It is here in our school and in class that we all would like to sit down for having food during lunch break. Our teacher would say us not to when we asked but would not say no either. That is because we would wish to. “Madam, can we sit down to have our tiffin?”, when we asked. “No! It would not look good here. At home you can sit so”, our teacher would not agree. “Moreover you do not have a mat here to sit on”, she would deny.

“We will use our napkins. Please ma’am”, she would nod to deny as we said, but we knew she would agree on us. It would be like daily picnic for us, rounding up either sitting together down on floor or on our desks. If anyone gets a special dish like pani-puri or chips, bhajji or chikki, we all would grab from them. It was like we loved to share our food, but then we would have from our own lunch box.

“Can I have some more?”, Joon would ask from JayKay’s box. “Take another bite”, Jinnie would offer Minnie. We would even offer a bite to our class teacher and in return madam too would give us from her lunch box. “Here”, when the teacher offer us her lunch box and if we refused she would say “Take it, otherwise I will not take it from you tomorrow”, and even if we won’t take it, she would not mind. Even if we wont take it, she would not mind but instead gave a smile knowing our tastes and interests. She would respect on our likes, wills and wishes.”Did you finish?”, “Why are you not eating?”, she would make sure that we do finish eating our lunch.Same during short break too.

It was this day when I was sitting with Moonie at our seat. All were talking while eating. Our teacher too opened her boxes. Madam would get more items and she would suggest us too that we all need to have complete meals. She would get chaati, sabji, rice items and sometimes sprouts or salad too. “Monie, What have you brought today?”, I asked as I opened my lunch box. I gave a bite of my chole bhature to Monie.

He took it in his hand and ate with munching as we leisurely chat about few random things. “Monie!!”, we were startled when our teacher called out. I thought due to our talks probably she would say something. “Did you finish having your tiffin?”, when teacher asked then I realized that Monie has still not opened his lunch box.

Monie opened his box and showed to teacher, “I have brought empty box ma’am”, he expressed his helplessness. He brought the other box and his mother gave him another box was a mystery.

Immediately teacher stood up, took half a chapati and sabji from her lunch box and head towards Monie. “Open your box”, she asked him to open his box and placing the chapati in his box “All of you please give a bite from your tiffin. Monie has not brought his lunch today”. In an instant all our class friends came forward to offer to Monie from their lunch boxes. Monie hesitated a bit but all our class friends collectively requested him that he had to agree. His box was full with food and Monie looked happily pleased.

I was so impressed by the love and caring our classmates had shown. I was so very thankful to our teacher who lead us all to do this noble deed. Monie need not stay empty stomach. He ate it all expressing his gratitude to everyone for their care and support.