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Short Story:
The excursion
K K D Premalal Matugama special corr
As the teacher stepped into the class, we all stood and greeted her.
Ravi was very busy with preparing the final list of children who have
given an advance to go on the annual educational trip. I was at the back
row thinking about the inability of going on the trip due to financial
constraints.
“Hands up those who have not paid the advance?” inquired the teacher.
Not a single hand raised. I had to raise my hand reluctantly.
“Why Sunimal... have you not paid the advance for the trip yet? Tell
me whether you are going or not,” she yelled.
“I am going teacher. I’ll definitely bring money when I come
tomorrow.” I promised the teacher.
 “So tomorrow is the last day. Bring money, if you want to go on the
trip. Only you are troubling us.”
I did not want to tell the teacher that I find it difficult to bring
money for the trip. I was pondering how to collect money for the trip.
The teacher started her lesson and we were asked to open the books. She
went on teaching but I was not able to grasp anything because I was
thinking of the educational trip. She had a sudden look at me and asked
“Sunimal, who brought Buddhism to Sri Lanka?” “Teacher I will bring it
without fail.” All of my friends had a hearty laugh. It was a
knee-slapper for them.
Teacher got annoyed and said, “Are you mad, Sunimal? You are not in
your usual self today. What’s wrong with you today?” I did not utter a
word.
As soon as the last school bell rang, I hurried home. My mother was
feeding some gruel to my father. My father has been ill for nearly ten
years. He used to do some odd jobs in the village and I can still
remember how he fell off from a breadfruit tree. My mother spent a lot
of money to cure my father. Now he is bedridden and we are in a helpless
situation. We had a push bicycle and we had to sell it to the Mudalali
in the village.
“Sunimal putha, you have come early today. You played truant in
school?”
“No Amma, I came as soon as the bell rang. Amma, our classmates are
going on a trip to Colombo. All are going except me. They are collecting
money and tomorrow is the last day to pay an advance.”
“Putha, you could have told me earlier. How can I find money today
itself? Even Mudalali will not give rice today as debt has been
accumulated.” Amma voiced with full of tears in her eyes.
“Never mind Amma, I will go next time.” I consoled my mother. “Putha,
what can I do for you?” Father responded with a weak voice. “Soma find
him some money.”
“I’ll tell you putha, there is a bunch of plantains in the corner of
the garden. I wonder whether it is ripe enough to sell. Go and cut it.”
Mother came to my rescue.
I ran towards the garden with a big knife. The plantain tree was
covered with creepers. To my dismay, I found the plantains were ripened.
I felt very happy and cut the bunch of plantains. I put it on my
shoulder and carried it home. Mother felt very happy after seeing the
ripened plantains. She said, “Do not give it to Mudalali in the village.
He will not give you money. He will definitely settle our overdue
bills.” I decided to go to the adjourning village using a different
route to sell plantains. The Mudalali offered me three hundred rupees. I
heaved a sigh of relief.
I was up early next day and got ready to go to school. I reached
school earlier than usual. I was waiting impatiently to see our class
teacher. She came to class asking “Sunimal you brought money today?” I
said, “Yes teacher.” I gave money with both hands. Teacher said, “Now I
have made all the arrangements. Get ready to go on the trip tomorrow.”
We got the chance of leaving the school early to get ready with the
trip. I went to nearby river and had a dip. I packed everything into a
bag. In the evening, I helped my mother to prepare decoction for my
father. I applied some herbal oil on my father’s leg.
“Go to bed now. It is almost ten o’clock. You have to wake up early
in the morning.” Raised her voice stroking my head. I worshipped my
mother and father and went to bed. I was thinking of the trip and I did
not have a wink of sleep for a long time.
I was awakened by my mother’s voice next day. “Putha what are you
doing? You are already late. Hurry up.”
I jumped off the bed and got ready. It did not take much time. I
carried the bag and ran towards the school gate. There were some parents
looking at me. “Teachers and your friends were waiting for you for half
an hour. They thought that you would not come. They went just now.” said
the people there.
I could not utter a word. I thought of my father’s old bike. If I had
come on his bicycle, I would have caught the bus.
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