Highly Commended Story - The School Picnic

“The School Picnic” by Mayank Gurjar, Noble International School, India, is the Highly Commended story in the senior category of the first biannual Short Story Contest 2019.

The School Picnic

Like every other morning, tea was boiling on the stove, Mom was cooking food and Dad was reading the newspaper. All of my school friends were going on ‘the school picnic’ and like every other convent school you had to submit the fees before the trip. Trust me that before eight years from today, 800 rupees was not a small amount for a middle class family but then also, I gathered the potential to ask my Dad about picnic. I asked my father

“May I go for the trip dad?”

At first instance he didn’t answered to me, then I asked my question again. This time he moved his newspaper slightly and said “No”. Before that I never disagreed with my father but that day I started being obstinate

“N-no I want to go. Let me go, everyone is going”.

He told me in anger that no means no. Then, I took my school bag and ran towards school.

After reaching the school, I saw all my friends were planning about the picnic and I was thinking

“What type of parents they are, they don’t even want to see the happiness of their own child”.

I don’t even know what I was saying.

The road from school to home was just a walk of 15 minutes but that day I covered that road in 1 hour. When I approached home, my mother asked me

“Why are you late today?”

I didn’t respond to her. She understood that I was angry. Father came at night and called me lovingly

“Son came here.”

I went to him and He told me that our financial conditions are not well, so we cannot afford it now. He would let me go the next time. In my obstinacy and hostility I was saying so much unacceptable words that he was about to lend a hand on my face. He exclaimed with anger that when would I be mature.

That night I cried so much, that I went to bed with an empty stomach. When I slightly opened my eyes at night because of hunger, I saw my mom and dad discussing about the trip. Mom told dad that he should allow me to go as I go only once a year, I would be happy too. Dad didn’t respond, he got up from his chair and went outside to walk. Now it was sure that I was not going to sleep all the night in curiosity of whether I could go to picnic or not.

Next morning dad came to me and gave me money for the trip. At this instance I was so happy that I was not able to express it in words. I took my cycle and went to school but on the way I realized that I had forgotten to take my lunch. So, I turned my cycle and went home. When I reached home I saw mom and dad talking about the money for the trip. Mom asked dad how he got the money and asked if he had sold his watch. Dad answered in a strange manner

“W-what rubbish are you talking about?”

I saw his empty wrist. I understood that dad really sold his watch for my trip money. I stared sobbing, standing at the door.

Now when I came back from school, my father asked me if I had submitted the trip fees. I didn’t answer him and went to my room. Then I came to him and put a brand new watch in his hand. I knew that this watch was not like the old one but had a similar built to it. I asked my dad in a childish manner

“A-are you going to wear that or not?”

After wearing the watch my dad’s eyes filled with tears and the one thing he said

“Now my son has grown up.”