GOPI LEARNS A LESSON

In a village there lived a young man called Gopi who was illiterate and very lazy too. He had no father. His mother worked day and night to sustain them. Gopi did nothing to help her. He was her main worry. He would not go to school as he was not interested in studying nor would he take up any work. He would spend the whole day playing marbles with his friends or roaming in the streets.

Fed up with her son who was wasting his life in useless pursuits, Gopi's mother one day said to him. "Son, as long as I am strong I can earn for both of us. But what will become of you when I am not there? You have to learn how to earn your living. So go to the city and don't return till you start earning for yourself."

Gopi tried his best to change his mother's  mind but it was of no use. In the end he had no other option except to leave and to do as she had asked. With a sad face Gopi bid his mother farewell. Gopi's mother was very sad but she hardened her heart for the sake of his future. She gave him a rupee which was all that she had with her and blessed him.

Gopi walked towards the railway station and with half his money bought a ticket to the nearest city. He sat down on a stone bench to wait for his train. He was amazed to see so many people at the station. Many of them were speaking in English. Why, even the children seemed quite conversant with the language. Gopi  sat listening to all that was being said around him. A man standing nearby was nodding his head vigorously repeatedly saying "yes", yes, yes. Gopi stored that word in his mind. His attention was caught by a mother who seemed to be scolding her child. She was shaking her head sideways and was clearly saying "No! No ice-cream for you today, you have a bad cold" Gopi did not understand anything what she said except for "no". He was happy now. He had learnt two new words in English without any effort.

Just then the train entered the station. A man hurried up before him and shouted to his family "Alright, hurry up now". Gopi learnt another word 'alright'. Along with many others Gopi too got into the train and found himself a corner seat next to a window. He was very excited. The engine hooted loudly. A man dressed in a white uniform walked up and down the platform waving a green flag. The train began to move slowly out of the station and soon picked up speed. 'chug - chug, chug - chug, chug - chug. Gopi was absorbed with the rhythmic movements of the train.

At the next station a man with a black coat and a white cap entered the coach. He was the ticket collector. With a heavy sigh he sank down on the seat opposite to Gopi and began to punch the tickets of others in the compartment. Gopi was so intent on looking out of the window that he had not noticed the TC's entry.

The ticket collector tapped on Gopi's shoulder and asked to see his ticket. Wanting to impress the man with his knowledge of English Gopi answered. "Yes". The ticket collector repeated again. "Your ticket please".

Gopi remembered the next word he had learnt and said loudly "No".

The ticket collector pulled him from his seat and boxed his ears soundly. "Travelling without ticket, eh? You are going to get off with me at the next station" he said.

"Alright." Gopi replied using the last of the three words he knew. The ticket collector led him out near the door. As soon as the train stopped he took Gopi to the Railway Police. Poor Gopi. He was very puzzled at the behavior of the Ticket collector. He was also very scared of the police.

A policeman began to question him in Kannada. Feeling more at ease, Gopi answered him in the same language. On being charged about his ticketless travelling. Gopi pulled out his ticket and showed it to the policeman. The TC was bewildered. "If he had a ticket why did he say no when I asked him" asked the ticket collector. Gopi realized that his words must have misled the ticket collector. He felt ashamed to admit that he had not understood a word of what was being asked of him. Oh, how he wished he had learnt to speak and write. Then and there he made up his mind to study and to work as well. The police and the ticket collector let him off with a slight warning. Gopi returned home a sadder and wiser man. 

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