My Best Friend

Our teacher had a particular dislike for a boy named Mushtaq. But Mushtaq had a unique talent that, in a way, both amused and frustrated everyone. Whatever topic the teacher asked him to write an essay on, Mushtaq somehow managed to include “My Best Friend” in it. This was because writing about his best friend was the only subject Mushtaq truly loved.

For instance, if he was told to write an essay on “The Railway Station,” it would begin something like this: “My father and I went to ‘Chichon Ki Maliya’ by train. At the station, the train was waiting, and on the train was my best friend, Ghulam Rasool. Ghulam Rasool is a very good boy. Ghulam Rasool…” And so the essay would continue, no matter how unrelated the original topic was.

If the teacher asked him to write about “My Favorite Teacher,” Mushtaq would begin like this: “Master Iftikhar is my favorite teacher. One day, I went to his house. There, my best friend Ghulam Rasool was sitting.”

Ghulam Rasool was indeed Mushtaq’s class fellow, a boy with three siblings. His father worked in the police department. But no matter what topic came up—be it a cricket match or a picnic—Ghulam Rasool was somehow present in Mushtaq’s stories.

One day, exasperated by Mushtaq’s repeated mentions of Ghulam Rasool, the teacher said firmly, “Mushtaq! It is impossible for your best friend to be everywhere you go. You need to write about something else this time.”

The next assignment was “A Journey by Airplane.” Mushtaq approached it with his usual creativity. He began: “I went to the airport with my parents. The airplane was waiting. Its wings were wide, and we boarded it. My best friend Ghulam Rasool was not on the plane. Then the plane took off. I looked out of the window and saw that my best friend Ghulam Rasool was still on the ground, waving goodbye. Ghulam Rasool is my class fellow. He has three siblings. His father works in the police department. And Ghulam Rasool… Ghulam Rasool…”

Mushtaq’s essays followed this same amusing pattern. He never missed a chance to mention his best friend, no matter how unrelated the topic was.

Once the teacher, Mr. Mola Bakhsh, read the “Airplane Journey” essay, he could hardly believe his eyes. Mushtaq had managed, yet again, to connect everything back to Ghulam Rasool. The teacher was so frustrated that he scolded Mushtaq severely, giving him a hard time and shaking his head in disbelief.

Mushtaq, despite the scolding, didn’t seem to mind. He had an uncanny ability to turn every situation, event, or story into a moment to celebrate the friendship he valued the most. To him, no matter the topic—whether it was a railway station, a favorite teacher, a cricket match, or even an airplane—his best friend had to be included. His imagination and loyalty to Ghulam Rasool were so extreme that the teacher could not help but feel a mixture of irritation and admiration.

In the end, Mushtaq’s essays were a perfect example of how a student’s passion and imagination could turn a simple writing assignment into a story full of humor and warmth. Though the teacher often complained, he could never deny Mushtaq’s creativity. The boy had a knack for storytelling that kept the class entertained while also teaching them the value of friendship and loyalty.

Thus, Mushtaq’s habit of inserting his best friend into every essay became legendary. Even when topics were unrelated or ordinary, his stories always revolved around Ghulam Rasool. This amusing habit highlighted Mushtaq’s perspective: to him, a true best friend should be present in every moment of life, whether in writing or in reality.

And so, every essay of Mushtaq’s was a celebration of friendship—humorous, exaggerated, and impossible to forget. Teachers may have tried to correct him, classmates may have laughed, but the loyalty and affection Mushtaq had for Ghulam Rasool shone through in every line, making him unforgettable to anyone who read his essays.