“Oh god! Again I am late 15 minutes...Mam is going to kill me with her comments. So better not attend this whole session. Let me come to the afternoon class..” Thinking like this I went back to my room and threw myself on the bed. I decided, this afternoon I will be the first one to enter the class and get rid of my label as “late comer”.So I got ready and left quite early because I didn’t want to listen blithely to the acerbic comments made by every teacher who took first hour about my late coming. No one was there in the class. So I was a happy man. Just to pass the time I took my mobile out and there was a message from CR “No classes in the afternoon ..just enjoy”.. “Damn it”..I thought . I came all the way from the hostel to be a good boy ,but all my efforts went in vain.
I just put my head on the desk trying to soothe myself. Suddenly I heard a loud laugh for which I got up too see anyone. To my surprise there was no trace of any living being in the whole class. I got puzzled, from where did the sound come. Then I realized, its from the bench itself on which I was sitting ,“The Last Bench”!. I got stunned, how could this happen, a non living thing laughing looking at my plight?
Even though it seemed weird, I asked “are you the one who laughed?” “Yes” It replied. I was quite amazed to see a bench talking and it seemed little fun to me. So I decided to continue my conversation with the bench. “So, howz life man…Ohhh sorry ‘bench’...” I asked. The bench didn’t answer. So I repeated my question. With a moment of silence, and then, “Exactly like yours…” it replied. I cant believe his answer “Like meeee…I don’t see any chance of you knowing howz ma life is going, dude...” I said. “Why? Don’t I see you being scolded by teachers almost everyday, don’t I see you happy causing trouble to the teachers sitting on me, don’t I hear the gossips you make during classes, don’t I feel the pain you feel when the teacher extends the class for 15 mins more? I see you almost everyday doing all the pranks, get caught by them and never regretting for that but still be complacent” bench asked vividly. It seemed so funny to me “Ok fine but how come your life is exactly like mine….” I said giggling. The bench in an emotional voice asked me “ Till today I haven’t shared my feelings with anyone . but you seem to be a perfect person to share with. Do you want to listen to my story?”. I was very curious to listen to the story of “the last bench”. So I agreed and it started…..
“There were only few steps to heaven when I heard that I am going to be placed in a prestigious institute. I began to dream about my new place. Getting cleaned everyday by the cleaning staff, intelligent students sitting on me and listening to lectures with concentration, getting numbers written on me during exams etc etc. I still remember the day when I and my friends were brought to the institute. I was quiet apprehensive about my place in the classroom. I always wanted to be the first bench so that everyone looks at me while entering the classroom. To my delight I was taken first to the classroom but unfortunately placed at ‘last’. I was so distressed at my fate that I decided to end my life.(meanwhile I was thinking how could a bench commit suicide…but refrained from asking coz I didn’t want to hurt its sentiments - writer).
But soon the things became normal for me. Whatever my fate was, I was ready to accept it. I began to observe one interesting thing that few times people were desperate to sit on me. Though it gave me momentary happiness, I had a weird feeling that the desperation to occupy the seat in the last bench was not permanent, say just for one session. One fine day when I came to know the rationale behind this act, I was really upset for being used as a whore! They used me to hide from lecturers when they have to sleep or study for the test, the very next hour or so. Few even used to complete the unfinished assignments during class or to finish their half done breakfast or snacks etc. In other words I became safe heaven for all kinds of mischievous acts.
If these were the most hated persons in my list, the next were the dumb headed lecturers. I was getting furious whenever they said... “people sitting in the last bench, are you listening?”, “It seems Back benchers are puzzled, not able to understand” or in the middle some dirty comments like “a lot of noise from last benches”, “all the people sitting in the back come front. You should come forward in life not confine to back bench only.” I don’t understand what these people think of me. You can observe one thing in these comments that even though it’s the people who do the mischief, I am the one blamed always. If they make noise, what can I do? Why I am being blamed for that. These acts by lecturers compelled me to call them dumb headed.
During those days, I was desperately searching for at least one person who could understand my feelings. Nobody seemed to care about my needs and emotions. I was so depressed. I was eagerly looking forward to see a silver lining to my cloudy life and that came in the form of a group of students, all of them with a distinguishing personality, and with a mischievous touch in their acts, the permanent Back Benchers. These guys always wanted to occupy the last bench not just to hide their mischief but for their real affection towards the most neglected bench in the class.
I was very happy carrying their masterpieces which exhibited their extraordinary talent in painting, all over me. I felt myself proud in showcasing their poetic ability. I enjoyed resonating with their beat creating noise to disturb the ambience of the class. When I am with them I become one among them. I forget all my sorrows, all my bad experiences and began to love my life. They brought cheer in my life and I am really grateful to them and even to you as you are also one among them”.
Uffff!!!!! I wondered!!! Such a long story … I could never imagine how the small things we do in our life knowingly or unknowingly affects the others to such an extent. We do love our bench. We do care about it and most importantly we are proud to be Back Benchers. To put an end to my endless thoughts, the huge cacophonic bell rang and I felt as if somebody is forcibly pulling me out of a dream world.
It was already 5 in the evening and I started walking towards the hostel block carrying dilemma whether the last bench did really speak or I dreamt like that. Though I couldn’t come to any conclusion, one thing was clear that whatever it seemed to have said, each word is said is true for sure.
--DreamKote
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