What’s the best advice you’d give to someone younger than you?
When I was in college, first year, one day I was idling around roaming in the neighbourhood with one of my friends, Bhavya. Much younger than me, still in high school. We both had skipped our educational institutions that day. Well actually it was me, I by chance saw him on the bus-stand waiting for the school bus and said, “What harm would skipping one day of school do, besides there is a lot out there to be seen and explored.”
It sounded very exciting but the actuality of it was different. We were walking and talking, full of energy and excitement. Maybe a little more than two hours passed, the energy was gone, so the talks took a downward turn and we found ourselves sitting on a bench in a park right under the Sun because the shaded ones were already occupied by people with other interests.
We still had time and had to do something. Bhavya said, “Let’s go browse around the shops.”
Yes, since e-commerce hadn’t effectively spread to this side of the world yet, we were still fascinated by what we saw in the shops. Like those stationery shops that had all forms of things, even computer and console games. I don’t think I have ever known everything that was available in that stationary shop I frequently visited.
So that was our first stop. I bought a few pens, and browsed through the superhero playing cards while Bhavya accidentally threw down the box of friendship bands, and he took his time to put it all back.
Then we decided to eat something; Bhavya didn’t have any money, so I decided to spend some of my monthly allowance and we ate patties.
We were back on the road again, a bit more energised than before, deciding what was to be done now. We headed for the gaming café and spent some time there. While playing a game, Bhavya took out a bottle of soft drink from his bag and it was slightly cold.
“When did you get this?” I asked
“At the bakery,” he said
“But you did not have money and did not pay for it and I did not pay for it as well,” I said and Bhavya stayed silent
“What?? You stole it??,” I said in a suppressed angry voice, he did not answer
I grabbed his bag, and inside was a packet of potato chips, a few friendship bands from the stationary shop. I knew Bhavya was from a family with decent financial status, there was no reason for him to be doing it.
I did not exactly say much except something vague like, “You know all those thieves and criminals. This is how it starts. Now go and return it all to the shops. I will wait here.”
Bhavya slowly got up and walked away. I don’t know whether he returned those things or not because he did not come back and we did not meet after that day. I would still like to positively believe that he was able to realise his fault and get rid of this habit that I later in life got to know can also be a psychological condition.
Written by Anuran Chatterji
Early Morning Memories 
One response to “Putting it Back”
Very nice.
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