"Avinash, I require your help." Mrs. Joshi said. She was a forty-five year old lady who worked as the Principal of a prominent school.
"Yes ma'am anything." Avinash said. He was fresh out of his masters and had just started working as language teacher.
"I know how much you hate picnics but I need you to accompany primary section on their field trip." Mrs. Joshi said with an expression that was impossible to decipher. Avinash thought she was testing him. He had hardly been in the school for six months and was bound to be tested for such circumstances.
"Primary section?" Avinash asked. There was no point in denying the favor. Besides, Mrs. Joshi was all that he had.
"1st to 4th. There are around 200 students."
"Alright ma'am I'll go." Avinash said.
"You'll go? No questions asked? I didn't assume it'll be that easy persuading you especially after what happened when you were my student." Mrs. Joshi said. There was a playful smile on her face which Avinash knew perfectly. She never joked with anyone else.
"That was unlucky. That was the only time when I hadn’t listened to you." Avinash said remembering the details of an event that he had completely forgotten. Ten years back Mrs. Joshi was his language teacher. They had been to a picnic together where things had turned a bit nasty and Avinash was blamed as the main culprit.
"That was indeed unlucky but I need you to know that I never blamed you. I had backed you even then." Mrs. Joshi said.
"I know ma'am." Avinash said.
"Alright. Now as you know, Mr. Dave is on leave for this entire month and Mr. Mehta called me yesterday that he couldn’t go. I was left with nobody else but you. At least one male staff has to go." Mrs. Joshi explained.
"I understand ma'am. Who will I be accompanying? Who is going with me?" Avinash asked.
"I am glad you asked that. I was wondering how to break it on you." Mrs. Joshi was taunting again. Her smile was back.
"No. Not her. Please ma'am, say that she is not going." Avinash said. There was terror on his face.
"Ms. Priyanka will be going, she, four others and you." Mrs. Joshi said smiling.
"Ma'am!"
"I have no other choice Avinash. Do this for me."
"When is the trip?"
"Tomorrow. You will leave early in the morning and you'll be returning by midnight."
"Alright Ma'am." Avinash said and left the office.
Back in the staff room he joined his group.
"Just in time for snacks. What was it?" Nidhi madam asked. She was a fellow teacher in the secondary section. Within the last six months, Avinash had come to regard her as elder sister.
"Picnic. I have to go."
"But that's tomorrow. Isn't Mehta sir going?" Pooja madam asked.
"No. He cannot come."
"I heard something about his wife being ill." Nidhi madam said opening her lunch box.
Recess was the only time when the entire secondary team was together. Nidhi madam taught Science, Pooja madam taught Mathematics and Rekha madam was the teacher of Social Science. There were other secondary teachers as well but these four were a team.
"I know why you are upset." Nidhi madam said after the break, the other two had left for their classes. This conversation was not meant for others.
"It is nothing. I'll manage."
"She won't leave you alone. Priyanka is young, immature even."
"She is a pain in the head but I'll manage."
"Why don't you accept her proposal? It'll be easier than dodging her everywhere."
"You know very well why I won't accept her proposal. She is an idiot. She doesn't know what she is doing."
"Well, I wish you good luck." Nidhi madam said, clutching her own books. She left for her class and Avinash decided to go through the picnic schedule that Mrs. Joshi had given him.
Next morning arrived too soon. The bus was scheduled to leave at eight in the morning and Avinash had already tallied every single student with the list in his hands. There were three buses and Avinash was on the first bus with the senior most students of the group. Entire fourth grade was in the bus along with the girls of third grade. Divya madam from primary section was on the bus with him. He told the driver to leave and before taking a seat he made sure the other two buses were following.
"Hope today turns out to be good. I have not been on a field trip for a while." Divya madam said starting the conversation. She was an elderly woman and was with the school for more than 10 years.
"It will. There will be no problems. Who do we have here? Anyone from this class worth counting on?"
"I don't know myself. I don't teach fourth grade. I am with preschool."
"I didn't know that. Who is their class teacher?"
