It was a crisp Monday morning . Ten year old Amu was hastily getting ready for her school science exhibition.
All the students from toddlers to young adults in senior school put forth their ingenuity by displaying their science projects to parents , teachers and any interested onlookers .
Amu could still recollect the day her teacher had made an announcement about the event.Her vulnerable little head had immediately put itself into action .Like little kids her age, she promptly saw dreams of putting up something spectacular, a rare creation, that was unusual and unique.
However,she had this peculiar habit of trying to please everybody , she wanted to be noticed and praised for what she had done .Her efforts often went in vain and she ended up being just another contestant .
Weeks of toil, careful scouring through numerous books and a through thesis of 101 science projects pursued until finally she found her niche.
A bright colourful kaleidoscope .
Three solid pieces of wood were carefully carved out into neatly measured rectangles. Mirrors of the same dimension were pasted on them .Pastel coloured beads were then stuck on one open end of the incomplete pyramid using butter paper and voila, Amu’s little dream was created.
Amu made an early appearance at the venue ,her hair neatly combed ,wearing a pressed uniform with tie et all and unceasingly practising lines of how she would explain her wondrous kaleidoscope .
Turn by turn many guests arrived and patiently saw the projects ,the morning gracefully blended into twilight.The day was wearing Amu out , yet she was ecstatic , her project was marvelled at by many and her efforts were given due credit . It was like she was living her dream , never had so much attention and praise been bestowed upon her. It was like a butterfly coming out of her cocoon, spreading her pretty wings to fly !
At the finale of the exhibition, the chief guest made his entry. Flanked by the school principal on one side and his P.A on the other , he wanted to make a brief visit , as a customary obligation on social events . Barely glancing at the projects on display, he anchored to Amu’s table . Being a commerce graduate and a dud at science , he was puzzled looking at the kaleidoscope .It had no motors around it , no electro-magnets ,no batteries...was this object even scientific ??
Amu being her usual self, eager to impress, cleverly demonstrated her machine , with every single detail..He was mesmerised and suddenly got enganged in an animated babble with the principal before resuming his duty of visiting projects . The principal strangely stayed back .
“Amu , the chief guest loved your work ! Its a great effort , was it very difficult to make?”. Amu was zapped beyond words . Promptly she replied “No madam , it was easy , just a bit of effort here and there “ . “Ah , very well then, I am sure you wouldn’t mind giving it to the chief guest will you ? A small present to his daughter , a momento of our function ,can you redesign its exteriors and bring it to school tomorrow morning ?”
Amu was lost beyond words ,she couldn’t think of anything to say, she had suddenly been catapulted into a scary situation.On one hand the principal was giving her credit for her work,the chief guest had chosen her project over 100 others as a token for his little girl and on the other, it just plain hurt to do away with this tiny miracle .
Amu nodded meekly in consent . Her incessant need to please got the better of her and as the evening came to its end, so did her enthusiasm. She returned home with mixed feelings .
Before she settled into bed that night, she made a neat cover for the kaleidoscope , pasted white paper around it and drew tiny pictures so that it resembled a very attractive toy .
Tomorrow morning , it would be gone . The kaleidoscope had given her a sense of popularity. After the chief guest made his request, Amu was the source of envy for all her friends , yet she was morose . She loved the dancing beads , the natural play of light ,the rythm to which the beads swayed and their colourful reflections had become a part of her life and to just give it away to someone who could never realise its worth .The guest’s daughter would probably just toy with it for a little while and then it would lay forgotten, whereas Amu would’ve treasured it for a life time .Despite this strong sense of belonging, she could just submissively agree to what the principal asked of her .
Yes, indeed she had become a celebrity over night in school ,she was recognised now and not just a little girl lost in oblivion, but it came at a cost and a cost she’d remember for many years to come .
Fifteen years from then , she reminisces , had she said no , the coloured beads would still be dancing with her .
