A Little Teacher

I tiptoed into the room, so that Ruchi did not hear me come. She was a cute girl five year old wearing a pink frock and draped in her mother’s stole, dressed like a teacher.  The class was unusual! There were twenty students in all! The youngest was a cute monkey, and the oldest was grandma in spectacles. They all sat in five rows.

Ruchi liked to enact the teacher on Sunday with all her toys lined up, facing a small blackboard hung on the wall, complete with chalks and duster. There were some colored chalks too…. to draw the pictures!

The students were Ramu, the small elephant, Barbie, the cute doll in pink with lovely tresses and eyelashes with curls to match, Dennis a little boy with naughty eyes,Tarzan draped in lion cloth, Jane with a cute bikini, and Spidy the awful spider and Mr Croc, the green eyed evil looking crocodile.

‘Why have you not done your homework’ the young teacher scolded the Bunny rabbit in a stern tone, as the poor Bunny stared back innocently.

‘You must call your mummy’ she continued in even firmer voice. I smiled as I watched the poor rabbit getting a mouthful.

‘ Now children, let us sing, ‘Humpty Dumpty Sat on wall’ she changed the track after admonishing the little rabbit, and continued with the rhyme full of action, slowly adjusting the stole which was falling off her dainty shoulder.

‘Ok children, tun, tun tun,’ she echoed, time for recess!

I came from behind and picked up the little teacher and planted a kiss on her cheeks!

‘Wow, you are such a sweet teacher’ I said

She looked at me sheepishly and grinned.

‘Yesterday, I taught Dadi( grandma), how to count!’

‘You know she does not understand the count in English beyond twenty’ she chirped.

‘Will you teach her?’ I enquired, looking into her wide open innocent eyes.

‘Sure papa’, she promised and held my arm as we walked out.