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The Intention: A Tale of The Security Guard & School Gate

“Our limited understanding overshadowed our noble intentions, leading to irreparable actions.”

One fine morning, Rishi was sleeping. His mother tried to wake him up for school. She prepared his lunch, ironed his clothes, and set everything in his school bag so he would reach school on time. Rishi woke up after a long struggle in bed with his sleep. He got ready and had his breakfast. He hopped into the car quickly, and his mother drove him to school. She parked the car beside the school gate. 

At 6:59, with the gates about to close, Rishi’s mother, fuelled by determination, made a quick decision. She grabbed his bag and instructed him to run towards the entrance. They arrived just as the security guard was closing it. The guard informed them it was 7:00 am, and they could not enter. Undeterred, Rishi’s mother pleaded with him to let him in. The security guard denied her request and was about to lock the gate. Rishi’s mother, her determination unwavering, grips the gate handle and pushes it. The security guard reiterated calmly and said that the students cannot enter after 7, so don’t force it. She never listened to him, shoved the gate, and let the Rishi inside. Rishi got inside, and he dashed, smiling at his mother. She waved him goodbye and looked at the security guard with dire eyes, her last act of defiance a triumph in the face of rules. 

‘Don’t mess up next time. You are just a security guard; don’t fuss about your work,’ she said.

The security guard grinned. He said, ‘I was following the rules. You are the one who grumbled about it. Your son got inside today even though he was late. But what he witnessed today was his mother’s act, which allowed her child to engage in wrongful acts instead of obeying the rules. He may learn good things in school, but it starts with his parents teaching him the right actions, which didn’t happen today.’

She never said a word and left from there. 

Although getting inside, Rishi got late and couldn’t mark his class attendance on time. The teacher asked him to stay outside the class as a punishment. Rishi requested the teacher to let him in, but his teacher refused. He looked at his friends and felt embarrassed. Rishi stands outside the class for the entire period. He felt uneasy standing outside as he missed the lecture. While standing there, Rishi thought that if he had reached the school on time, the guard would not have punished him for being late. While he was thinking, the other schoolmates looked, making fun of and teasing him. Rishi was ashamed. He had never been in this awkward situation before. One boy touched and poked him on his bum and started laughing. Rishi gets angry and slaps one fellow schoolmate. The teacher passing by caught Rishi fighting with another student. The teacher took him to his principal and told him about Rishi, how he had been late today, and while on punishment, he fought with another student. On that day, the principal madam told Rishi to bring his parents tomorrow and told Rishi to stand outside the class for the whole day. 

Rishi came home, lay down, and was quiet. His mother asked, ‘How was your day?’

He said nothing. Mrs Khatri asked again, ‘You seem tired. Is everything OK?’

He looked at his mother, got up, and embraced her. He said, ‘Mom, I stood the entire day outside the class. I had attended no lesson today.

‘Why?’

‘I arrived at the class, and my teacher was already there. She didn’t allow me to enter the class. I got the punishment for that period to stay outside the class. While I was standing, a few students teased me. I got angry and hit one of them. The teacher brought me to the principal’s office.’ He continues, ‘The principal, madam, asked me to bring you to school tomorrow.’ He starts crying.

She said, ‘Don’t worry, Rishi. I will come with you. Let’s have dinner and rest.’

The next day, she was in the principal’s room with Rishi. The principal said, ‘I heard your son wasn’t punctual—late for class, and then he fought with other students. Do you want to say anything?’

‘Madam, I know he was late yesterday, and the teachers punished him.’ But the students were teasing him. He shouldn’t have fought with them; he could have told the teachers. I am sorry for his behaviour.’

‘Please remember that we won’t tolerate this behaviour next time.’ You may leave now, Mrs Khatri.’

Mrs Khatri got angry with Rishi. Once she exited the school campus, she scolded: ‘I don’t want your more complaints, Rishi. This is the last warning from me.’ She dropped her back to her class and told him to behave appropriately. When she reached the school gate, she saw the security guard again. She grabbed his collar furiously and shouted, ‘You shabby guard! Because of you, I was embarrassed in front of my son and the entire school. If you had allowed entry to my son on time, I wouldn’t have to see this day.’ Her anger towards the guard was a result of her embarrassment and frustration.

‘What did I do, misses? I was doing my duty.’

‘You know, what were you doing? You were trying to show your silly power to us, weren’t you?’

‘No, Misses, you are all taking this wrong.’

‘Don’t mess with me next time. I am cautioning you.’

‘I didn’t know what had happened inside, but if it may feel good to you, I am sorry if something happens because of me.’

‘Leave it, now. I don’t need you’re sorry.’ Mrs Khatri left.

