John and his ways

The other day in class I told my students the attitude of the present generation. I casually mentioned that the basic manners of how to behave in class were to be taught in the lower classes. Immediately a boy said,

“Ellaveryum kollanam teacher.” [Everyone should be killed, teacher.]

“Ayyo angane kollanayirunnu enkil nammal arum kanillayirunu allo,” [If everyone were to be killed then none of us should have been alive.] I replied but felt very disturbed.

John was a son of a goonda who was famous for making country bombs. He was called “Bomb Nelson”. He was a criminal and had killed many people. The local politicians used Nelson for their selfish purposes. One day Nelson was attacked by a rival group. They did not kill him. Instead they amputated his right hand and left leg and left him to suffer the rest of his life. Nelson survived the ordeal but committed suicide after a couple of years.

I noticed John the second day in class as the teachers were hotly discussing about a son of a thug. They painted a very bad picture about him. The next day in class I asked students their names and found out who John was. He was a thin boy with a long face with forlorn look. He was dusky. He was very quiet in class.

I started teaching and he listened very attentively in class. The subject I teach has mathematical calculations. John was always first to show me his book after working out the problems correctly.[He is good at mental calculations and doesn't have a calculator] His eyes beamed when I wrote “very good” in his note book. At times if I forgot he would beg,

“Oru very good thaa teacheree.” {Please give me a very good, teacher]

And when I write that he would give me a very gratifying smile. I somehow liked John. The other teachers had problems with him. Every time they complained I would justify him. I spoke to him and he said that his mother worked as a maid in one of the Arab countries. He was living with his aunt. I did not ask him about his father but he said that his father committed suicide. His main problem was that people looked at him as a goonda’s son and I could understand the ordeal he was going through. This was in the first year.

John is now a second year student and he has changed. A boy who was always one of the toppers in my subject started failing for it. After the first unit test I was very disappointed to correct his answer script. I asked what his problem was and he said he did not have a textbook. I gave him a book. In the second unit test he failed again. I started noticing that he was becoming noisy in class and was not paying attention. I had to keep calling his name every now and then. I feel sorry for John. He is an intelligent boy but has got in some kind of bad company. His eyes have the anger towards the world who scorns him. Certain days he would be very quiet and on certain days he would be noisy. He keeps bunking classes.

I do not know if he is going to turn out like his father. His statement that everyone has to be killed and the vengeance he has towards the world was very clear from his face and tone. Does he think that his parents should have killed him as a boy????? Or does he hate the world that scorns him???? I am not sure how to deal with John but I really want to save him from his present ways so that he’ll study and get some kind of employment and leave this city for good..