“Dad, Mom, I have two more friends Rajath and Avi. They come in the same CC4 as I do,” cried Pradhu, as he barged into the house one evening.
“Good! A couple more added to the list,” laughed Dad.
“Isn’t it good to have so many friends around you?” asked Pradhu
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“It is. But it all depends,” said Dad.
“It all depends on what, Dad? We share our food, we discuss a lot of cricket…what else do friends need?” said Pradhu.
“I really do not know,” said Dad. “I guess you will learn to see the difference as you grow up.”
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“Don’t be so vague, Dad,” said Pradhu fondly. “I can take care of myself. My friends are really good, you shall see.”
One evening, just before the last bell rang after the computer class, the computer teacher called Pradhu and said, “After the class is over, lock up the room and hand over the keys to the office staff.”
Pradhu was thrilled that such a responsible task was given to him. For the rest of the class, he jangled the keys loudly as he worked. Finally, the last bell pealed.
When the students had packed and left, Pradhu asked Avi and Rajath to stay back with him to lock up.
Locking up
As the three left the room, Bernhard, the school monitor, came over and said, “Hey juniors, I have a little work in the computer room. Give me the keys. I shall lock up later.”
Rather subdued at this turn of events, they handed over the keys and went away.
The next day the computer teacher called them over and said, “Pradhu, why didn’t you switch off the monitors before locking up yesterday? Don’t you know that it is the work of the one who locks up?”
“But we did, Ma’am,” said Pradhu surprised. “As we were leaving, Bernhard wanted to use the room. Maybe he forgot to switch them off.”
“Now that is a bad thing to do,” said the teacher thoughtfully. “I shall talk to Bernhard. He did not take my permission to use the room after school hours.”
Bernhard was summoned to the faculty room along with Pradhu. Rajath and Avi tagged along behind him.
As they stood before the teacher, Bernhard said with a smirk, “Ma’am, these kids were running around in the computer room shouting at the top of their voices. I chased them out and locked the door.”
“No, Ma’am,” said Pradhu. “We were not playing in the room. We only did what you asked me to do. Rajath and Avi were also with me. You can ask them.”
“Pradhu is right, Ma’am,” said Rajath. “We were locking up when Bernhard came for the keys.”
They all looked expectantly at Avi.
“Um… I don’t know, Ma’am. I was not in the room. So…I really don’t know what happened,” said Avi as Pradhu and Rajath stared goggle-eyed at him.
“I am sorry Pradhu. I shall forgive you this time because you are a good boy. But don’t be so careless again,” said the teacher. “Now get back to your classes.”
Pradhu returned to class thoughtfully. He now understood what his father had meant when he said, “It all depends…”