The 30 rupee Ice-cream(Khushi) “It's okay, Saku, this ride won't last long! Close your eyes.” I heard Sanjana shout into my ears even though we were sitting beside each other. Well, there is no other option if you want to talk with the noise of this stupid machinery along with the shrieks and shouts of all the crazy kids in the background. It took a little time before her words could sink in. Closing my eyes... That would definitely help the churning in my stomach. I sat for the rest of the ride with my eyes closed clutching the rod before me. Sanjana was rubbing my back. I heard her murmuring “it's okay” a few times. I knew that she was looking at me. She didn’t seem to mind or even care about the ride. “Thank you.” I said softly. I rarely used the magic words. I don’t know if she ever heard it.

Finally, the stupid machine slowed down a bit and stopped. I opened my eyes and we got down from the ride. Sanjana looked at me. I smiled at her. I know she was going to ask me if I was alright, but before she could an announcement was made, “All students of Saint Jacobs to assemble to their teachers immediately.”

Normally we would have ignored the announcement for a while but I wasn’t feeling well so we walked to the garden where we were to assemble. The garden was full of kids in blue-black uniforms. Everyone was talking and chattering so much that my head was aching.

“Hey, Sanju!”
We turned to see Muskan. She was smiling as usual and was having ice-cream.
“Hi” Sanjana and I said in a chorus. Muskan started laughing and both of us joined in. I had never understood, why did we laugh so much at nothing with friends?
“Muskan, even I want ice-cream.” I said.
“There’s a stall at the right of the gate. It costs 30 rupees.”
“Okay we will be right back.”

We went to the stall.
“You aren’t well. You shouldn’t eat..” Sanjana started speaking.
“You aren’t my mother.”
I turned to the vendor. “Please gimme two chocolate cornettos.”
He handed me the cornettos and I gave him a hundred rupees note. I waited for him to give me the change but he didn’t do so.
“Return me 40 rupees. The ice cream costs thirty each, right?”
“No, its 50.”
“But my friend just bought it for 30. The MRP is also 30.”
He made an odd head movement which neither looked like a nod nor like a shake.
“Are you giving it for 30 or not?”
“No”
“Then I’m not buying any.”
I returned him the ice cream and took my money from him.

We were about to leave when another group of six boys came to the stall.
“Do you have cornettos?” one of them asked.
The vendor nodded, “50 each.”
“With a MRP of 30. And a friend of mine just bought it for 30.” I added.
“It doesn’t matter. Fifty isn’t costly.”
“Fifty isn’t costly but you are fools to get cheated so easily. Are you just wearing uniforms or do you really go to school?” Sanjana mocked.
“Look..”
But before he could say something Sanjana continued, “Don’t teach me. I know I’m right.”
The boy didn’t care to reply and turned to his friends, “Lets go.”
“Hey! Take it for 30.” The vendor called.

That day I realized that the vendor was poor and needed to make money but that didn’t mean what he did was right. Only a small sum of money was involved but it did matter. Today there are so many things happening in our society which are wrong, illegal and even inhumane. Change is certainly required. We need to start from changing the smallest to the greatest evil. If a school kid can bring a small change, then an elder person can bring about a bigger change. It’s the time to turn over a new leaf and try to do something, anything to make things better.

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