"Priyanka. She is on the second bus. Do you want me to call her and ask?"
"No. I'll try something else." Avinash said and got up. Their first stop, the city museum was only fifteen minutes away. He surveyed the students on the bus. They waved and smiled at him when he passed their seats. Avinash smiled back. He was always fond of children. He picked a girl at random. She was sitting alone towards the end of the bus, staring nonchalantly out of the window. He sat beside her.
"Good morning sir." She said when she noticed him.
"Good morning dear. What's your name?" Avinash asked politely.
"Urvi sir. Urvi Mehta. You teach my brother. He is in 10th."
"Hiren?"
"Yes sir, he is my brother. He talks about you all the time." Urvi said.
"I am sure he does. Now Urvi, I want you to do something for me."
"Yes sir?"
"I want you to monitor the students of this bus when we reach the museum. I'll see how you do and then I'll decide whether you will be their leader for the rest of the day. Will you do that for me?"
"Yes sir. I will try my best."
"Thanks Urvi. I'll leave you now." Avinash said and returned to his seat.
"Did you find anyone?" Divya madam asked.
"Urvi Mehta. There, the one sitting alone." Avinash said motioning towards the girl who was once again looking out of the window.
The bus halted at the museum and Avinash climbed down to check on the other buses. They were right behind. The other teachers climbed down as well.
"You all have your lists. Count the number of students getting out of the bus and count again when they go back in. I want no mistakes." He instructed the teachers and joined Divya madam for the unloading of his bus. Students came out within minutes.
Urvi was quick in arranging them all in a straight line. She kept constant watch on the students and reprimanded those who misbehaved. Avinash was impressed.
The visit to the museum lasted for an hour. Avinash kept the three groups close together. Urvi was working fantastically. Not even a single child from her group was out of order. She was a natural leader. She even described the working of a Rudraveena that was on the display to some students. It turned out easier than he had thought.
The students were back on the bus. They were now supposed to leave for breakfast. The teachers on his cue went into their buses except Priyanka. She came straight towards Avinash.
"Sir, can I change the bus? I want to be with my students." Priyanka asked. Avinash had feared this.
"We cannot do that. Everything is planned. You are on the second bus with Ruchi Madam." Avinash said, checking the papers on his hand.
"Sir, please. I want to be with my students." Priynaka pleaded.
"It is alright. I'll go on the second bus. She can take my place on the first bus." Divya madam intervened.
"No. I'll go instead. She can join you on the first bus." Avinash said hastily.
"That cannot happen. You have to be on the first bus." Divya madam said and left for the second bus. Avinash saw no point in arguing. He climbed after Priyanka and motioned the driver to start the bus. The bus started for the next stop and Avinash stepped out of the driver's cabin. Priyanka made an involuntary movement in her seat. Avinash ignored her and marched in the bus for a while and then sat beside Urvi. He saw Priyanka's face twisting in anger.
"How did I do sir?" Urvi asked in her little voice. Avinash noticed her eyes for the first time; they were big and innocent.
"Urvi, you did wonderful." Avinash said placing his hand on her head.
"Thank you, sir. Will I be their leader for the rest of the day?"
"Definitely! One thing I'll tell you though, you have fun. Don’t concentrate too much on keeping them together. I am here as your back-up alright."
"Okay sir. I'll have fun and keep them together and if something goes out of my control, I'll ask you for your help." Urvi said easing up a bit.
"So Urvi, why are you alone? Your friends?"
"Natasha sir. She didn’t come. She is ill. I don't talk with others much."
"You are just like your brother. Even he does not like the other students much."
"No sir. I don't dislike them. I don't like to talk much. It is only Natasha with whom I speak."
"You like picnics, don’t you?"
"Yes sir. I like to see places." Urvi said looking towards the front of the bus, "I think Priyanka Madam is calling you."
Avinash followed her gaze. Sure enough, Priyanka was calling him towards the front.
"She is your class teacher. How is she?"
"Oh! She teaches wonderfully." Urvi said. Her eyes were suddenly filled with contempt.
