SSC was over. Before I could chill for a few days, intermediate math studies had to begin. Tutoring starting at 6:30 AM at that. The teacher was teaching matrices. “All of you buy Ketab Sir’s First Paper,” he said. We all said “Yes sir” in unison like good boys. Yet we all knew none of us would buy the book. It had been barely eight days since SSC ended. What’s the rush to buy books?
The next day in class, the teacher said, “Take out your books.” We said, “Don’t have them.” “When will you buy?” “Today, sir!”
This went on for a few days.
One day, seeing our sorry state, the teacher gave a fiery speech. If it had been recorded, one could have tried to prove that speech was even more goosebump-inducing than Churchill’s or Abraham Lincoln’s. No, really. We’d been slacking too much. Today we really should buy the book. We all decided we’d go buy books that afternoon.
Afternoon. At the book market — me, Rupom, and ‘S. Kaman’ (pseudonym). Many shops. Which one to enter? At the suggestion of Mr. S. Kaman, founder of the Kaman dynasty, we entered a shop. The book costs four hundred taka. While checking on academic books, our eyes fell on non-academic ones. They still had many volumes of Teen Goyenda. Even in 2025. Seeing Seba Prokashoni’s collection made our mouths water. Mohammad Nazim Uddin’s books were there too. The decision was made — buying an academic book for four hundred taka makes no sense. We’d find it cheaper deeper inside the market. After much searching, we found the book at a shop for three hundred ninety taka. If found cheaper anywhere else, the shopkeeper must be quoting the wrong price. Without delay, we bought the book. Now the destination was the used bookshop. Had to sell a 2017 edition book. Would be happy getting a hundred taka. Rupom had work, so he went home early. Kaman and I headed to the used bookshop. At the entrance of the alley where the shop was, there was a restaurant. The smell of grilled meat hit our noses. Controlling our temptation, we took the book to the bookseller. Seeing the year, he said, they don’t even have 2022 edition books, and yours is from 2017! Mission unsuccessful. Had to go back home. Coming to the mouth of the alley, this time we couldn’t control ourselves. S. Kaman couldn’t either. We barged into the restaurant. What to eat? A quarter grill and two tandoori rotis were ordered. Eating was almost done. Wouldn’t a little drink be nice? Kaman mentioned Mojo. I’d been cutting down on sugar intake. But I still said, let’s do it! The bill came. One hundred ninety taka.
Trying to save ten taka on a book, we ended up feasting for one hundred ninety taka!
(The story is from several days ago. Writing it today.)