English Literature – Short Story – ☆ The Right Choice ☆ – Shri Suraj Kumar Singh

Shri Suraj Kumar Singh

(Mr. Suraj Kumar Singh is a young and dynamic author.  He is also an editor of “Young Literati”  (E-Magazine). Today, we present an excellent story “The Right Choice”) 

☆ The Right Choice ☆

My ten year old son came back home from school frustrated. I shifted my gaze from the newspaper I held open with both hands onto him. “What happened my boy? Is everything alright?” He didn’t reply. I remembered it was result declaration day today and thought that his grades are bad and that’s why he is tensed and is not talking straight. “So what was your result champ?” He pushed his report card across the table and said in a not so enthusiastic tone, “Eighty nine percent only.”

“Brilliant! Excellent! Amazing! But are you going to tell me now why you are so upset?” He said he was unhappy because a classmate of his scored one percent more and became class topper. “That’s it? That is the reason you are upset champ? Come on dear bring it on. Your grades are too good to be upset.” I tried to raise his spirit but all my efforts went in vain.

Later that day I found him quarrelling with his sister about the lights. “Ease up children.” I asked them to stop shouting and then requested them to stay quite. I asked my daughter first, what is the matter? She said that when she switched on the lights he came uninvited and started yelling at her for no reason. I interrupted her right there. “There my child you are not entirely correct. If smoke is there then there must have been a fire! As much as I know my son he is not mad that he will yell at anyone for no reason. There has to be a reason. There must be a reason. Now you champ, it s your turn to defend your action. So say.

” He began, “It is daytime and there is already enough natural light in here. So why it is necessary to light all the lamps around here?”

“Hmm…. you have a got a point champ! But isn’t it the same stuff that you have been doing all along?” This one statement perplexed him.

I continued, “Yes champ that is what you and your friends were doing! Lighting a lamp where there is already enough light.” His confusion deepened further.

So I asked him a few question to begin with. “Why is it that you want to stand out in the field of academics only? Even in academics you performed exceptionally well but you are still not satisfied with yourself as you are jealous of your classmate whose score was just one percent greater than yours. You are very good musician and as much as I know there no musicians other than you in the whole class. So, why do you want to compete with that guy? And why do you wish to stand out by lowering someone else’s stature? Why don’t you try raising your own instead? I mean you can showcase your musical talent to feature your uniqueness and individuality before others. And that boy who came third is a very good painter if I am not wrong. And I have also heard that there is no artist like him in the entire class. Ask yourselves if you require anything else to be unique. Never solely focus to excel in one field. Explore the unexplored, try to go where nobody else has ventured before because it’s never wise to light the lamp where it’s already bright. Wise are those who try to light a lamp where there is dark. And that is what I call the right choice.”

© Suraj Kumar Singh, Ranchi