Short story 

THE ELLIPSE: Confessions of a teacher

Geometry, for most students, is the most hated subject in any school.

I like challenges.  So, I volunteered to teach GC (Geometrical Construction, a boring name) at NID( national institute of design).

The challenge I imposed on myself was to make geometry the most loved subject.

I was 30 minus. Unmarried and full of passion for teaching.

She was 18 plus. Student from Orissa and full of attitude.

Why not?

Young. Tall. A lighter shade of lovely brown; with a pair of large; intelligent eyes. Fresher.

I was teaching to draw ellipse that day.

Ellipse is my favorite among all regular forms. It is better than circle in the same way a rectangle is better than square. Less boring.

Like the divine proportion is better than the mean.

Its construction involves the precise use of instruments and proper method; at the start but the finishing has to be done with free hand.

That is the toughest part.

That is the fun part.

 That is the beauty part.

Niti was among the first few students to show their sheets of construction to me.

I took one look at the sheaf of drawing sheets and said “go, redo” without even looking at her face. I know she was much capable than that.

Silently she went away. Two hours later, she came back with fresh set.

I examined the sheets. Better. Better than the rest. But not her best.

I looked up at her and said “Look, you got to put your heart in what you do. Why don’t you try harder? Too Lazy?”I was almost rude. She was hurt. Her silence told me.

Another two hours, another bout of hard work and more sheets.

Then, she stood in front of me with a confidence that said “I am better than the others. I know it. What is your problem, Mister teacher?”

I carefully scrutinized her work. Used a magnifying glass.

Good. But I wanted to push her to her utmost limits, all the way.

I sighed, put the papers away, and put on a disgusted tone. “Leave it now. There is no use. You are capable but not willing to sweat. Go and rest. I will give you a complete”

She sharply retorted, “What do you mean?”

“I meant what I said. You can draw far better, if only you are willing try hard enough, perhaps draw ten times. May be twenty. But no. You are happy with comparing with the rest. You are not willing to walk the extra mile to reach your best. You will go nowhere. I am sure of it”

She gave me such a stare. The stare of a wounded tigress. “I will show you tomorrow morning” “I bet you will not”. I had cut her short.  “If you prove me wrong, I will treat you for an ice cream. But I am sure you will loose. Just go and sleep”. It was evening and the class ended.

I could not sleep well that night. Late into the night a howling phone woke me. As soon as I lifted the receiver, the hostel security fellow screamed.

“Sir Sir! Miss Niti jumped from 4^th floor Sir. There is blood pool. She is dead. Come fast Sir. Very terrible Sir”

I was shocking. The phone dropped from my hands. I jumped up from my bed and realized it was just a dream, Thank God!

**************************

Next day in the morning, the moment I entered the class room she came straight to my table. A huge pile of drawing sheets was dumped on my table. Thump!!

Her face angry, hair in dis-array; the eyes blood red. I never saw her like that.

“She was awake the whole night and drawing; she did not even have the breakfast in the morning” Her hostel mates informed me.

I examined the sheets. I could not believe what I saw. I had never seen such beautiful ellipses.

My eyes were moist, I was really touched. With an apologetic smile, I said, “Wow, there you are. Perfect. You win. I shall treat you to any ice cream you want. Let us go to the parlor”

Silence.

She looked hard at me; piercingly.

Turned back, without even touching the pile of drawing sheets she sweated over the whole night. “No” she said quietly yet firmly. “I hate you” mumbled to herself.

When I looked up she was not there.