Abdul Kalam

Two young boys, very much less than the age of teens had been singing nice songs in a bus and collected money from the passengers. One of them was tall and lean while the next was very small and young with an innocent looking, handsome face. May be attracted by his nature and appearance, an old passenger called the small boy closer to him and asked whether he would like to come with him to work in his house and he would be paid double the earning that he obtained from this work, singing in the bus.
The boy abruptly refused and said that he was going to study. He further said that he wanted to be a scientist like Abdul Kalam. Not only the passenger but also others around the place laughed at him and ridiculed for his words.
When everything subsided I called the boy and asked whether he knew the things that he should do to become Abdul kalam. He said “NO “. I took him along with me to my working place and told him this is called University and you should study here to become a scientist and if he wanted to come here he should study in the school and should get very good marks.
He was looking around the office with cupboards, files and books and felt sad. He went away with sad face as he did not expect his desire was so much hard to achieve.
Tracing his house through my assistant and knowing the details of this ill-fated boy, I arranged a job for his mother in the canteen of the university. With the help of Up Country Traders Woman Forum in Bambalapitya, I was able to find him a good school, provided good clothes needed and made arrangements to go to the school.
After a couple of weeks, I was waiting with my daughter in the car to see the boy while entering the school. I saw him coming like a rich child carries a nice bag and walking briskly into the gate of the school. My daughter asked me who that boy is. I said “Abdul kalam”.