One fine day, as I was engrossed in my reading, the phone rang. I picked up the receiver and was greeted formally by an unfamiliar voice that asked to speak to me. My hands trembled for a while and strange ideas of imaginary offences shot into my mind.
My worries were unfounded as I received the most wonderful news that I could ever dream of. I had been chosen to study on an overseas scholarship. I was told to reply the offer by the next day.
When my parents came home that night, I broke the wonderful news to them. My father was overjoyed as it was his dream to send me for studies overseas. My mother was, however, not very pleased as she would miss me and she feared that no one would take care of me in a foreign land. After much comforting from my father and me, my mother was finally persuaded.
My father had left the choice of course to me. I chose to take up the course for a Diploma in “Pure Physics” at the Oxford University for duration of three years. The next day, I called the scholarship board, expressed my thanks and informed them of my choice of course. They gave me three weeks for preparation before they would send me off.
Preparation began at home without any waste of time. My mother started making a list of the things I would need. She herself went shopping for the necessities. Finally, the day for my departure arrived. My mother had prepared a large suitcase stuffed with all my belongings. She had also put in a ruby brooch which she had bought for me.
My parents sent me to the airport. After a tearful farewell from my mother and some encouraging words from my father and relatives, I left for England. The plane trip was not as long as I had expected. The plane touched down in England in the evening. I took my luggage from the airport, walked out and hailed a taxi. I asked the driver to take me to a respectable restaurant near my hostel as I was starving.
He stopped in front of a small but clean-looking restaurant. I paid him the fare, grabbed my handbag and hopped out of the taxi. After my dinner, I realized that I had left my extremely valuable suitcase in the taxi’s boot. I was at a loss. I neither knew the taxi’s license number nor anybody whom I could ask for help.
I walked slowly towards the hostel, my mind in a mess. I thought of making a long distance to call to my mother but I decided against it. I knew better than to worry her with my own troubles. I walked into the hostel and introduced myself to the lady at the information counter. With tears in my eyes, I told her my plight hoping that she could help me regain my lost luggage.
The lady was very helpful. She immediately contacted a few centers and informed them about the loss. She told them to return the lost luggage to the Oxford University Hostel, if it should be found. I thanked her from the bottom of my heart. She then showed me to my room and told me not to worry.
I could not sleep that night. I remembered my mother’s advice to me to be careful about the suitcase. I knew that it would break her heart if she were to learn of my carelessness. I cursed myself for being so careless. I began to think of all my documents in the suitcase without which I could not enroll for the course. Not withstanding all the worries, I fell asleep at last, with complete exhaustion, I guess.
The first thing I remembered the next morning was my suitcase. I got dressed and rushed down the seemingly endless flight of stairs to the information counter. The lady greeted me with the sweetest smile I have ever seen. She told me to come behind the counter. I did and there, behind the counter stood the too familiar red suitcase. I almost screamed with joy. I squeezed her hands and expressed my deepest thanks.
I picked up my suitcase and ran with it to my room. I knelt down and humbly thanked God for having saved me from the mess I was in. I have learned my lesson and promised myself to be extra-careful in future. I was also determined not to let anyone at home know about this incident forever!
My worries were unfounded as I received the most wonderful news that I could ever dream of. I had been chosen to study on an overseas scholarship. I was told to reply the offer by the next day.
When my parents came home that night, I broke the wonderful news to them. My father was overjoyed as it was his dream to send me for studies overseas. My mother was, however, not very pleased as she would miss me and she feared that no one would take care of me in a foreign land. After much comforting from my father and me, my mother was finally persuaded.
My father had left the choice of course to me. I chose to take up the course for a Diploma in “Pure Physics” at the Oxford University for duration of three years. The next day, I called the scholarship board, expressed my thanks and informed them of my choice of course. They gave me three weeks for preparation before they would send me off.
Preparation began at home without any waste of time. My mother started making a list of the things I would need. She herself went shopping for the necessities. Finally, the day for my departure arrived. My mother had prepared a large suitcase stuffed with all my belongings. She had also put in a ruby brooch which she had bought for me.
My parents sent me to the airport. After a tearful farewell from my mother and some encouraging words from my father and relatives, I left for England. The plane trip was not as long as I had expected. The plane touched down in England in the evening. I took my luggage from the airport, walked out and hailed a taxi. I asked the driver to take me to a respectable restaurant near my hostel as I was starving.
He stopped in front of a small but clean-looking restaurant. I paid him the fare, grabbed my handbag and hopped out of the taxi. After my dinner, I realized that I had left my extremely valuable suitcase in the taxi’s boot. I was at a loss. I neither knew the taxi’s license number nor anybody whom I could ask for help.
I walked slowly towards the hostel, my mind in a mess. I thought of making a long distance to call to my mother but I decided against it. I knew better than to worry her with my own troubles. I walked into the hostel and introduced myself to the lady at the information counter. With tears in my eyes, I told her my plight hoping that she could help me regain my lost luggage.
The lady was very helpful. She immediately contacted a few centers and informed them about the loss. She told them to return the lost luggage to the Oxford University Hostel, if it should be found. I thanked her from the bottom of my heart. She then showed me to my room and told me not to worry.
I could not sleep that night. I remembered my mother’s advice to me to be careful about the suitcase. I knew that it would break her heart if she were to learn of my carelessness. I cursed myself for being so careless. I began to think of all my documents in the suitcase without which I could not enroll for the course. Not withstanding all the worries, I fell asleep at last, with complete exhaustion, I guess.
The first thing I remembered the next morning was my suitcase. I got dressed and rushed down the seemingly endless flight of stairs to the information counter. The lady greeted me with the sweetest smile I have ever seen. She told me to come behind the counter. I did and there, behind the counter stood the too familiar red suitcase. I almost screamed with joy. I squeezed her hands and expressed my deepest thanks.
I picked up my suitcase and ran with it to my room. I knelt down and humbly thanked God for having saved me from the mess I was in. I have learned my lesson and promised myself to be extra-careful in future. I was also determined not to let anyone at home know about this incident forever!
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