A forgotten Birthday

Birthdays are important for children but everyone in the family forgets her birthday, they have their reasons, The day always coincides with her result day in school and year end closing of the bank.

    I woke up with sweat on my forehead, it was the end of March and summers had not really set in, still I was perspiring.

    I had spent the last 10 days thinking about the result, my exams mostly had gone well except for physics. There was always this one paper that would ruin the short break between the exams and the result. I would just pass these days fretting over marks of this one subject.

    I didn't want to spend these days worrying about marks , after all today was my birthday. But why the school had to choose this day "30 March" to declare results year after year and it seems it never even falls on a Sunday.

    I wanted to plan for my birthday as other children do. Buy sweets and distribute them to classmates but I couldn't do any of that. What happens if I flunk in physics, what will the classmates say " Happy Birthday !!!! how many marks did you get in physics ??? ha ha ha", I wouldn't be able to stand that, and what about the teacher , he will take the sweet and wish me with a mocking smile - " I told you , you should have joined physics tuition". I didn't want to join physics tuition, when I never understood a word of what he taught in the class, what difference it would make at tuition.

    I was now hoping that no-one should remember my birthday. I would quietly go to school, collect my report card and straight back home. There would be no time for small talk and no one would ask my physics marks.

   

     Battling the conflict going within, I got up and started getting ready for school. As they say "Be careful of what you wish for" my wish seemed to be coming true. No-one at home wished me for my birthday .Both my brother and sister went to the same school and were consumed by their own thoughts and worries. It was no surprise that Papa didn't wish me, he would always forget my birthday, you see he worked in a bank and this time of year which is yearly closing time, it would be very hectic for him, he would leave very early and come back home very late almost after we slept. It was Mummy who would remember my birthday and remind others, but today it seems she had also forgotten, why I don't know , it must be my wish.

   I quietly got ready and left for school , my friends met me on the way. Result seemed to be foremost on everyone's mind and no one thought about me and my day. My wish seemed to be working very well.

   We reached school and after the usual assembly and nervous chitchat, we got our report card. I didn't fail in physics "Thank God". Everyone started comparing marks. Mostly people were cheerful, everyone got better than expected.

    Our Teachers generally all through the year would set very low expectations, they seemed to  get some sadistic pleasure by first setting a very difficult paper and then while checking , circling every spelling mistake like the great Painter Raza had embarked upon creating another one of this bindu series with his red pen. Even the brightest of the bright had to settle for percentages somewhere in 80s.

     My spirits were lifted after receiving the result and all of us friends had a small samosa party at the canteen and we started planning about the new session which was to start next week.

     I reached home a little late than usual, and went about the usual stuff, showing marks and then just about passing time by reading comics. I didn't remind anyone about my birthday, I just wanted to pass the day somehow so that the next day I could give a lecture to everyone about how no one cares about me and I am the least important member of the family blah blah blah.

    At about 4 pm which was officially our play time during the holidays , my friend arrived with gift duly wrapped. She somehow remembered it after reaching home and when the excitement of the result was over.

    It was when she wished me , everyone realized that they had all forgotten my birthday. All of them sheepishly wished me one by one. Mummy was feeling very guilty but then quickly announced that the day was not yet over and we can still have a party. we called friends and relatives who lived nearby. Mummy also called Papa and reminded him and told him how everyone forgot. She then prepared Milk Cake, Poori Aloo,Raita, Halwa for everyone. Papa also I think felt very guilty because he forgot every time and to make up for all that, he surprised me with a gold ring(also his bank was in Sarafa Bazaar so it was rather convenient).

Eventually , it turned out to be an unforgettable Birthday.