پ.ن. من متأسفانه اين روزا وقتم محدوده، داستان رُ مي خونم و همزمان ترجمه مي کنم. اگه اشکال تايپي داره به بزرگي خودتون ببخشيد، چون واقعاً به بازبيني ش نميرسم.
همون طور که در همون روزاي اول مدرسه، جلوي کلاس پنجم ايستاد، به بچه ها خلاف واقعيت رُ گفت. مثل همه ي معلم هاي ديگه به شاگردانش نگاه کرد و گفت همه شون رُ مثل هم دوست داره. اگرچه اين غيرممکن بود، چون در رديف اول کسي که در صندلي فرو رفته بود پسر بچه اي بود به اسم تدي ستودارد.
خانوم تامپسون، تدي رُ سال پيش ديده بود و متوجه شده بود که اون خيلي با بچه هاي ديگه بازي نمي کنه و لباس هاش هميشه کثيف هستن و هميشه به حمام احتياج داره! به علاوه تدي مي تونست ناخوشايند باشه.
اين به نقطه اي رسيد که خانوم تامپسون در علامت زدن برگه ش با يه خودکار قرمز پهن، نوشتن يه X پر رنگ (خط زدن صفحه) و قرار دادن يه F بزرگ در بالاي صفحه (مخفف False = غلط، اشتباه) احساس لذت مي کرد. در مدرسه جايي که خانوم تامپسوت تدريس مي کرد، ازش خواسته شد که يادداشت هاي قديمي هر دانش آموز رُ مورد بازبيني قرار بده و مالِ تدي رُ عقب انداخت، تا آخرين ش. اگرچه وقتي پرونده ش رُ خوند، شگفت زده شد.
معلم کلاس اول تدي نوشته بود: تدي يه بچه ي باهوشه که هميشه لبخند رو لبشه. کارها (تکاليف) ش رُ خيلي تميز انجام ميده و رفتار خيلي خوبي داره. بودن ش باعث شادي و مسرته.
معلم کلاس دوم ش نوشته بود که تدي يه دانش آموز ممتازه، با همکلاسي هاش خوب ارتباط برقرار مي کنه، اما آزار ميبينه چون مادرش در دوره ي نهايي يک بيماري هست و زندگي در خونه بايد با کشمکش همراه باشه.
معلم کلاس سوم ش نوشته بود: مرگ مادر تدي براش سخت بود. اون سعي مي کنه بهترين کار رُ انجام بده اما پدرش خيلي علاقه نشون نميده و زندگي خونه به طودي روش تأثير مي ذاره اگه واسه ش قدم هايي برداشته نشه.
معلم کلاس چهارم ش نوشته بود: تدي عقب نشيني کرده و علاقه ي چنداني به مدرسه نشون نميده. دوستان زيادي نداره و گاهي اوقات سر کلاس خوابش ميبره.
در اين موقع بود که خانوم تامپسون مشکل رُ درک کرد و از خودش شرمنده شد. حتا احساس خيلي بدتري داشت زماني که دانش آموزانش براش هديه ي کريسمس، کادو شده با روبان هاي روشن و کاغذ آوردن، به جز هديه ي تدي. هديه ي اون بدترکيب بود و با کاغذ قهوه اي زمختي کادو گرفته شده بود که مال بسته بندي اجناس بقالي هست. خانوم تامپسون رنجد کشيد از اينکه اون رُ بين باقي هديه ها باز کنه.
بعضي از بچه ها شروع کردن به خنديدن وقتي چيزي که ديدن يه دستبند سنگ مصنوعي بود که چند تا سنگش گم شده بود و يه شيشه عطر که فقط يک چهارمش پر بود. اما خانوم تامپسوت خنده ي بچه ها رُ خاموش کرد وقتي با تعجب فرياد زد چه دستبند قشنگي، اونو دستش کرد و مقداري عطر به مچ دستش زد. تدي ستودارد اون روز به اندازه اي بعد از مدرسه موند که بگه «خانوم تامپسون، امروز شما بويي رُ مي دادين که مادرم ميداد». وقتي دانش آموزها رفتن، خانوم تامپسون مدت طولاني گريه کرد.
در همون روزهاي اول، خانوم تامپسون، آموزش خوندن، نوشتن و حساب رُ ترک کرد. به جاش شروع کرد به بچه ها چيزهايي رُ ياد بده. خانوم تامپسون توجه مخصوصي به تدي داشت. با کار کردن با هم، به نظر ميرسيد ذهن تدي داره دوباره زنده ميشه. هر چي بيشتر تشويق و دلگرم ش ميکرد، سريع تر جواب ميداد. تا پايان سال، تدي شده بود يکي از باهوش ترين بچه هاي کلاس. و برخلاف دروغ ش که همه ي بچه ها رُ به يک اندازه دوست داره، تدي سوگلي ش شده بود.