A few days later, Mrs. Khatri was late picking up Rishi. She sent him a message through the teacher that she would come a bit late. Rishi was standing near the gate, waiting for his mother. The thought came to his mind that he could go home alone. Why would I wait for Mom? The sooner I reach, the more time I will have to play outside. He told the security guard that he was leaving. When my mother comes, you will tell her he has left for home already.

The security guard stopped Rishi and told him he couldn’t go alone. He should only go with his parents. Rishi didn’t listen. He ran away quickly. The guard saw him on the other side of the road, crossing the signal alone. He was worried about Rishi. He promptly left his guard duty and went behind him. After a few hundred meters, the guard sees Rishi. He went closer and tried to stop him. Finally, he held him and said, please don’t go alone. You may lose your way or get injured. Rishi didn’t listen. He runs fast. The guard tried to catch him, but he was slower than Rishi. But he continues behind Rishi. After some time, Rishi lost his way home. He arrived at some place he didn’t recognise, trying to remember his way home. He stopped there and looked at all the roads going on different paths.

Meanwhile, Rishi’s mother reached school. She looked for Rishi but never found him. She inquired at school. The teacher said, ‘Yes, we left him at the school gate and asked him to wait until your mother came. Also, we informed the guard to take care of him.’ Mrs Khatri got anxious. She said, ‘But there wasn’t any guard at the school gates; I had just come.’ Mrs Khatri left the school looking for Rishi. Her thoughts came as if the guard had done something to him. She has cursed herself that why would I fight with the guard? He would have done something to his son. The school teacher looked for Rishi on the whole campus. Mrs Khatri took her car and looked for him on the road.

When Rishi loses his way, he returns to the guard behind him and asks if he can help him drop him off at home. The guard instantly asks him about his address. Rishi gives details of his area, and the guard takes him to his house. Mrs Khatri, in a sad mood, returning to her house, saw Rishi from a few hundred meters away that Rishi entering the house. She also saw a school security guard near the house. She came close and stopped the car. Mrs Khatri quickly got out of the vehicle and called the guard, but by then, he had left and was away. 

She hesitantly looked for Rishi and found him at the house. Rishi was in the house and lying on the bed in his room. Mrs Khari approached her and said, ‘Rishi, where were you? I was looking for you at the school. Are you all right?’

‘I am alright, Mom,’  

‘Thank god you are fine, Rishi. But what was that security guard was doing here? Does he hurt you?’

‘No, Mom. He just dropped me off at the house.’ 

Rishi never got the courage to tell his mother that he left school alone and that the security guard had helped. But his mother assumes otherwise because of the events with the guard. She thinks the guard is a threat to his son. The next day, she complained about the guard in school and told us how risky that security guard was for her child and maybe for other children.

After the complaint, the school suspended the security guard from school duties. The security guard couldn’t prove his point to the school, and Mrs Khatri’s complaint caused him to lose his job. Later, the new security guard came for the school gate duty. 

After a few days, Mrs Khatri came to pick up his son and saw that security guard again. She came close to the guard and shouted, ‘You moron, why would you be behind me and my son? You tried to snatch my son. The school suspended you. How dare you come here again to this school now?’

‘What do you think of yourself, misses?’ The security guard’s tone conveyed exasperation as he yelled at Mrs Khatri. He continues, ‘You know your son left the school without you, alone that day. I was doing my duty. I was worried about him, so I chased him down the roads and brought him home safely. Anything thing could have happened to him. He was alone. You know what? A person like you always behaves this way with people who are in a lower position or are weak. You just assumed that my initial actions created an image of me and thought all my actions were terrible. I never intended to harm anyone, and it bothers me that you don’t think of my intentions other than awful. I am honestly doing my duty. I take care of children while they come in or go out of school, and I am responsible for those children. That day, when Rishi left, I was afraid he would lose his way. So I helped him to drop him off at his home. And what you did was you complained about me going to school. My honesty and sincerity cost me my job. And today, I came here to return my guard uniform. They replaced me with a new security guard.’

‘Mom, he was right. I am sorry. I left that day alone. And because of him, I reached the home safely,’ said Rishi.

The guard said, ‘You know, I showed full honesty in my duty. My actions are consistent with my intentions; both were right. You misunderstand my intentions, Mrs Khatri. I did not act to punish your son. I came to serve as a protector, wilfully did my duty—as a signpost of Integrity.’

Mrs Khatri felt terrible and left without saying a word to the guard. 

Later, Mrs Khatri told the school about the guard and how she was wrong about him. Rishi also told the teacher how security helped him when he was alone. After hearing this, the school gave the guard his job back. 

A few days later, Mrs Khatri dropped Rishi to school. She saw the same security guard on duty. She apologises to the security guard. 

Rishi hugged the security guard. The security guard smiled.

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