Chapter 9

Enthusiasm: It’s A Powerbank Of Your Life

Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.
Samuel Ullman 

Enthusiasm was at its peak. The chill winters were here and Piu was well dressed with thick jackets and slacks to fight the cold wind.

Piu being a great daughter and an excellent sports person woke up with a single call of her mother, took a quick hot water bath and was out within minutes.

She shivered as she moved out of the wash room.

Shruti immediately finished her meditation and rushed to attend her shivering baby. She wrapped her with a furry towel and smiled at her baby who was feeling cold and to warm her she could do anything. She hugged her tight and quickly worked with her inners and skin suit cuddling her in her arms and finally finishing with the warm clothes for her forgetting her own in the room.

Observing the venue of race, Shruti patiently waited for the race to begin. Being early morning the road was already vacant and was sealed too with special permissions from the traffic department for the race.

The start lines were marked with white and red. Ropes were tied on the up side of the road where kids would race and the down side of the road was busy with skaters, their coaches and parents who were either coaching, doting or counseling the participants.

Shruti carefully observed the two feet divider of the road. She remembered the last road race when all the parents and coaches would stand on this narrow space to cheer the participants.

Shruti’s group too had taken the allotted position. Head coach Sabu sir being absent was replaced by Irfan sir, his brother and Amit sir whom Sabu sir claims to be very efficient and highly professionally skilled for the sport. So Amit sir would be standing at the Start line to make sure all his studentsare positioned perfectly, Irfan sir would be at the turns ready for his players and cheer them during the turns which is a very skeptical stage as most of the skaters trip or fall while turning. So if heaven’s forbid any of the player falls, he’s there for the mental support.

Other parents who had escorted their children divided their positions respectively.

Shruti was left free to decide where she wanted to stand and cheer.

 Simi being the best in the group everybody was determined to cheer Simi, for Piu having lost in other two races there was hardly any chance that she’d be able to make it so it was only a participating experience.

Shruti was fine with it. Haven't Govind already admitted that ’this is only a picnic so try to enjoy’

Piu had already taken couple of rounds on the empty street completely warmed up and her jacket now rested on Shruti’s elbow.

Shruti rubbed her palms trying to get some heat.

Was it the cold weather or the nervousness she couldn't decipher?

 But when her baby was without any warm clothes only in a pair of thin skin suit how can she wrap that warm scarf around her.

She waited on the mid of the road which was crowded with parents and friends of all the participants, each cheering for their child. So Shruti too felt the euphoria to cheer for her girl.

“Your turn to read now Shruti” told her history teacher and she obediently stood and started to read.

This was the way the teachers in Shruti’s school would explain any chapter. Random students would read topics from the available text they are working on and step by step teacher would explain.

’Owww’ said her partner making a yawning gesture as if bored of what was going on.

“Ma’am we cannot hear” complained the popular girl.

“Yes ma’am it seems she is mumbling.” Another girl complaint laughing at Shruti ridiculously.

“Is it? I guess you guys should concentrate more.” corrected the teacher as she worked on her glasses adjusting them to the rim.

Shruti continued reading when the commotions outside disturbed the teacher and she went outside to check.

“You guys carry on and I will continue once I am back” instructed Martha ma’am once she left the classroom.

With the cue of teacher’s exit from the class all her classmates started jeering and fooling. Some talking, others wolf whistling and few of them simply throwing chalk pieces on the board like a game of target throwing.

Shruti tried to read for a while but the mocking laughter of her peers made her stop what she was doing.

“What is going on in this class? Is this a classroom or a fish market?” yelled the teacher.

Something outside related to teacher and principal dispute had already spoiled her mood and now the uncontrolled class!

“This is what I instructed you before I left” asked teacher as she shouted “I need an answer.”

“Ma’am she reads so softly. She is barely audible.” complained the first bencher.

“You Shruti can't you be a little louder. Now start again from the line from where you stopped and be louder this time.” Teacher instructed.

Shruti started reading scared and nervous of teachers short temper, her voice came out ragged as she read.

“Louder” shouted the teacher.

Shruti raised her voice but was choked as she was too scared for her vocal sacs had gone numb.

“I said loud” the teacher shouted angrily.

“Ma’am” mocked one of the backbenchers “she can hardly speak her name loudly, how do you expect her to read the chapter aloud.” another classmate too joined in.

“Out of the class Shruti now.” Teacher punished Shruti “next time when you are reading in my lecture make sure you are loud.”

Shruti held her tears and let them flow once she left the classroom.

Next time whenever it was Martha ma’am’s class Shruti made it a point to hide from the teacher either being comfortable in the corner last bench or hiding her face behind the book.

Today Shruti cannot hide behind the mob of parents. She is committed to her daughter, to her motherhood. She made space for her between the crowds. She doesn't mind making people shift places so that she can occupy some space for herself.

With the clap of two wooden blocks hitting each other and the start of the race, Shruti patiently waited and once Piu was in the vicinity of her vision she shouted on the top of her lungs “RUN Piu Run, come on RUN PIU RUN” Shruti cheered and Piu responded immediately as she bended a little further down on her knees, her hand movement paced faster and the strides of her feet quickened as she moved ahead; four of the girls who were ahead of her leaving them behind.

“Wow! Cheering works” Shruti smiled to herself.

“Run baby run” Shruti cheered till Piu skated away from her eyes.

It was a single lap race in which Piu had to take a U turn from a particular distance.

Shruti alerted herself and decided that she’d cheer Piu again once she is back after the turn. Now she stood closer to the finishing line. She wanted to see her baby finish the race.

Louds of cheers made Shruti gaze at the empty road where she could see a shining dot appearing from far, it gradually turned out to a helmet, then face followed by a tiny girl emerging.

She was a local girl, a good skater from the home ground and Shruti had heard that she is also a national champion. She was soon joined by another girl form northern parts of the country if she remembered the overhearings.

Shruti shouted and cheered loudly in excitement because the girl in third position was none other than ’.......

A/n:

Oops sorry I couldn't resist the cliffhanger.

Who is it?

Who is at third position (*wriggles her eyebrows*)

Come on comment and VOTE please please please if you like the story.

 Dedicated to @Achu2911- an Indian wattpad ambassador and a novelist of romance genre.

Please check her book In Honour Of Heart which is a wattys submission.

it would mean a lot