03-12-2025, 11:14 PM
## Update 169: The Science of Opportunity (Avi, Meena Chachi, Komal, and Sweta Didi)
We went inside Pooja Bua's house. The living room was crowded with Komal, Kavita, Neha Bua, and Kavita's father, all sitting and chatting. Komal had also come specifically to meet Sweta Didi.
I distributed the sweets to everyone, and then Meena Chachi and I found a place to sit, joining the conversation.
"Sweta Didi, should I choose art or science for my further studies?" Komal turned to her older cousin, her voice seeking guidance.
"Yes, Didi, you tell me, too, what you think I should do next," I leaned forward, interested in her answer.
"Yes, Sweta," Meena Chachi chimed in, pressing the point. "You are the oldest and most educated among all of us here. Now you must tell us what the best path is for both of them."
"First, give me your result sheets so I can look at the scores," Sweta Didi held out her hand, smiling.
We handed our results to Sweta Didi.
Sweta Didi carefully reviewed the marks, pausing and thinking deeply for a moment before giving her verdict. "Komal and Avi, both of you should take science subjects."
"Science?" I questioned, surprise in my voice, my eyes widening.
"Yes, I was also saying that Komal should take science," Neha Bua immediately jumped in, her voice sharp with judgment. "But Avi should definitely take art! He will never be able to study science; it’s too difficult. It's better to take art and at least pass than to take science and inevitably fail."
"Avi will also take science, Neha," Meena Chachi stiffened, defending me fiercely, a sudden heat rising in her face. "And I promise you, he will pass with very good marks."
Neha Bua instantly bristled at Chachi’s tone and was about to retaliate when Komal quickly interrupted.
"Didi, won't there be math in science?" Komal looked at Sweta Didi, worried about the subject. "I really want to go into a branch that doesn't include math."
"Yes, there will be math in science," Sweta Didi nodded patiently. "But first, tell me clearly what you want to become in the future, Komal."
"I want to become a doctor or a teacher," Komal declared, her face lighting up at the thought of those jobs.
"A doctor?" Sweta Didi smiled. "Then you absolutely must take science, but don't worry. You don't have to study math if you want to become a doctor. You should take biology. And Avi, your math score is clearly very good. You should take math, and you can easily become an engineer."
"I have no problem," I agreed readily, nodding. "I'll take math. But I think there is only an arts stream available in the village college."
"Then you both will go and study in the city college," Meena Chachi dismissed the problem instantly, waving her hand.
"Yes, there is a good science college in the district headquarters," Sweta Didi confirmed the solution. "Take admission there. You can travel to the city every day by bus. You'll reach the city in about thirty minutes by bus."
"We'll have to go by bus every single day?" Komal frowned slightly, thinking of the trouble.
"Yes, it seems so," I nodded, already thinking of the inconvenience of public transport.
"You'll either have to go by bus or take a rented room there," Sweta Didi offered the only other option.
"Avi won't go by bus," Meena Chachi jumped in, her tone dismissive of the public transport option. "He will go by bike every day."
"Where is this bike, Mami?" Sital looked up, surprised, asking the question everyone was thinking.
"In the happiness of Avi passing his exams, we are buying a brand new bike just for Avi," Meena Chachi glanced pointedly at Neha Bua before answering.
"You're actually buying a bike... for Avi?" Neha Bua gasped, her eyes wide with shock and jealousy.
"Yes, we are," Meena Chachi gave a tight, satisfied nod.
"That's wonderful news!" Sweta Didi saw the silver lining quickly. "Avi can take Komal on the bike. Both of you will go to college together, won't you, Avi?"
"Yes, we'll go to college together, side-by-side," I grinned at Komal, happy at the thought. I realized I was getting a bike just for coming in eighth place, while Komal had gotten nothing for coming in first!
"Dad, I came in first place in the whole college," Komal turned to her father, her eyes pleading urgently. "I also want something special! Just like Mami is giving Avi a bike, I want a laptop for my studies."
"Okay, my girl," Kavita's father smiled warmly at his daughter. "You can certainly have one."
Komal was ecstatic, bouncing in her seat. She would get a laptop!
"This is perfect!" Sweta Didi clapped her hands together once. "Avi has a bike, and Komal has a laptop. You'll travel to college on the bike and can study together using the laptop!"
"Didi, I'm taking biology, and Avi is taking math," Komal brought up a practical point, looking confused. "How can we study together when our subjects are different?"
"Only one or two major subjects are different," Sweta Didi waved the concern away gently. "The rest of the subjects will be the same for both science streams. And yes, you two should go to the college quickly and get your admission forms."
"I'll go tomorrow and check if the college forms are out or not," I promised, looking forward to it.
"Admission will start in two or three days," Sital chuckled, leaning back. "First, you get the bike, Avi. Then, you take all of us for a ride on it. After that, you can go to college. Right, Didi?"
"Yes, Sital said it right," Sweta Didi agreed, smiling.
"Why not?" I laughed, excited by the thought of the bike and the ride. "I'll take everyone for a ride on my new bike!"
We continued talking for a while longer, discussing the college and the bike. Afterward, Chachi and I went to Neeta Bua’s house to give her sweets. Then Chachi and I came home.
