Miss Chingnou Cycle by Ding Khuptong
Her name was Miss Chingnou, she was Paite and she taught me in junior school. She cycled to school, on a beautiful bike crafted in India , and then on entering the school gate would hand over the graceful machine to anyone of us eager boys who would rush forward to park it for her.
It was a privilege when Miss Chingnou handed her bicycle to you. One day Siamboi stood at the gate. Siamboi was a hunchback. We laughed, “Move out of the way, Siamboi, Miss Chingnou is going to enter!”
Miss Chingnou drove in and we all rushed offering our little hands to her. But Miss Chingnou looked past us all. “Will you park it for me?” she called out. We looked back to see who it was and were horrified to see it was towards Siamboi that Miss Chingnou was taking her precious bike. “I don’t think so Miss Chingnou!” stammered Siamboi.
“Why you lazy fellow!” said Miss Chingnou playfully, “You don’t want to help your class teacher, do you?”. “Of course I want to, Miss Chingnou!” whispered Siamboi, “but I might drop your cycle!”. “If you drop it you pick it up!” said the teacher with a sweet smile I’d never seen her ever give us.
Saying that she thrust her cycle into Siamboi’s trembling hands and without looking to see how he’d manage, but pretending she had the greatest confidence in his parking abilities, turned and marched to class.
We watched Siamboi as he held her lovely machine. We held our breaths as we thought it was going to fall. Muamuan rushed to help. “Leave it!” hissed Siamboi and we all fell back, then watched as he straightened himself out. It seemed his hump disappeared as he drew himself up to his full height and then gingerly at first and then with growing confidence pushed Miss Chingnou’s cycle to the parking lot.
The school bell rang and we rushed to class. Siamboi was the last to enter, but we gasped; it was a different boy who walked in. Miss Chingnou didn’t even look at him, as he walked to her and handed her the keys. She took it from his hand and carried on with the roll call.
From that day Siamboi changed completely. It seemed his hunch disappeared at least that’s what we felt had happened. He answered all the questions, his grades rocketed and the most beautiful smile started appearing on his face. It was obvious Miss Chingnou had seen beyond his hunch back and had drawn the real Siamboi out. Maybe that night when he looked into the mirror he saw the boy Miss Chingnou had seen. He stood a bit taller and felt a little more special. From that day Siamboi topped the class!
I remembered Miss Chingnou today as I thought of the number of Siambois we meet in our daily life — men and women, boys and girls who carry a hump on their back. All they need is for you to see beyond their hunchback, all they want is you holding your precious bicycle out to them, showing you have confidence in their abilities!
God did it when he looked beyond the physical features of David’s brothers, we can do it too!