My mom’s voice echoed across the hall. I tried with my level best to escape the gravity of my bed. In the end- I couldn’t escape it, and my mom had to come and drench me in water. That’s what I call harsh life for a chap.
I got up- removed my wet clothes, completed the necessities one requires to complete every morning. Then I got ready to leave – to play soccer! After all, holidays had begun!
My mom was a bit irritated with me for being so callous about pimping up my room after I got out of it. But, why should I clean my room when it’s holiday time!?
After nearly 4 hours of tackling, passing, scoring – I came back weary and tired. And Dirty. Mom tutted- but, I was so tired that I didn’t hear her. I zoned out. I went into my personal washroom and took a long and refreshing bath.
After the bath- I went in my room – and found it in ruins. Everything was scattered here and there. The sheets were crumpled, pillows thrown on the floor and my! The chocolate wrappers I stuffed between mattresses. I was shocked.
I ran downstairs where my mother was cooking my food in the kitchen. She looked up when I came in and she had a smug smile on her face. At that moment I knew she had done it. My mouth opened but no words came out of it.
Sadly, this isn't my room. I just couldn't find a picture of it. Source
Upon seeing my condition, she said. “So, Jai, will you try to clean your room? And close that mouth- even acting has a limit.”
My mouth snapped shut. My eyes hardened. My mind raged. After all, how could mom do this to me! She knew I hated cleaning. And before I could say anything, she replied again with a snappy remark.“What are you doing standing there and gaping at me!? Go, clean your room, and wash your hands with the Dettol soap I asked you to use. Then come down and eat. Get moving now! “
I ran away from the kitchen. Well, ran so that mom would not see my tears. It was not fair. How could she spoil my holidays like that! And that Dettol soap. She had to add it, hadn’t she? I agree it is a fantastic soap, but why forcing me.
I was so angry that in an impulse I thought I won’t clean my room. I will sit in a corner and sleep on my mattress with all the trash on the floor. And that became my plan from then on. I just sat in my room for 30 minutes. Washed my hands- my parents were pretty strict on that- and went down for dinner. My parents were seated at the table, waiting for me.
They didn’t ask me about the room. They didn’t say anything about it. But, I could still feel the palpable tension in the air. We prayed for how we were grateful for receiving the food and then started eating. Mom and dad began a conversation of their own. I just sat and was eating quietly. Once or twice they gave me subtle prompts to add my thoughts. I didn’t and they took the hint.After I had finished eating- I kept my dishes in the sink and then went out for a walk. It was there when I met Muskaan for the first time. She was in the same school as I and she went to some NGO. She and I were friends. Not good, but definitely better than hi-bye friends.
We greeted each other and began walking down the road. We started talking about recent experiences. In the end, I told her the whole thing which happened today. She displayed little emotion while I narrated. When I was done, she smiled and asked me what I planned to do for this. I then said that I will not clean the room and will wait patiently until my mother understood her folly. Hearing this, her smile faltered, but then it returned again. The next words she said- well they changed my life.
Again, not my room, but this describes it pretty well. Source
“Jai, well I know we are not that good friends- but we are friends nevertheless. So, exercising the right of being a friend and also as being the member of a respected NGO, I would say that you try to clean your room for once. I know that’s asking a lot from you- but you might feel the change in you also. You might be angry of me saying this- but this is right Jai- and you know this deep down. If you don’t agree with my words- you can go and act sullen. But, when you change your mind and take a step towards cleaning your room- call me. I will come and help you.”
I was shocked when she said this. After all, how could a friend not understand my situation? I thanked her for her advice and ran back to my house. Mom and dad were in their room and were watching television. I sneaked past them into my room, jumped on the mattress and slept for the night.
Next day, I woke up before mom could come and wake me. I quickly got ready and threw my last night clothes on the bed. Then I packed my bag- which proved a lot more difficult as my books were strewn over the room and it was difficult to find under all the trash. When that was completed, I went down and ate my breakfast hurriedly. I then ran out of the house to avoid discussion with my mother on the topic of the cleanliness my room.
FITJEE went like normal. I reached back home by 3 and went in my room. It was how I left it in the morning- except for one thing. A smell had now spread in the room. A smell one gets when something is rotting. I couldn’t stand it then. I left my house and went outside- without eating my lunch.And what happened next was as if like God was pulling the strings of coincidence for me to meet Muskaan again outside. She bluntly asked whether I cleaned my room or not. When I replied in disapproval- she smiled as if she understood me. Then she offered her help again. This time: thinking of all what I experienced in one day, I agreed. Her smile widened. We went to my house then entered my room.
I felt embarrassed that Muskaan was looking at my dirty room, but she smiled and started cleaning. That encouraged me to do so too. We started by picking up the chocolate wrappers and placing them in a garbage bag. Then we straightened the mattresses and spread the sheets. We then opened the windows so that the rotten smell of used socks could escape the room, who thought that a pair of socks could create so much smell?
When the whole room was spick and span, I couldn’t believe my eyes. I had done something which I had never done before. I had freaking cleaned my room. I had improved the sanitation and hygiene level of my room. I could feel the change in the atmosphere. I felt lighter and happy I felt cleaner and fresh unlike the dull feeling I had in the morning. I felt as if I was optimistic towards everything in this world.
Then Muskaan spoke and brought me back out of my euphoric bliss. She said.
"Jai, I know how you are feeling, I had felt it too when I had cleaned my room for the first time. It was when I got to know the meaning of success is sweet. And when I became a member of the NGO, I got to know the importance of hygiene and sanitation. Why do you think your mom makes you use the Dettol soap? Well, because she is a member of our NGO and from the NGO we get an order to use Dettol. It’s how they inculcate personal hygiene and sanitation to us. This cleaning of your room is only the first step. "
This was like whoa! I never knew my mom was a member of an NGO! Well, with the cleaning of my room, I and Muskaan had become pretty close friends. We kept chatting for a few hours and then she had to leave for her home. After she went, I just couldn’t dirty my room again. It had become my possession now. This room was my room now. I was the one who cared for it the most and nobody else. I will be the one who will keep it clean!
And so it happened that I went to a program held by the NGO, in it they gave my example and said how this small can act can improve our surroundings- how one clean room in a house can be a pinnacle for success for our country. How? Because then the person becomes a cleanliness freak. I thought they said it bang on. I could never litter these days without facing the consequences our environment would have to face.
Well, now I have to go and clean my parents’ room. Cleaning I feel, is a part of daily life and I can’t live without it. I have to go now. After all, Karega India tabhi to badega India! - --- -A work of fiction.
This post is for a competition: http://swachhindia.ndtv.com/
