The Brave Son

His mother walked into the room just as he was about to apply her new lipstick. She was startled. He was startled.

“What are you doing with my lipstick? It’s new ...I haven’t used it so far. Couldn’t you have waited?” He smiled and handed it back to her. “I forgot to tell you...I am playing Draupadi in our college production...rehearsals start this evening.”

“Draupadi!”

“Yes Mom.”

“I know Palash that you are a good actor but are you really sure that you are going to play a female part?”

“I badly wanted to go into drama mom and only this role was left.”

“Palash, you are behaving strange since you joined your college. Is something wrong? Come on, you can talk to me.”

“Nothing mom, I am going.”

“Palash, always be my brave son.”

Then he went out of the room even when he didn’t want to. Refused to talk to his mom, when he wanted to. Packed his bag for college even when he didn’t want to and boarded the bus for his college even when he didn’t want to.

Palash was a talented child. One of the greatest dramatists of his school but an introvert off stage and his dramatics had only helped him to get admission in the city’s top college. Being interested in Science and Maths, he wanted to study the best, but his single parent, his mom couldn’t afford it. Dramatics proved to be useful as he could get admission in the cultural quota.

He had started attending his college last week but his ambitious mind with which Palash stepped into the college did not return the same way, instead what returned were, steps of regret and doubt.

Today once again, he has stepped into the gates of the mighty institution. As he walked down lowering his head so that he could only see the ground. Somebody called him.

“Hey Dramebaaz! Show us some drama too.”

Palash lowered his face further.

“Let’s see, has our Draupadi done what was told to her or not.”

One of the three guys came to Palash and pulled his face up so that everyone could see the dark shade of lipstick on his lips.

And they all roared with laughter. The three boys were those who were the consistent failing students of the institution and had now taken up to having entertainment from the new comers and Palash was an easy victim for them.

As they roared with laughter, students started gathering around Palash and this all created a commotion. Everybody was laughing at him.

He could hear people laughing on him, shouting at him, whispering about him. He was at the verge of tears. Suddenly a car’s honk made everybody disperse except for Palash.

Palash was still standing there soaked in fear, humiliation and regret. He feared being himself. Humiliated to be an introvert and regretful to study.

These events had been going on for the past one week. He had died several times in the past one week, but now the water has rose above his nose.

Five hours later, there was police all around the campus of the college and there was a body hanging from the fan of a vacant lecture theatre and on the white board was written

“Sorry mom! I could not be your brave son.”-

Palash