“It’s time. My last bell for the school. 21 years! It has been an incredible journey. What will I do from tomorrow onwards?” wondered Kishan Singh, fondly called as Kishan Kaka by everyone at school, as he got up to ring the school bell for one last time before he retired from his job as the peon.

My hammer? This boy. Gagandeeeeeep… 

And he was standing right behind Kishan Kaka, the boy, Gagandeep, with a decorated tray in his hands, with the bell hammer sitting beautifully in it.

“Here, Kishan Kaka. Hit the bell for the last time”, he insisted

“Every day since you came into this school 10 years ago, you have hidden my hammer. You naughty boy!”, scolded Kishan Kaka, as tears welled up in his eyes

“I will miss you, Kishan Kaka. The first time I did that was for fun. But your loving hug that day made me stay in this school till now, and I would hide this hammer to see your smile. Never have you complained about me to my parents or Principal sir or my teachers,” said Gagandeep, one of the naughtiest students of the school

Kishan Kaka took the wooden hammer from the tray and rang the bell. The bell was the signal for the entire school to come to the corridor and shower rose petals on Kishan Kaka and shout out loud - “We will miss you, Kishan Kaka”

The bell stopped, but the petals did not. Kishan Kaka walked to the center of the courtyard and lived one of the most beautiful days of his life. His family joined too. 

“Baba, time to go home and live for yourself now. We will take care of you and our home”, said his elder son.

Kishan Kaka walked out with his family with tears in his eyes and the continuing thundering applause in the background. He stopped, turned around, and walked up to Gagandeep.

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Illustration Credit: Shivani Akant

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“Thank you for this beautiful farewell, my son. God bless you, Gagan”, and they hugged tightly.