Checkmate.....

“Violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, red” – Nancy miss spoke loud and crisp, pin pointing every color on the rainbow chart.

“Akash, write the colors on the board…” came her command pretty soon.

“Black, gray, black, gray, white, white, gray”

The offshoots of the already impending cloud of laughter burst from the young mouths. Akash looked devoid of blood as his sweaty hands wet the blackboard and chalk alike; the cute black in his eyes swelled and swam in tears, yet not a single drop dripped. He contained for it had been years of humiliation and embarrassment.

“What absurdity?” She thundered .

The giggles petered out wondering on whom the intended anger was!!!

Akash breathed the air around in all intensity, out of fear, dread and the cane that was to follow his palms.

A stoic silence prevailed.

“Go to your seat, young boy” agape stood the 4^th standard pals.

Nancy miss had interrupted a tradition.....

The oval plaque read in golden letters.

“Congratulations.

Presented to AKASH NAIR for being recognized as the

'Best Photographer' in ‘Black & White’ section at the International Junior…….."

A different eye at last brought laurels to the once ‘outsider’ in Art classes. Myriad of colors sprinkled and splashed across the walls of recognition, yet for eyes so unique stood they as spots of the same intensity. The enormous canvas of the world of colors arrived as a mere panorama of subtle shades in black, white and gray rainbows, a chess board of the black and white soldiers.

With a jerk his eyes opened to reality as the announcer boomed over the microphone…

“Let’s give him a standing ovation for transforming a rare congenial defect into opportunity and directing many more crestfallen to a path of success”….

Applause cheered the air around. He saw a million colorful smiles light the stage in harmony.

“May his blacks and whites take him far and wide, farther than the many in the colorful world can reach…..” Nancy miss completed the incomplete….

N.B - Monochromatism