday I was a question mark with no identity, no family, no residence. How did I come to this position? Was it luck or was it my destiny? No answer.

   June 2 is my birthday. Is that the day I was born? I don’t know. For I’m an orphan sans birth date. Then why is it June 2. I know you are puzzled. Yes. I consider that day as my birthday because that was the day my school reopened. That was the day I met her. And that was the day I was reborn!

   What did she do to me? Was she my friend? Was she my classmate? No. she was my fifth standard class teacher with a calm, composed, serene smiling face. Her voice was no sweet but it was a melody for me. Her name is Rachel. I hated that name as I was bullied by a girl by that name. I named her Angel.

    I forgot to tell what she did to me. She came to me and touched my hair and said comb your hair. I said yes. But the next day too my hair was unkempt. She said again. I said yes. Again I went in the same way because I didn’t have anyone to comb my hair. She did not get angry she took me to her room and taught me how to comb. That was a magical moment.

    Next day I combed my hair as she said. Everybody in the class said I was beautiful. That was the first time I heard such words said to me. She came to class and smiled at me. I too stared to have a smile on my face every day. She changed my way of dressing, my handwriting and me. I became a new person. Then I decided, let her name be Rachel.

  The next year was like a fall on my head. Yes, I was promoted to sixth standard and Rachel miss will not be my teacher. I wished I could have failed in my fifth standard. Though I was at high school my love for her did not decrease. It grew greater and greater. I did not talk to her much but I did not stop seeing her.

   I finished my higher secondary course too. Then I went to her and thanked her. She gave me some suggestions for higher studies. I pursued. I got placed in a good job. Two years later I went to meet her. But she was not at school. People said she resigned her job. I was shocked.

   I got her address and went to her house. It was cute little house. I went with all eagerness had chocolates for her children. I saw miss Rachel. She was in a rocking chair with a photograph in her hand. I could hear her. She was crying. Oh my goodness! I went inside. I called her. She dried her tears put the photograph aside and welcomed me with the same smile.

   I felt relaxed. I gave her the chocolates and enquired about her children. She laughed. I was puzzled. She continued. She said she was a spinster.  Then she asked about me. After a brief conversation she went inside the kitchen. I looked around the house there was no paintings or photographs on the wall except a picture of Jesus Christ. Then with a sort of curiosity I took the photograph she had when I entered.” Oh” I cried. That a photograph of me and Rachel miss. It was taken on Children’s Day when I recited a poem on stage.

    She came out of the kitchen and saw me crying. She then said about her life.” I am also an orphan I knew you are one too. This is the photograph of me”

   That was it. Then we both stayed at a house , I became a C.E.O. and she the teacher to her own school to illuminate many minds. That’s my life.

                                                                                                                                                A.J.Bernita

II M.A.English

(2013-2015)

(Published in the College Magazine (2015))