It was one bright fine sunny hot day of 2007. He was sweating profusely in the little cabin of Bahria Foundation's notes counter while photocopying the examination papers for the upcoming annual examination when a sudden knock on the closed window of his cabinet breaks his tempo. He was instructed to keep the door and windows closed and to not interact with anyone during the photocopies of papers for obvious reasons. He unwillingly slided the wooden window's pan to the left side to open it and found a depressed women in his late 30's was standing on the other side of the window.
"I'm a single parent of my only child, recently got divorced." Nearly sobbing, she continues. "Life has never been fair with me. I am struggling with Hepatitis C as well. I couldn't prepare my son for his exams. I am utmost worried." Albeit he knew where was it all going towards but remained silent. "Could you please provide me exams paper of my son's class? I would pay you."
Students mostly from well off families were enrolled in the institute and getting luring offers to leak out the exam papers was quite common with individuals willing to pay upto Rs 10,000 a paper but he never compromised on integrity irrespective of the fact that he was getting merely Rs 1,500 per month as wage which hardly fulfilled his studies expenditures, nevertheless, he used to politely snub all those offers in a decisive way. But a helpless mother in front of him was what making a difference and he reluctantly nodded positively and provided her what she wanted. She offered him money in return which he politely denied. She went away happily.
Time flies, but memories last forever... witnessing the helpless teary eyes of a mother turning into the ecstatic one is what peace and happiness look alike.
Was compromise on the integrity a fair move? No way.
Was it worth it? Totally!
#HappyMothersDay
Written by Sajid Ali, based on a actual events.