Champion came home with trophy
Anand was a 12 years old boy who lived with
his parents in a flat on 2nd floor of Prabhat complex. There were
around 15 three storey buildings in the complex, each building having around 40
middle class houses. Anand’s mother Rekha worked in Mother Teresa trust and his
father Vimal was a clerk in a small office. Rekha also did small tailoring jobs
at home. She was a lady with golden heart. But her husband was a drunkard. He
spent all his earnings on drinks. Daily he came home drunk at midnight.
Anand was a very loving, energetic boy and was
a darling of everyone in the complex. All the children of the complex were his
friends. They all used to get together in the evening after school to play. But
his best friends were Sindhu and Avinash. Avinash was his classmate. But Sindhu
was blind from birth. And hence she used to go to a blind school.
That day, Anand had won the district chess
junior championship. All of his friends were waiting at the entrance of the
complex for their hero to arrive home with trophy. They were carrying welcome
boards. “WELCOME TO CHAMPION ANAND” Avinash, Rajeev, blind Sindhu and Sujana,
who were close friends of the hero, were waiting with bouquets. At that time, a
sports van came and stopped in front of the complex. The children were filled
with joy. They ran towards the van. 12 year old boy, Anand climbed down with a
trophy in his hands and a big smile on his face. The children crowded around
him laughing and shouting. Happily, Avinash gave him a bouquet saying, “Welcome
to the Champion.”
Anand smiled at Avinash and took the
bouquet from him. He looked at it and then handed it to another boy.
Giving a bouquet to Anand, Rajeev said
happily, “Today, you are the junior champion but tomorrow you will be the
world champion.”
Anand took the bouquet. In his other hand was
the trophy. Rajeev tried to take the cup from Anand’s hands. Shaking his head,
and pointing to a small blind girl standing among the children, Anand said,
“Wait, I want to give the cup to Sindu first.”
Sindu was a 10 years old girl who was blind
from birth. Anand passed the bouquet to another boy and went near his blind
friend Sindhu. He held the cup in front of Sindu saying, “Hello, Sindu just
hold the cup and see how fine it is.”
Hearing the words, Sindu gave Anand chess
board as gift. Anand took it happily and put the cup in her hands. She felt it
all over with her hands. Her face was filled with excitement. She said, “It
feels so good to touch. I wonder how beautiful it must be to look at.”
Anand’s face fell hearing this. He tried to
make her happy saying, “Sindu, just wait. One day, you will be able to see
everything.”
Excited, Avinash said, “Sindu dear, this is
just the junior champion cup. When he wins the world Championship cup, he will
get a huge cup. By that time you will have regained your sight. Just wait.”
He put his hands wide apart in the air to
show how huge the world cup will be. All the children looked at Avinash with
excitement.
Anand’s mother was watching the children
from balcony. Smiling happily, she came out of the house and approached the
children. Anand proudly showed the cup to his mother saying, “Mommy, I have won
the cup.”
Rekha was very proud of her son. She patted
his head congratulating him. Sindu came near Rekha and pulled her hand saying,
“Aunty, today evening we want a party.”
Smiling at her caressing her head kindly,
Rekha said, “Sure. All of you come to the auditorium tonight at 7:00 pm for a
grand party.”
Hearing this, all the children clapped
their hands happily. Anand looked at his mother happily and said, “Mummy, I
will phone to papa to come home early today to attend the party.”
Hearing this; Rekha’s face fell. She
remembered her husband who was a drunkard. She knew that he will be in the bar
at the time of the party and will not come home. She looked at her son and said,
“Good. But I wonder whether he will come. You don’t worry about all that. First
you come in and get ready to go to the church.”
After waving his hand to his friends, Anand
went inside the house with his mother holding the trophy proudly in his hand.
Anand washed his hands and legs. Rekha gave
snacks. After eating snacks, Anand got ready to go to the church with his
mother.
When they both go out, Anand’s friends also
joined them. All of them went to the church talking and laughing loudly. Anand was
holding the trophy in his hands.
They reached the church and prayed in front
of Jesus. After prayer, they all entered Church Father’s room. Father smiled at
the children and welcomed them into the room. They all entered the room. Father
looked at the trophy in Anand’s hands. Anand extended the trophy in front of
Father. Seeing this, Rekha said proudly, “Father, with your blessings, my son
has won the trophy of junior chess championship.”
Father took the trophy in his hands and admired
it. He patted Anand on his head and said, “Well done, my son. Keep it up.”
Anand was most excited. He said, “Thanks,
Father. All with your blessings only.”
Father returned the trophy to Anand and pointed
to the statue of Jesus. He said, “Not my blessings. But it is all His
blessings.”
Children sat down on the floor with Rekha.
Father went into another room and came out with a box of sweets and a photo.
Giving the sweets to Anand, Father said, “Give sweets to all your friends.”
Anand distributed the sweets among his
friends. The children ate the sweets happily. Then the Father showed Anand a
photo and said, “Take this as a gift. This is the photo of Mother Teresa.”
Anand took the photo in his hands and looked
at it surprise and asked, “Mother?”
Pointing to the photo, Father said, “Yes.
She is mother to the whole world. We must walk on her footsteps. However famous
you become, you must not forget to keep her example in your heart.”
Anand looked at Father’s face and nodded his head.
“Yes, Father. I will do it.”
Father pointed to Rekha and looked at
Anand. “Your mother is working in Mother Teresa’s institution. I can see that
you have all her qualities.”
Rekha
looked at her son proudly. Father blessed the children and they all moved out
happily. 
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