THE STORY OF GANESH

The rush, the shouting, the crowdedness, the blaring horns, the emission spewing vehicles, the littered road and the stink were now nowhere to be felt. It had been two days, I was trying to acclimatize to my new residence A-II-254 in the Petrochemicals Township, sector II. It was a well-planned township with widely spaced rows of apartment in either side of the road. Come dusk and the parks would turn into a retiring ground for the aged, a discussion ground for the fathers, a gossip ground for the mothers and a playground for the children.

The township was newly constructed, the families had just moved in and the ladies were trying to make friends with each other. When the husbands were busy in the offices the ladies got busy with kitty parties.

Once a lady staying on the opposite side of the road straight in front of my apartment came to my wife and said “I have come to know that you are good teacher and I want you to help my son with his studies”. My wife said, that is not right, I do not teach but at times when your son has difficulty in understanding my husband can help him.

The next day the boy was at my house, we sat together, he had difficulty in understanding mathematics and it took around forty-five minutes to solve the problems he couldn't. He left wearing a smiling.

Few days later he turned up again, as usual it took around fifty minutes to solve his difficulties; few more visits revealed that he lacked the basic understanding of mathematics. I made it clear to him and asked him to work on it. He replied there is a problem with me, I am forgetful; I do not remember things. He left the place with this ending remark.

In his next visit, after solving his problems I asked him, Ganesh what was the movie that was screened in the open-air-theater the previous week? Can you help me recall it? He immediately replied, he further went on to the details of the star cast, the songs, the plot and the climax.

I told him when did you learn to lie? He was surprised, he said I never lie, every bit of information that I told you about the movie is correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. If somebody want to challenge me; I am ready to take up the challenge.

I told him how could the modus operandi of your brain be biased?  Why does it prefer to remember information about the movies and why does it prefer not to remember information about you studies. In my observations you have a fully functional brain; free from error. All that you need to do it reset your priorities and start liking it. When you start liking it; slowly and slowly you start loving it and when you start loving it you start seeing it big, you start seeing it clear, things become easier and joyous. You don’t forget. 

All stories do not have a happy ending; few weeks later the family moved to a different location and a couple of months later I came to know that Ganesh was absconding. This story happened in the late eighties. Perhaps if he happens to pass in front of me I may not be able to recognize him but my heart wishes him all the best wherever he is.