“Why do I have to be Mahatma Gandhi?” Amit demanded. “Why can’t I be Nehru?”
Startled, Amma asked, “What happened?”
“Our teachers want a special celebration for Gandhi Jayanti,” Amit said. “And have asked us to dress like different freedom fighters. Guess who I am? I have to be Gandhiji and talk about my experiences!”
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“That’s great!” Amma exclaimed.
“It’s not!” Amit said. “Imagine me dressed like Gandhiji!”
“Hmmm...” Amma said, looking critically at him. “We’ll have to do something to make you look bald…and you’ll have to wear a dhoti…”
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“Can you imagine how much my friends will tease me?” Amit burst out.
“But, Amit...” Amma began.
“No!” Amit said forcefully. “I don’t want to hear that!”
“Hear what?” Amma asked.
“I know what you will say,” Amit said. “You’ll tell me what a great man Gandhiji was, how he helped India gain independence, taught us ahimsa and all that.”
A new perspective
“Listen...” Amma began.
“I am grateful to him,” Amit went on. “I admire him. But why must I dress like him and get teased? I bet he was never teased. Then–”
He broke off to stare at Amma. “Why did you shake your head when I said Gandhiji had never been teased? Who would tease Gandhiji?”
“Many people did,” Amma said.
“You are making that up to make me feel better,” Amit declared.
“I am not making anything up,” Amma said. “You can read history books and find out for yourself what people said about Gandhiji.”
“I will read all the books you want me to,” Amit promised. “But please tell me why Gandhiji was teased.”
“He was teased about being small and thin,” Amma said. “Why, he was even teased about the clothes he wore. Others said he had large ears that made him look like Mickey Mouse and…”
“Mickey Mouse!” Amit howled. “How could they? What did Gandhiji do?”
“Gandhiji laughed with them!” Amma smiled.
“But,” Amit said, “laughing at yourself is not easy. In fact, it’s really difficult!”
“It is extremely difficult,” Amma nodded. “But it tells the world so many things!”
“Like?”
“That you don’t care what anyone says or thinks,” Amma said. “That people’s laughter cannot stop you from doing what you want to do!”
Amma smiled at Amit’s expression. “Now you know why Gandhiji is called a great man,” she said. “So, are you still worried about your friends teasing you?”
“No!” Amit said. “I will dress like Gandhiji and give that speech. I’ll talk about how Gandhiji was teased and how he laughed. I bet everyone will find that interesting!” He grinned at Amma. “And I bet it will a speech no one has heard before!”
And it was.