“Sara, I can’t believe you can be this selfish. Your grandmother was asking for water, but you were ignoring her just because of your game. I was praying, couldn’t you answer her? You are so selfish and don’t care about anyone,” her mother scolded.

Sara replied carelessly, “Hmm! I will be more careful next time.”

The next day at school, after the assembly the principal announced, “Someone had stolen my watch from my table and that person will be suspended.”

Everyone was shocked after listening to this and started mumbling about who it could be.

The principal continued, “It was stolen yesterday afternoon. The staff will check all of your bags. Now go back to your classes.”

“Sara, what do you think, who it could be?” her friend asked.

“I don’t know, the watch belonged to the principal, not me, so why should I care? But I think she should have been more careful in the first place!” Sara said carelessly.

While in the classrooms, teachers were checking the bags. Upon looking inside Sara’s bag, her teacher was shocked.

“What is this Sara? The watch is inside your bag! I didn’t expect it from you,” her teacher said as she looked at Sara in disappointment.

Sara was startled and exclaimed quickly, “No! How could it be? I didn’t steal it and I don’t know how it came inside my bag.”

“Stop giving excuses and let’s go to the principal’s office,” the teacher announced.

At the principal’s office, Sara pleaded, “Ma’am I didn’t steal it. And I don’t know how this watch came in my bag. If I had stolen it, why would I bring it to school?”

Her teacher interrupted, “You may have forgotten to take it out.”

Sara felt helpless and started to cry, “This is the first time I am crying in school as my reputation is at stake. What I’ll get by stealing your watch?”

Her principal was also shocked since Sara didn’t seem to be the type of person who would steal something. She sent the girl back to her class while taking time to think about the decision.

As Sara entered her class, everyone looked at her with suspicion, even her very close friends. She sat at her desk and wiped her tears.

One of the girls said, “No need to cry now, just admit it!”

It was enough for Sara. She shouted, “I am not crying because I did it; I am crying because I didn’t do it!”

Everyone was staring at her in disbelief.

Sara paused and remembered something. She turned to a girl named Muntaha, “Remember, yesterday I was with the cats in the garden until my van came and I didn’t go to the principal’s office. You were also there, remember?”

Muntaha had been sitting silently all this while. She remembered how at one time when she was in the sick room and her mother was searching for her everywhere. Sara, despite knowing it, didn’t tell her that she was in the sick room. Her mother was exhausted and very worried. Sara still didn’t bother to tell her mother the truth. And there were many other situations when Sara showed her utter selfishness. All of it crossed Muntaha’s mind in a flash as Sara turned to her for help.

Sara spoke forcefully instead of politely asking, “Muntaha, it’s the question of my character. Come on, tell them, otherwise I will be known as a thief.”

Muntaha responded, “Why do you need my help? Prove your innocence yourself. Since you don’t care about anyone, why should I care?”

Sara was annoyed. She shouted at her and everyone, and sulked silently for the rest of the day.

At home time, Sara was called by her principal and was handed a suspension letter. She was told to bring evidence to prove her innocence in three days, otherwise she would be terminated.

When Sara reached home, seeing her mother, she started crying.

Her mum asked with concern, “What happened Sara, why are you crying? Come here.” Her mum hugged her. Sara kept crying as she told her everything.

“So you have a witness — Muntaha — but she didn’t want to help you because you didn’t help her mother. Is that right?” her mother asked.

“Yes!” Sara replied.

Her mother continued, “I think you need to apologise to Muntaha. And if you don’t, just swap that situation with you and me. And think about how would you feel then? You often show carelessness and selfishness towards your friends and people around you, so now how could you expect someone to help you in your time difficulty? Remember that the things you give to others will one day return to you.”

Sara said, “You are right, it’s all making sense now. But why should I say sorry to her?”

Her mum smiled sarcastically and explained, “Now it’s your ego talking! If you have realised your mistake, why shouldn’t you say sorry?”

“Ok mum. I will try to stop being selfish and egotistic. I will say sorry to Muntaha,” Sara said while getting up to change.

Later, Sara called Muntaha and said, “I couldn’t understand you at that time, but I have realised a lot now. Forgive me. Although it’s your choice to be my witness or not, but I regret my actions in the past. I know this all is coming back to me. I am sorry from the bottom of my heart.” After this Sara hung up.

Sara made up her mind that she would go to school and apologise to everyone about her actions in the past, and would also accept her termination letter as a lesson for all her other mistakes, but not for the stealing.

At school the next day, after the assembly, the principal walked to the front and said, “Sara is clear from the accusation of stealing the watch. Her classmate Muntaha came up to vouch for Sara not being near my office.

“Someone else has been found to be the culprit as he was seen stealing it by a person who reported it to us. The reality is that this watch was stolen by the newly-appointed gardener who came to water the plants in my room. But going out from the room, he suspected someone must have seen him. He dumped the watch in Sara’s bag, who was outside playing with the cat.”

After the assembly, Sara ran to Muntaha and hugged her.

“I have forgiven you. Don’t worry, but next time don’t be selfish and rude to anyone,” Muntaha said with a smile on her face.

Published in Dawn, Young World, January 27th, 2024