Everyone Likes To Teach

Once upon a time in a beautiful village, Dumkey and Umkey were debating over which is the longest river in the world. Dumkey was convinced that he is certainly right and Umkey is wrong. Dumkey could not sleep that night. He kept awake sitting under the street lamp. He thought he needs to teach Umkey a valuable lesson on the importance of water. After all, the river is completely water and anyone who knows the importance of water should care to know about rivers and especially about the longest one that Dumkey visited when he was a child with his Dad.

Dumkey happened to be friends with the Zamindar and made sure Umkey’s house won't get water for a week. Dumkey had nothing evil in him. Just a lesson. Umkey suffered. Umkey’s family suffered. Umkey’s goats suffered. Umkey came to know it was Dumkey’s plan following the longest river debate. Umkey thought it was unfair to bring family and surroundings into these silly fights. Umkey wanted to teach Dumkey a valuable lesson on the importance of the family and surroundings.

Umkey kidnapped Dumkey’s goats and shut them in a cave far from the village. Dumkey getting shocked, asked help from the Zamindar to find the missing goats. The Zamindar with his clan investigated and found it was Umkey. Umkey was called and he confessed that he shut his goats in a cave. Dumkey cried and asked if his goats have access to water. Umkey said no. Dumkey informed him that living things can not survive any more than 2 days without water. Umkey had no idea about that. The Zamindar got furious and said that the local village school teaches this basic information in the fifth grade itself. Umkey briefly resisted that he was not taught that particular information in his fifth grade. Zamindar understood that Umkey did not lie but he has forgotten! Zamindar wanted to teach Umkey a valuable lesson on the importance of memory.

Zamindar asked both to sit. Dumkey wanted to save his goats and was very impatient. Zamindar ordered Umkey’s family to come to his bungalow. He signaled his helper to bring the Malala juice and offered that to Umkey. Immediately Umkey experienced a mild trauma in his head. Following that, he could not recognize anyone in the room. He could not remember his own family, Dumkey’s goats, Dumkey himself, and the Zamindar. Frustrated Dumkey stormed out of Zamindar’s bungalow to find his goats alone. He roamed around the mountains around the village looking for shut caves with tired goat sounds. He turned insane after a week in the mountains. The first thing he wanted to do is to teach a lesson to the Zamindar about the importance of thinking deeply before acting.

Meanwhile, Umkey was eating in his house. His wife served him tasty lamb curry. She was very happy with the way the lamb curry had turned out that day. She was amazed when she tasted it a bit. That was the perfect curry she had ever cooked. The spices and the meat were so perfectly boiled and blended together. She expected Umkey to express his amusement about the curry in his first taste. But, He did not do it. She patiently waited until he took his third spoon of food into his mouth. She could not hold back anymore. She asked him about the curry. He did not answer. She held his hand and asked again about the curry. He said the curry is fine but that it is too spicy for him especially after the Malala juice incident. She felt disappointed. She thought she should teach a lesson to Umkey about the value and the importance of food in life.

She held his hands and helped him to get up. He did. She guided him to the entrance, asked him to wait and went back in. He waited. She came back after five minutes. He had learned her face again in a week's time together after Malala. He recognized her and said that the curry is good. The unconvinced wife went back inside. She checked him back after ten minutes. He said he is hungry and asked if the lunch is ready. She stood there a while and went back in. Twenty minutes passed. She showed up again. He said he is very hungry. ‘Okay’ she said. ‘You have anything to eat?’ he asked. ‘No’ she said. He stood there clueless. ‘You come early tomorrow’ she said. He nodded and went to check the next house.

Dumkey had invited the Zamindar for lunch that day. Zamindar showed up at the right time and immediately noticed a big pile of leaves and branches in the middle of the house. He found it odd that he has to walk through the pile if he wants to reach Dumkey who was sitting on the other end along with an empty chair and a table in which a cup of tea was losing its heat. The puzzled Zamindar questioned him about the mess. Dumkey said that he collected those special leaves and branches from the forest and that it brings good fortune. Zamindar also noticed a beautiful painting in the ceiling right above the pile. ‘Isn't it beautiful?’ Dumkey asked looking at the painting in the ceiling.

Ever since the zamindar arrived at the entrance, Dumkey did not look at the pile of leaves and branches once. ‘But the pile…’ Zamindar started. ‘Look! There is a beautiful bird outside the window!’ Dumkey exclaimed ‘The one you wanted to look since our school days. It is today that finally, you are going to look!’. The window too was across the pile for the Zamindar. He was still hesitant. Dumkey said, ‘Hey did you hear about the escaped cheetah?’. ‘Cheetah? No!’ Zamindar said. ‘Yes, a cheetah. Do not stand in the entrance for too long. Come in!’ Zamindar moved one branch from the pile aside to create a way but found a big pit underneath it. Zamindar looked at Dumkey furiously. ‘Dumkey did you want to teach a lesson to me?’ Zamindar asked. Dumkey stood there silently. Zamindar moved few more branches to find snakes at the bottom of the pit. ‘Snakes?’ Zamindar shouted. ‘I hav… the.. ant....’ Dumkey murmured. ‘What?’. ‘I have the antidote. I would have saved you.’.

Zamindar walked out and took his wagon towards his place. He immersed himself in his own thoughts. Travel makes a human being come up with good ideas. The wagon was moving at a steady speed and suddenly it hit him! The idea! It was crystal clear to him exactly what he had to do! The perfect lesson for Dumky to make him understand the value of not coming up with lessons for every use-case in life!