Part – 1
Author: Sudip Biswas
"Sir, you don't have to come every day to teach me anymore. My mother doesn't like you. She says you are a bad person and that you look at her in an inappropriate way. Father also said that after this month, someone else will come to teach me."
When I heard these words from my student, I felt deeply ashamed of myself.
I wanted to say that I wouldn't teach her anymore anyway. That her mother had made an inappropriate proposal to me, and when I refused, she became angry and is now blaming me. But I felt it wouldn't be right to speak badly about a mother in front of her daughter. So, I remained silent.
After finishing the lesson, her mother handed me my salary and said,
"You don't have to come anymore. There are still seven days left in the month, but I've given you the full salary. We don't cheat laborers."
I quietly took the money and left the house.
An elder brother once told me that there is a big difference between tutoring in villages and in cities. Today, I truly understood that.
It was 4 PM. I was supposed to meet Tania at this time. She was waiting for me again. I couldn't even find a rickshaw. When I reached at 4:30, I saw her sitting on a bench. She stood up as soon as she saw me.
"Will you ever become a responsible person? All your life you've only received people's neglect; you've never earned their appreciation. You've never been able to give even a little happiness to the people close to you. You are a failure to your father, never a good son to your mother. You couldn't even buy your sister a saree out of affection. You've never given anything to your younger brother. What are you so proud of?"
I stood there silently, listening. I had nothing to say. I wasn't prepared to hear such words. I was already feeling bad after what happened at my student's house, and her words felt like fire burning inside my chest.
"Why are you not saying anything?" she asked.
"What should I say? I'm trying to find a job. What else can I do?"
"Trying? Wow! For two years I've delayed my marriage, waiting with so many dreams that you'll get a good job. I even arranged a job for you. But what did you do? You gave it to your friend! I arranged it for you so that I could have you in my life. Why did you give it to someone else?"
"I told you many times—my friend needed it more than I did. My family somehow survives on my father's income, but Rakib's family depends only on him. He needed the job more."
"Oh, really? And you don't need me then?"
"Why are you saying that? You know how much I love you. I just can't prove it with material things."
"Stop it! If you really loved me, you would have kept at least one of those jobs for us. Fine, keep helping others. What does it matter to you if I die or marry someone else?"
With teary eyes, she walked away. I just stood there.
Tania is the daughter of a wealthy father. We've been in a relationship for three years, but for the last two years, her family has been looking for a groom for her. She asked me to get a good job. She even arranged two for me, but I didn't take them. Her family would never marry her off to an unemployed man like me. A good job is necessary.
All her anger and frustration of two years poured out that day. And I couldn't even stop her tears. I don't know if I ever will.
I returned home at 9 PM after finishing two more tuitions.
Mother was still in the kitchen. That meant dinner wasn't ready yet. My sister Hasina was studying. I don't talk to her much. I haven't fulfilled my duties as a brother. But this month, I've decided to buy her a saree.
Mother came to my door.
"Do you have some money, son? There's no groceries at home. Your father hasn't received his salary yet."
I handed her the two thousand taka I received earlier.
"Keep this."
"Do you have money left?"
"Yes."
I didn't want to lie. But I had no choice.
Five days passed. Tania didn't contact me. For the first time, she stayed silent this long. Has she truly forgotten me?
Then suddenly she called.
"Are you free tomorrow?"
"Yes."
"There's a party tomorrow. You have to come."
"I've told you many times, I don't fit in with your world."
"Just come tomorrow. After that, you won't have to."
At the party, Tania stood with her wealthy friends. She ran toward me and brought me to them. I felt very uncomfortable.
One of her friends said,
"Is this your boyfriend? You did so much for him? You never introduced him to us. He looks like he came from a slum."
I heard everything clearly. I expected Tania to protest. But she remained silent.
Her friends continued,
"Don't ruin your life for this boy. He can never make you happy. In three years, has he ever given you anything? What will he give after marriage? You deserve someone rich and handsome. Don't waste your youth."
Their words humiliated me beyond words.
Many of her friends insulted me, but Tania didn't say a single word in my defense.
"You didn't have to do this," I told her quietly. She remained silent.
Her silence told me she had changed.
People don't need years to change. Just a few moments are enough.
Tears rolled down my eyes as memories came back.
Once, she had said with love,
"Sudip, I love you more than myself. Will you be my forever? Maybe many people will love you, but no one will love you the way I do. I live inside your heart."
I had smiled and asked,
"If one day reality stands before you, won't you forget this unemployed boy for a successful man?"
She had lightly hit me and said,
"That day will never come. I'll always stand by you."
But people change. Life doesn't stop for anyone. Maybe she has learned to move on without me. I must learn to move on too. I have to become a successful son for my parents, a good brother for my sister. There is still a long road ahead.
To be continued…