The Woodcutter’s Axe

Chapter1: Mary madam

I thought that she was just interested in watching us play.That made me think about what she might think about me.It was Mary madam, the wife of our principal sir watching us play cricket in the interval when I was studying 5^th class.I did not want to make a fool out of myself by being defensive infront of her.So as soon as the ball was released from the bowler’s hand I rushed forward with the confidence of Yuvraj singh(who probably did not even start his international career) and hit the ball so hard and it went straight and hit my friend almost near his sensitive part (if you know what I mean) 😉

It was all part of the game, I thought to myself..pleased in a way coz I was able to middle the ball. I checked once again if madam was watching and yes she was.Ok now she knows that I am a good batsman.But as we began to play again I noticed that she was talking with one of the attenders.What!!? is she gonna call me in person and appreciate me!!?? That wud be kewl…

The attender came slowly towards us. His name was Badhraiyya. I was at the strikers end which was a huge eucalyptus tree and was curious about what he wanted to say. But to everyone’s surprise he did not say a word.He took my bat from my hand and walked away silently.

TWIST!!!!!!!!

Oh so madam was not watching me play!!! She was actually warning us that she was watching and I did more than I what I usually do which finally pissed her off so bad that she took away my bat!! Unbelievable turn of events 😦

Chapter2: My Bat

It was a couple of years earlier that my dad bought me that bat. I always carried it with pride. Whether it was the gully cricket I used to play with the kids from my street or it was the cricket we used to play on the terrace of my house.. I always had that bat.My first bat. Infact the handle broke a couple of times but I somehow managed to get it repaired. It was only suitable for playing with a rubber ball and would probably break even to a simple shot with a cork ball.It had no grip and the stickers tore away.

Nevertheless I always carried it with pride coz it was my bat.. my own!!!Now it was with Mary madam.There was no way I was gonna talk to her and get it back.There was no way I can talk to the principal either coz that would be like escaping the tigers cage and falling into the croc pit!!

And so I did what any 9 year old would do in that situation……….. I gave up 😦

Chapter3: Goddess

After a couple of years (when I was in 7^th class) I became the captain of the Green house.A captain who did not even have a bat.When ever we had to play cricket either in our school or against other schools I had to play with someone else’s bat.So I decided to do something and get back my bat.

Annie madam used to teach us English back then. She was the daughter-in-law of Mary madam. Annie madam actually used to teach English in our 4^th class but later stopped for a few years. It was when I was in 7^th class that she back to teaching.As I always had a good relation with her I decided to ask her if she could give me my bat that Mary madam took a couple of years ago.

After the class one day I ran out following her and told her the story of how I lost my bat and asked her if she could give it back.

“Oh that’s a long time back Sudhams.I don’t know if it is still there in the store room!!”she said genuinely interested in my request.

“plzz madam atleast give it a try..”I begged her.

She considered it and so began my daily visits to her for the next few days. Whenever I saw her I used to keep this expression and she would smile and say that she told somebody to see about that.

Finally one day she called me after the class and asked me to meet her near the office after the school is over. I was more than happy to do so. I was there on time and she came out of the teachers room and asked me to meet her near the old classroom opposite to the lab.

I followed her instructions and ran there as fast as I could. She was already there with Nayak (an office boy who used to work in my school back then). Apparently there was some other entrance to that room from the teachers room. She made Nayak open another door in that room which I did not even knew existed…

I couldn’t believe my eyes as I stepped into that room along with Annie madam and Nayak.It was like entering an age old treasure chamber that has been kept hidden for generations. It was even a bit suffocating inside because of all the dust. There were cricket bats neatly kept in the wooden stands like in the stores. There were several other bats tied in a bunch and kept in the corners. There were also several other sports goods like stumps, throw balls etc but all of them brown with dust. There was atleast a one inch layer of dust on some of those things wrapped up in the stands.

“Hmm.. so this is where we store the things. Which one is your bat??” Annie madam asked.

Which one?? Which one?? She expects me to search for my one bat among all this unbelievable treasure of  sporting goods!!??

Yes she did and infact she then asked Nayak to search the smaller bats that are tied together at one of the corners. He followed her instructions and began searching for my bat showing me each and everyone that I rejected saying that it was not mine.

After some 15mins or so we were still unable to find my bat.

“Do one thing Sudhams.. choose any bat that you like among these and take it.” She gave me an offer that anyone would be more than happy to accept. But not me ofcourse..

“Madammmmmm… no madammmmm I want my bat.” I gave her that usual expression. 🙂

“ok ok..” she smiled and asked Nayak to continue searching for some more time.

For a second I felt like the woodcutter from the river & axe story.He refuses to take the gold and silver axes that the goddess offers him and later the goddess gives him both along with his original axe as a token of appreciation for his honesty.

I wasn’t looking for any of those. I just wanted my bat. So after a few more minutes of searching Nayak actually found my bat. Infact he showed it to me earlier but it was so dirty that I could not even recognize it. The entire color of the bat changed and there were spider webs hanging near the handle.

“Is this your bat??” she asked me with an expression that said.. Is this why you pestered me all these days?? Is this why you made me come to this store room?? You denied any other bat in this room for this bat???

“Yes madam. This is my bat. Thank you very much”

“Ok then happy?? Now run along and play well” said my Goddess with a smile 🙂 🙂

P.s..

I did not hope for a golden axe or a silver one. I just needed my own axe and I was really glad that I got it back. Thanks to my own Goddess.

But there was always gonna be a twist in the tale. Within a few weeks time I lost the bat when we were playing against a bunch of kids from some other school. Somebody robbed me of my most priced possession!! No goddess came to the rescue this time.