It all began with a simple question that sparked a wave of memories—“What did you do with your first salary?” Pattabhiram Sir had posted it on Facebook, and it lingered in Me Ra’s mind long enough to stir a reflection.
She smiled as she typed, “My first pay was ₹75. I had joined mid-July. The next month, a full one, I earned ₹150.” It wasn’t much, she admitted, especially when compared to what she made giving tuitions. But those days were different. “Now, I don’t have the energy or patience for tuitions,” she confessed.
The conversation turned contemplative. “We were recently discussing what’s next,” Me Ra continued. “And I said, the toughest thing for me was taking tuitions—even though, as a child, I always wanted to be a teacher.”
Saroja chimed in with a laugh. “I was so patient until I turned 30, maybe. Took many tuitions. Once, a boy even hit me with his pencil box! He later became a good student.” She added with a touch of pride, “I even taught a film star once. He still comes and talks to me when we meet—his parents too!”
But times had changed. “Now I’m the worst teacher,” Saroja admitted, “especially when I sit with Shriya. First five minutes, I’m so good. The very next minute—I turn into a raakshassi!” The laughter was almost audible through the screen.
Me Ra nodded in agreement. “I’ve heard the most difficult job is teaching your own children—be it school lessons, singing, or dancing.”
“May be true,” Saroja replied thoughtfully.
Then came a quiet revelation. “My mom used to take tuitions,” Me Ra shared, “but she sent me to one. I was a dyslexic child.” There was a pause, then another truth: “Not sure if I’ve said this before. But back then, they didn’t know what it meant. Thankfully, they just forced me to compete with others in class.”
Despite it all, she found her anchor. “Maths was the only subject I liked.”
No comments:
Post a Comment