First Meeting

Sameer Mohammad looked at himself in the mirror. He looked nice in his Cornwall uniform, he thought. He adjusted his spectacles and brushed his hair. His uniform were dark gray trousers, white shirt with the monogram, red and grey tie, black belt, clean white socks and black shoes. His trunk was also there packed with his name on it. Apart from rain clothes and winter clothes there were plain white trousers with the yellow Caldwell shirt. Sameer and his father loaded the trunk in the boot of the small car. Sameer took one last look at his apartment, and felt a bit guilty at not feeling sorry on leaving it.

"I am building my career," he told himself, though he could not in the world imagine how a good education at Cornwall would help him in his football career.

They drove to the station, and as usual were late, as the train was about to set off. The trunk was loaded in the train and Sameer was told that it would be taken to his room. As he had come late most of the compartments were already occupied. Sameer opened one compartment, and he saw Farnaz, the girl he had talked with on the day of the interview. She was busy conversing with two students, a boy and a girl who looked very much like each other.

"Hi," Sameer greeted.

Farnaz returned the greeting and turning to the two other students said, Farzan, Dania, this is Sameer Mohammad. Sameer, these are Farzan and Dania Talib. They are twin brother and sisters.

"What does your father do?" Sameer started with his usual attacking attitude. He always asked this question, because once he had made friends with a boy whose father turned out to be a drug smuggler. Ever since that incident Sameer had made it a point to ask every boy's father's profession. From the look of Farzan face, he guessed that he hadn't asked the right question, at least not at the right time.

"He is a chartered accountant," Dania replied.

There was a silence. Sameer vainly tried to involve Farzan in some conversation, but he kept on answering in monosyllables. Since all efforts were in vain, Sameer chose a corner, and spent his time there reading a book.

"What are you reading?" asked Dania at last.

"Macbeth," answered Sameer.

"Shakespeare?" asked Farnaz in disbelief.

"Yup. I am very fond of his plays."

"Amazing. I can never understand Shakespeare.'

"You are a boring person if you can't enjoy Shakespeare," stated Sameer with confidence.

"Aren't you saying it all wrong?"

"You are the boring person, who reads Shakespeare," protested Dania with a grin.

AT LEAST THEY ARE TALKING NOW.

Rather pleased with his success in making them chat, Sameer said something that didn't please the others at all.

"I have the ability to enjoy Shakespeare with a sense of humor, something which you boneheads do not possess."

Farzan was obviously offended and said nothing after this. The time was ticking by pleasantly for Sameer, when a woman entered.

"Hello children," she greeted.

"No lessons on the train," requested Sameer.

"Of course," she nodded. "I am Nadia Zia, your English teacher and the head of Caldwell house."

"What is Caldwell?" inquired Sameer.

"It's the house you are in."

"Oh yeah."

"Have you four met your classmates?" asked Nadia.

"No."

"don't want to," said Sameer.

"Why not?"

"Would be better to finish Macbeth."

"You are reading Macbeth?" asked Nadia surprised.

"Yes. I just love Shakespeare's plays," said Sameer with an exaggerated air.

Dania rolled up her eyes. She could tell that Sameer was a flatterer.

A BORING IDIOT, she thought.

Nadia smiled. "You have great literary taste."

HE PROBABLY HASN'T EVEN READ ONE PAGE, thought Farzan.