While I was a kid and growing up, I thought I am the one child every parent would like to have. I am the kind of kid every parent asks his/her child to be. Reason, I never fought with anyone, I never snatched chocolates from another kid's hand, I never ran away refusing to come back, I never wrote on anyone's white shirt, I rarely did anything which would annoy my parents. My wrong doings were limited only to distaste of food, occasional obstinateness over some toys and some harmless things. I thought this is how everyone should be. And those who were not, were bad boys and had unfortunate parents.
Few years later the definitions of the bad boy changed. They used to throw chalks at each other, call names, cheat comfortably in small exams, argue with teachers, tease friends, and a lot of things I can't recall. There parents often got called and were let known that their son(forgive gender discrimination, I have practically been in boys schools here, here and here, until now) wasn't being good. I silently felt proud of not letting my parents go through the humiliation. I wasn't one of them, but many of my friends were. I had started to see the fun in what they did. I could vicariously feel the pleasure they derived. But probably I didn't dare be like them.
Now I can say that we are grown ups, and personality and character wise we have quite become what we will be for times to come. Now when I look around to find out who are the interesting ones in the lot, I realize most of them are the bad boys. When 4 guys sit together and talk about their school days 95% of the talk is about how they gave the authorities a hard time. How they bunked school, how they came back jumping walls, how they avoided home work, even how they were beaten up and were still laughing before the executor. Most of the lines which I say in such meetings start with "you know in school my friend did...", "some guys in my neighborhood used to...". I don't have a story of my own, I didn't do any such thing as I was busy being the good boy.
And its not just about we telling stories about each other. When you meet a school teacher after years, either he will remember you as the class topper, or as a naughty little kid. Other wise you are just another character from the drama played long ago. And when he talks about a naughty kid, he will not be angry on him anymore, he will have a hearty laugh about those times. Perhaps teachers also don't take the stupid mischiefs to their heart. Maybe at some levels they enjoy it too, at least in retrospect. I should have known it then.
This is true at least for the parents. Unless you were daily visitor to the principals office and your diary was full of expulsion threats, any pranks would only give your parents memories for ever. Incidents which they will refer to when talking about you, or to you all your life. "how funny it was, when he used to run to the guests to show them his new underwear", "remember how he used to come home all dirty" There are 100's of examples you can think of and your parents won't wish any of them never happened. They will love it anyway. I should have known it then.
Maybe I could have afforded living a different life...
Few years later the definitions of the bad boy changed. They used to throw chalks at each other, call names, cheat comfortably in small exams, argue with teachers, tease friends, and a lot of things I can't recall. There parents often got called and were let known that their son(forgive gender discrimination, I have practically been in boys schools here, here and here, until now) wasn't being good. I silently felt proud of not letting my parents go through the humiliation. I wasn't one of them, but many of my friends were. I had started to see the fun in what they did. I could vicariously feel the pleasure they derived. But probably I didn't dare be like them.
Now I can say that we are grown ups, and personality and character wise we have quite become what we will be for times to come. Now when I look around to find out who are the interesting ones in the lot, I realize most of them are the bad boys. When 4 guys sit together and talk about their school days 95% of the talk is about how they gave the authorities a hard time. How they bunked school, how they came back jumping walls, how they avoided home work, even how they were beaten up and were still laughing before the executor. Most of the lines which I say in such meetings start with "you know in school my friend did...", "some guys in my neighborhood used to...". I don't have a story of my own, I didn't do any such thing as I was busy being the good boy.
And its not just about we telling stories about each other. When you meet a school teacher after years, either he will remember you as the class topper, or as a naughty little kid. Other wise you are just another character from the drama played long ago. And when he talks about a naughty kid, he will not be angry on him anymore, he will have a hearty laugh about those times. Perhaps teachers also don't take the stupid mischiefs to their heart. Maybe at some levels they enjoy it too, at least in retrospect. I should have known it then.
This is true at least for the parents. Unless you were daily visitor to the principals office and your diary was full of expulsion threats, any pranks would only give your parents memories for ever. Incidents which they will refer to when talking about you, or to you all your life. "how funny it was, when he used to run to the guests to show them his new underwear", "remember how he used to come home all dirty" There are 100's of examples you can think of and your parents won't wish any of them never happened. They will love it anyway. I should have known it then.
Maybe I could have afforded living a different life...
