Ugh! Math

The thought of Mathematics, which is as complicated as a jigsaw puzzle, with all its "x" and 'y's and 'a's and 'b's, had always given me a kind of nausea, when I was young. I was never prepared to do the work, when I was given one, to be done at home by my Maths teacher.

We used to call him "Muttac Cauli" - the hen which is capable of laying eggs because he had a habit of marking our note-books with big 'O's against each one, which went wrong. I was often one of the (special groups of) pupils, who needed "Individual Care", in my teacher's opinion, and one of those who, usually, got more than seven 'O's out of ten. This made me sick of Mathematics.

After several personal warnings, our teacher, who was fed up of my performance, took the last action of informing my father, who usually maintained a kind of military atmosphere regarding studies. To add to my misery my brother was better than I, in the art of solving Mathematical problems.

My father was furious about my position in maths and from then onwards my real "hard times" started. Everyday at night, I and my brother had to sit for at least two hours, exploring the field of Maths to find answers to various kinds of Mathematical exercises, invented and set by my father for the betterment of the two of us. Since he would not move an inch, but hang around the same room, for which I had developed a hatred. I dislike if even now after I have given birth to children of my own. It was impossible for us to escape from the hell of doing this nonsense.

Once, after a hard day's work at school and in the evening class, I was dog tired and badly needed an early sleep, but the monster my father was there. This made me to think and discover a way to avoid the regular pattern of work. I started with severe stomach pain, the cure of which was beyond the reach of the traditional ginger treatment. Any way, my plan to win the mercy of my father worked very well.

My mother, who was clever enough to understand the root cause of the problem sympathised with my plight. At last, to get rid of all the 'pains' I was allowed to go to bed a little earlier on that day. Thanks to my brain.

Ms. Wazeera Hassan, Mawanella.