---
We went inside Pooja Bua's house. The living room was crowded with Komal, Kavita, Neha Bua, and Kavita's father, all sitting and chatting. Komal had also come specifically to meet Sweta Didi.
I distributed the sweets to everyone, and then Meena Chachi and I found a place to sit, joining the conversation.
"Sweta Didi, should I choose art or science for my further studies?" Komal turned to her older cousin, her voice seeking guidance.
"Yes, Didi, you tell me, too, what you think I should do next," I leaned forward, interested in her answer.
"Yes, Sweta," Meena Chachi chimed in, pressing the point. "You are the oldest and most educated among all of us here. Now you must tell us what the best path is for both of them."
"First, give me your result sheets so I can look at the scores," Sweta Didi held out her hand, smiling.
We handed our results to Sweta Didi.
Sweta Didi carefully reviewed the marks, pausing and thinking deeply for a moment before giving her verdict. "Komal and Avi, both of you should take science subjects."
"Science?" I questioned, surprise in my voice, my eyes widening.
"Yes, I was also saying that Komal should take science," Neha Bua immediately jumped in, her voice sharp with judgment. "But Avi should definitely take art! He will never be able to study science; it’s too difficult. It's better to take art and at least pass than to take science and inevitably fail."
"Avi will also take science, Neha," Meena Chachi stiffened, defending me fiercely, a sudden heat rising in her face. "And I promise you, he will pass with very good marks."
Neha Bua instantly bristled at Chachi’s tone and was about to retaliate when Komal quickly interrupted.
"Didi, won't there be math in science?" Komal looked at Sweta Didi, worried about the subject. "I really want to go into a branch that doesn't include math."
"Yes, there will be math in science," Sweta Didi nodded patiently. "But first, tell me clearly what you want to become in the future, Komal."
"I want to become a doctor or a teacher," Komal declared, her face lighting up at the thought of those jobs.
"A doctor?" Sweta Didi smiled. "Then you absolutely must take science, but don't worry. You don't have to study math if you want to become a doctor. You should take biology. And Avi, your math score is clearly very good. You should take math, and you can easily become an engineer."
"I have no problem," I agreed readily, nodding. "I'll take math. But I think there is only an arts stream available in the village college."
"Then you both will go and study in the city college," Meena Chachi dismissed the problem instantly, waving her hand.
"Yes, there is a good science college in the district headquarters," Sweta Didi confirmed the solution. "Take admission there. You can travel to the city every day by bus. You'll reach the city in about thirty minutes by bus."
"We'll have to go by bus every single day?" Komal frowned slightly, thinking of the trouble.
"Yes, it seems so," I nodded, already thinking of the inconvenience of public transport.
"You'll either have to go by bus or take a rented room there," Sweta Didi offered the only other option.
"Avi won't go by bus," Meena Chachi jumped in, her tone dismissive of the public transport option. "He will go by bike every day."
"Where is this bike, Mami?" Sital looked up, surprised, asking the question everyone was thinking.
"In the happiness of Avi passing his exams, we are buying a brand new bike just for Avi," Meena Chachi glanced pointedly at Neha Bua before answering.
"You're actually buying a bike... for Avi?" Neha Bua gasped, her eyes wide with shock and jealousy.
"Yes, we are," Meena Chachi gave a tight, satisfied nod.
"That's wonderful news!" Sweta Didi saw the silver lining quickly. "Avi can take Komal on the bike. Both of you will go to college together, won't you, Avi?"
"Yes, we'll go to college together, side-by-side," I grinned at Komal, happy at the thought. I realized I was getting a bike just for coming in eighth place, while Komal had gotten nothing for coming in first!
"Dad, I came in first place in the whole college," Komal turned to her father, her eyes pleading urgently. "I also want something special! Just like Mami is giving Avi a bike, I want a laptop for my studies."
"Okay, my girl," Kavita's father smiled warmly at his daughter. "You can certainly have one."
Komal was ecstatic, bouncing in her seat. She would get a laptop!
"This is perfect!" Sweta Didi clapped her hands together once. "Avi has a bike, and Komal has a laptop. You'll travel to college on the bike and can study together using the laptop!"
"Didi, I'm taking biology, and Avi is taking math," Komal brought up a practical point, looking confused. "How can we study together when our subjects are different?"
"Only one or two major subjects are different," Sweta Didi waved the concern away gently. "The rest of the subjects will be the same for both science streams. And yes, you two should go to the college quickly and get your admission forms."
"I'll go tomorrow and check if the college forms are out or not," I promised, looking forward to it.
"Admission will start in two or three days," Sital chuckled, leaning back. "First, you get the bike, Avi. Then, you take all of us for a ride on it. After that, you can go to college. Right, Didi?"
"Yes, Sital said it right," Sweta Didi agreed, smiling.
"Why not?" I laughed, excited by the thought of the bike and the ride. "I'll take everyone for a ride on my new bike!"
We continued talking for a while longer, discussing the college and the bike. Afterward, Chachi and I went to Neeta Bua’s house to give her sweets. Then Chachi and I came home.
---
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