Two Together
Ruku was walking alone toward the school, his eyes wandering, trying to find something. Suddenly, he felt a pat on his back. It was Sonia. "Hey, how are your preparations?" she asked excitedly. "Good, but..." he replied, seeming upset.
"Hey, what happened?" inquired a concerned Sonia. "Nothing, let's hurry up; we have to arrive on time." Although he said that, Ruku kept looking around as if searching for something the entire way.
The question paper was tough, and Ruku was nervous. He did not know how he had done; it went by in a flow, and he wrote everything he could. However, one thought kept nagging at him: he should have seen them on his way to school before the exam. They were always his lucky charm, and today there were none, leaving him with a sense of emptiness. He glanced at Sonia, who appeared calm and satisfied while writing her paper.
After school, Sonia was cheerful, discussing how easy the exam had been. Suddenly, Ruku stopped and clapped his hands. "I knew they would be here! Thank God I finally saw them today." A startled Sonia asked, "What are you talking about?"
Ruku, excited and joyful, pointed across the road. "Look! They're right there! Seeing two together always brings luck."
Sonia, puzzled at first, couldn't believe her eyes as she saw Ruku pointing at two starlings sitting together. Once her confusion subsided, she laughed out loud, much to Ruku's annoyance.
On the day the results were announced, both Sonia and Ruku scored well, especially in Physics, the subject Ruku had been most anxious about. While enjoying popsicles on their way home, Ruku said, "See, the day we saw those two starlings together brought us luck; we did well in Physics."
Sonia smiled and replied, "Ruku, how can you be so naïve? It was our hard work that helped us ace the exam, not just two birds."
"You don't understand, Sonia. These little miracles happen. Seeing two starlings always brings good luck," he said, looking serious.
Sonia thought for a moment and responded, "As you say, Ruku, but you know what? Luck only comes to those who work hard. I'm sure we wouldn't have seen the starlings that day if we hadn't prepared with dedication. And we certainly wouldn't have been lucky enough to score so well."
Ruku smiled, agreeing with her, and happily jumped with joy.
This blog post is part of ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’
hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla.
I loved the little moments you highlighted in the story like the gentle teasing, the silent understanding, it all felt so authentic and heartwarming.
ReplyDeleteScience and Faith will always be at loggerheads to explain phenomena. We even saw ISRO scientists thanking God after successful of Chandrayaan , the Indian moon rover.Sometimes it is our belief and faith which makes us do our best because we believe we will.
ReplyDeleteYour post made me smile and nostalgic. When we were in school, we always tried to see two starlings together. One was supposed to bring sorrow, two for joy, three for a letter and 4 for a boy! Such simple and naive souls we were. I feel sad that the present generation has not gone through what we had.
ReplyDeleteSuch a sweet and thoughtful story! I loved how Ruku’s belief in the starlings added a magical touch to his exam day. And Sonia’s practical reminder about hard work balanced it so well. A lovely mix of hope and reality!
ReplyDeleteSuch a profound message conveyed through such a simple beautiful and innocent story! Loved the innocence of Ruku and Sonia.
ReplyDelete"Luck only comes to those who work hard," it's so true and everyone needs to accept it.
ReplyDeleteThere’s something beautifully understated about how you’ve captured the bond between the characters. it’s reflective without being overly sentimental. I really enjoyed the pace of your storytelling; it felt like I was slowly unwrapping a memory. Looking forward to reading more of these evocative pieces!
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely read. Enjoyed Ruku’s sweet belief in the starlings,even though I’m not someone who relies on signs or luck, I loved how you wove his innocence and hope into the story. It felt very real and reminded me of how we all have our own little ways of coping with pressure. Beautifully written.
ReplyDeleteAnjali Tripathi Upadhyay/Messymom
Your storytelling is so warm and relatable! I loved how you illustrated the dynamic between the two characters ; your observations felt so genuine. The writing drew me in and made me smile at their small moments together. Thank you for sharing such a lovely story!
ReplyDeleteI love how wise Sonia is but I am like Ruku, always looking for signs and magic everywhere. Such a sweet story, Reu ! Mayuri/Sirimiri
ReplyDeleteThis post brought back memories. When we were in school, my sister used to make us go and stand on the terrace so we could call her when we could sight two starlings together. This had to be done during exams, such was my sister's belief. Sometimes, by the time she came, one flew by, so you can imagine our plight when she had to see one (which symbolizes sorrow)...naivety, I swear! But also innocence! Tanks for writing this.
ReplyDeleteRuku is such a cute and quintessential Bengali name! I love how you craft your stories!
ReplyDeleteIn Bengali we use a phrase " Karmer phal batase nore" The way you work time bless you according to that. Nothing can be the best alternative of hard work... I loved this story ... Dui Salik r ashirbad.
ReplyDeleteHard work is crucial but I believe such small harmless superstitions/quirks make us human as they test our power of faith and patience. Good story!
ReplyDeleteOh..I used to hope to see a mail van when I went for examination. People tend to outgrow this I believe so long as superstitions doesn't go overboard. Love the little lesson though I would let Ruku be!
ReplyDeleteVery true. Luck by itself does not work. You need hard work too. I think we all used to have these silly superstitions when we were young.
ReplyDeleteSonia is wise, I like her. I think a Sonia is needed for every dreamer like Ruku to balance it all out
ReplyDeleteTo each is his belief. For some its sentiments. I love how Ruku was practical
ReplyDeleteThis was really sweet and it made me smile. I love and admire writers who can weave a story in a few words.
ReplyDeleteI think, Hardwork and Luck are "Two Together" in itself!
ReplyDeleteLoved the last line by Sonia that luck comes to those who work hard :-)
ReplyDeleteA heartwarming tale of friendship, superstition, and self-belief. Ruku’s innocent faith in signs meets Sonia’s grounded wisdom—together reminding us that hard work, with a dash of magic, leads to success.
ReplyDeleteLove the beautiful innocence portrayed in this blog. So beautifully penned. Thank you for sharing this!
ReplyDeleteThis story brought back such sweet memories! As a mom, I love how Ruku’s belief in the starlings mirrors our own little rituals that bring comfort and meaning. It’s a beautiful reminder of how hope and hard work go hand in hand.
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