8/9/2019 Rohit's Doubt by N. Chokkan

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Rohit's Doubt

N. Chokkan

nchokkan@gmail.com

8/9/2019 Rohit's Doubt by N. Chokkan

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Mr. Dhatha was getting

ready for his eveningwalk, when hisgrandson Rohit

returned from school.As usual, Rohit smiled

at his Grandpa. But

Dhatha could sensehe was upset aboutsomething.

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'What happened Rohit?' he asked casually, 'You

look very confused!''Nothing Grandpa' Rohit tried to brush away the

issue, 'I'm just tired!'

'Why don't you join me for my evening walk? It willrecharge your body and brains.'

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Rohit hesitated for a moment, then agreed to join

him. He washed his face, changed his schooluniform and they both started walking.

After sometime, Dhatha asked Rohit, 'Today you

don't seem to talk at all, Whats wrong, my boy?'Again, Rohit was silent for a moment, and then

started talking, 'Grandpa, What is a sin?'

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Dhatha laughed, 'Sin is a verycomplex thing to explain,

because, its meaning differsbased on the way you look atit' he patted gently on Rohit'sback, 'tell me Rohit, why doyou ask this question all of a

sudden?''One of my classmates, her name

is Sheeba, Recently, She metwith an accident, and lost bothher legs' Said Rohit,'nowadays, she comes toschool in a wheel chair.'

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'That must be very

difficult for her!''Yes. Thats why I

offered to help her

come to schooleveryday, by pushingher wheel chair.'

'Wow, Thats a very

Empathetic thing todo, I am proud of youRohit!'

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'But Grandpa, Sheeba's

father is angry withme.'

'Why?

'He says Sheeba losther legs because ofsome sin, and hedoesn't want me to

catch that sin byhelping her, he asksme to go away.'

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Dhatha was silent for a moment. Then he gave a

long sigh.Rohit continued talking, 'I am confused Grandpa,

What is Sin? Is that the reason Sheeba lost her

legs? Will I also lose my legs if I help her?''Absolutely not Rohit', Said Dhatha, 'Accidents can

happen to anyone, and everyone, It is more a

matter of chance, than sin or anything else.'

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'Grandpa, Do you really think Accidents happen to

even good people?'Dhatha smiled at him, 'Do you like your mother?'

'Oh yes, Why do you ask that?'

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By now they had come

back to their ownhome. Dhatha tookRohit to his room,

opened his trunk boxand took out a very

old diary. He dusted it

off, and showed asmall hand drawnpicture.

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It looked like a class

photograph. But insteadof using a camera,someone has drawn itwith crayons and pencils.

Dhatha asked Rohit, 'Doyou know who drew this?'

Rohit shoke his head, 'No.'

'Your mother!

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'What?' Rohit was surprised, 'When did she draw

this? When she was in school?''Right. Do you see a girl in a wheel chair there?

'Yeah.'

'That's your mother!'

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Now, Rohit was shocked.He looked at his grandpaas if he is not able tobelieve a word he said,'My mother? In a wheelchair? Why?'

'When she was 12 yearsold, She fell down duringa tennis match and brokeher right leg. She was ona wheel chair for almost6 months, till her boneswere okay again!'

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Rohit looked at that pictureagain and again. Now hewas very clear, thataccidents do happen togood people, becausethere can be nothing sin-ful about his mother!

Tomorrow, he will onceagain meet Sheeba, andoffer to help her.Whether her dad likes itor not!

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Thank You!