Tom and Jerry

Tom and Jerry

Sarath Sir's English class was very popular among the students. The reason for this was his teaching style, but the other tutors said

"Who can't bring the children to school while giving them food and drink? Haha........It's good for those who do home tuition.......We who do hall classes can't do that."

They were right. Sarath Sir taught classes at his home. It was in the evening on weekdays. Every child who came to class was given a packet of milk and a snack like a homemade sandwich or Samaposha. He also received generous support from his wife. In a short time, the number of students increased so much that he could not handle it at home, so he rented a room in a friend's building near his house.

Although many class organizers would have loved to have a popular teacher like him in their institution, he took such a step so that parents and children would not be embarrassed by comparing his habit of providing food to other teachers. Even after going there, the habit of providing food did not decrease, but increased.

"Dad, why do you give food to your brothers and sisters when they come to class? You don't do that in other classes?" Sarath's eight-year-old son asked.

He smiled and looked at his son. "Shall I tell you a story?"

"And......" he said with great interest.

"Once upon a time, there were two boys in the fourth grade in a school. Try to name them two."

"Ah...........Tom and Jerry," the son said quickly.

"Hmm............let's say that then.........the two of them were good friends. Both of them were in the scholarship competition. Tom's parents were working people. They studied in a school that was said to be good in that area, so they didn't want to go to another good school just because they passed the scholarship.

But to show that the child was at a good level of performance, they had to pass the scholarship somehow with good marks. So they sent him to a lady's house for classes.

Tom was very lazy. He didn't like going to class at all. So his parents decided to bring Tom's best friend to that class. And that's how Jerry started going to that class. After school, Tom and Jerry would both come to Tom's house. From there, they would go to the teacher's house. When the two of them came back to Tom's house in the evening, Jerry's father would take him.

Those days Tom and his grandmother took care of the house. She gave Jerry a cordial and a glass of lemonade with ice. It was so hot that she told him to stay on the porch and take Tom to the front of the house. She went and made him eat a big plate of rice. Then they sent them both to class.

"Then you won't give Jerry rice?" the son asked in surprise.

Dad shook his head to say no.

"So Jerry is hungry. Or he must have eaten at school."

"He went to his best friend's house and went to school, so Jerry's house probably didn't have to send him food. Besides, Jerry had a little brother who was born at that time. His mother didn't have time. Tom's parents probably didn't have any friends and grandma, so they probably didn't have to worry about finding food."

"So Tom didn't even think of giving Jerry food?"

"Tom asked Grandma about it several times.......When Tom got used to it, he got really annoyed when she didn't tell him anything.......Grandma kept telling him stories like she didn't know where she was or what she was doing...... She did what she understood as much as Tom."

"What was that?"

"I stole a cutlet or something like a sandwich and gave it to Jerry during class. I forced Jerry to eat half of the food he brought to school for the class day. Then Jerry said he couldn't go to class for a few days, even though he came. If there were classes, Jerry would be hungry... There are several children who come to class like Jerry who are hungry, son. I will do what I can for them."

"Daddy, it's good,"

The son hugged him tightly.

Sarath remembered that story again when he was going to bed at night.

"Where are those Tom and Jerry now?" his wife asked at once.

He didn't immediately remember what he was asking. It was only then that he remembered that she was also standing nearby when his son asked that question. She knew that he often told stories about his experiences as a teacher.

He smiled and looked at her.

"Jerry became an engineer. Now he lives in Melbourne. He raised his own family. Tom became an English teacher and fed and drank as much as he could for the children who came to his classes."