يک سال بعد، يادداشتي رُ زير در از تدي پيدا کرد که مي گفت هنوز بهترين معلمي بوده که تو عمرش داشته.
شش سال گذشت تا نامه ي ديگه اي از تدي دريافت کنه. نوشته بود، در اون زمان، که دبيرستان رُ تموم کرده - نفر سوم تو کلاس شون. و هنوز خانوم تامپسون بهترين معلمي هست که در سرتاسر عمرش داشته.
چهار سال بعد که يه يادداشت ديگه ازش رسيد ميگفت، با اينکه که همه چيز سخت تر شده، هنوز در حال تحصيله، و به اين کار چسبيده و به زودي با بالاترين امتياز فارغ التحصيل ميشه. به خانوم تامپسون بازم اطمينان داده بود که اون همچنان بهترين و مورد علاقه ترين معلمي بوده که در کل زندگي ش داشته.
چهار سال ديگه هم گذشت، و باز يه نامه رسيد. در اين موقع توضيح داده بود که بعد از گرفتن مدرک ليسانس ش، دوست داره يه کم بيشتر بره جلو. نامه توضيح داده بود که همچنان خانوم تامپسون بهترين و محبوب ترين معلمي بوده که تو کل عمرش داشته. اما اين بار اسم يه کم طولاني تر شده بود.. نامه امضا شده بود: تئودور ف. ستودارد، فوق ليسانس.
داستان اينجا تموم نميشه. يه نامه ي ديگه اون سال بهار رسيد. تدي گفته بود با دختري ملاقات کرده که قراره با هم ازدواج کنن.
توضيح داده بود که پدرش سالها پيش مرده و خواهش کرده بود اگه خانوم تامپسون موافق باشه، در عروسي، در جايي که معمولا براي مادر داماد در نظر ميگيرن بشينه.
البته که خانوم تامپسون اين کار رُ انجام داد. و حدس بزن چي.. دستبندي رُ دست کرد که چند تا سنگش گم شده بود. بيشتر از اون، يادش بود که عطري رُ بزنه که مادر تدي زده بود، در آخرين کريسمسي که با هم بودن.
اونا همديگه رُ بغل کردن و دکتر ستودارد در گوش خانوم تامپسون گفت: مرسي خانوم تامپسون براي اين که منو باور کردي. خيلي ممنون براي اين که منو آدم مهمي کردي (منو واسه خودم کسي کردي) و بهم نشون دادي که مي تونم کار متفاوتي کنم.
خانوم تامپسون با اشک در چشمانش جواب داد: تدي، اشتباه مي کني. تو بودي کسي که به من ياد داد مي تونم کار متفاوتي کنم. من بلد نبودم چه جوري تدريس کنم، تا تو رُ ديدم.
ميتونه تدي کسي باشه که در جلوي شما ايستاده، و شما هنوز متوجه نشدين . . .
امروز پشت کسي رُ گرم کن و اين نوشته رُ رد کن (تا اون هم بخونه). من اين داستان رُ خيلي دوست دارم. هر وقت مي خونمش گريه مي کنم. فقط سعي کن کار متفاوتي کني در زندگي کسي، امروز، فردا.. فقط اين کار رُ انجام بده. مهربوني هاي تصادفي، فکر کنم اسمش همينه..
The Perfume . . .
As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of the school, she told the children an untruth. Like most teachers she looked at her students and said she loved them all the same. However that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in the seat was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.
Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy, and that he constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant.
It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers. At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each student past records and she put Teddy's off until the last. However when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.
Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners. He is a joy to be around."
His second grade teacher wrote Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."
His third grade teacher wrote, "Teddy's mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps are not taken."
His fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class."
By now Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped beautifully in bright ribbons and paper, except for Teddy's, whose present was clumsy and wrapped in heavy brown paper, the he would have got from a grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents.
Some of the children started to laugh when she found the rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing and a bottle of perfume that was only one quarter full. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed on after school that day just long to say, " Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my mom used to." After the children left, she cried for at long time
On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic. Instead she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in class. And, despite her lie that she loved all the children the same, Teddy became one of her "pets".
A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that she was still the best teacher he had ever had in his life.
Six years went by before she got another letter from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in is whole life.
Four years after that she received another note saying that while things had been tough at times, he still stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate with the highest honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and most favorite teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and\ most favourite teacher he ever had in his whole life. But now the name was little longer ... the letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.
The story does not end here. There was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said the he met this girl who was going to marry.
He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson would agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom.
Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what, she wore that bracelet - the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she also remembered to wear the perfume that Teddy's mother wore on the last Christmas they spent together.
They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference."
Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach till I met you."
You could have a Teddy standing in front of you and yet not realize it . . .
Warm someone's heart today. Pass this along. I love this story so much. I cry every time I read it. Just try to make a difference in someone's life today, tomorrow.. Just do it. Random acts of kindness I think they call it . . .