"You don't like her, do you?"
"Nothing like that sir. She is my teacher." Urvi said resuming her smile. "I think you should go sir." She said looking towards her class teacher.
Avinash came towards her and waited. Priyanka said nothing.
"What is it?" Avinash asked.
"Sit. I'll tell you." Priyanka said. She was back to being her stubborn self. Avinash took the seat next to her.
"People will talk, you know." Priyanka said.
"About what?"
"Why do you sound so ignorant?"
"Okay. I'll stop being ignorant. I know people will talk and it does not matter to me. People who are important to me know what type of a man I am. And my answer for you is the same. I am not interested in you and I am not going to be interested in you."
"Shut up. I was not talking about that. I stopped thinking about that after you turned me down." Priyanka said. Avinash was taken by surprise. If she wasn’t talking about it then what was it she was saying?
"Then?"
"You should not sit with her. People will talk. That girl Urvi is a little precocious. She acts more mature than she is."
"Nonsense. She is nine. I'll decide who I sit with."
"Don't go to her."
"And sit here instead? Sit with you?"
"Why is the prospect of sitting next to me irritating to you?"
"Because you are immature. You are stubborn like a kid."
"I love you Avinash."
"I told you when you first said that. I work here. I am not breaking Joshi madam's trust."
"I'll leave the job."
"Stop that. You make no sense at all. Think and then speak."
"Avinash – " Priyanka started to speak again but broke mid-sentence. The bus had come to a halt.
"We are here." He said and got up. Urvi came to him at once.
"Urvi. We are here for breakfast. You know your duties?"
"Yes sir." Urvi said.
Rest of the day passed without any major incident. After the breakfast, the teacher on the third bus had called Avinash reporting a missing child but that had turned out to be a counting mistake. Urvi did her duties with grace. She easily had the command over every single student on the first bus. She was not bossy but other kids listened to her. The other destinations for the day turned out to be fun for the students as well as the teachers. The amusement park was all the kids have hoped for. Every single child enjoyed to their fullest. Urvi did fantastically in the park as well. Only once, she came to Avinash who was supervising the second group to ask him to stand while she went to enjoy the ride. Priyanka had decided to go back to the second bus after breakfast and it came as a relief to Avinash to have, mostly silent, Divya madam back with him. The bus was soon on its return journey.
Avinash scanned the bus. Nearly every child was asleep. Urvi, naturally, was wide awake. He went to sit next to her.
"Why are you awake?" Avinash asked her.
"I don't feel sleepy. Besides, I have a job to do."
"You did wonderfully. You are the best of them all. You are a true leader." Avinash said.
"Thank you, sir." Urvi said smiling broadly.
"Here, have this." Avinash said taking a chocolate out of his bag. She took it.
"Silk is my favourite." She said undoing the wrapper. She broke it in two halves and gave one to Avinash. He took it.
"You are the most wonderful kid I've ever seen Urvi. I look forward to teaching you." Avinash said after they were finished with the chocolate.
"Three years." Urvi said and placed her head on his shoulder. She was fast asleep soon.
They were back at the school and Avinash had to wait with the other teachers till every child was sent home along with their parents. Urvi came to meet him before leaving.
"Sir, this was the happiest day of my life." Urvi said.
"I am glad Urvi. The picnic was indeed enjoyable."
"Not that sir. I have always requested Priyanka madam to make me the class monitor. She never allows me. She says I am not capable to be the monitor."
"But you are. You are capable of being a class monitor. Do you want me to talk to her?"
"No sir. I doubted myself when she didn’t make me the monitor. I thought I was what she told me. I thought I was not capable. Now it is proved otherwise. I know that I am capable."
"I'll talk to her and tell her what you did today."
"No sir. I didn’t want to prove it to anyone else. I wanted to prove it to myself. I know, now, that I am worthy of being a monitor. It doesn’t matter if she makes me or not." Urvi said and left with her father.
Avinash was at total loss of words. A nine year old girl had left him awestruck.