Barry and Kevin

    Hello everyone,

    The story I am going to tell you is not a folktale but my own creation. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

 BARRY AND KEVIN

 Barry was twelve years old boy. Everybody liked him, because he was always helpful and kind. If he found out that somebody needed anything, he was sure to go and help. For example, one day, Andrew, one of his classmates lost his geography book. Andrew searched everywhere but could not find it. He felt like crying because they had written so many notes and drawn so many diagrams and maps that it was going to be a big job to do all that all over again.

    He was sitting at his desk looking ready to cry, when Barry saw him.

    “What’s the matter?” he asked. “Why are you looking so sad?”

    “I’ve lost my geography book and can’t find it,” he replied nearly in tears. “And if I can’t find my book, you know what that means, writing notes and drawing everything all over again. The exams are near too. I just don’t know what to do.”

    “Oh no!” exclaimed Barry. “And we have so much homework to do, too. Besides, Miss Mary wants it completed by tomorrow. What are you going to do?”

    “That’s what I was thinking. And Miss Mary is so strict about homework. I just don’t know what I’m going to do,” said Andrew in a small voice.

    “I have an idea!” Suddenly, said Barry. “Look, why don’t you go to Miss Mary and explain to her that you have lost your book and would do your homework on a piece of paper and give it to her. She won’t mind if you tell her the truth. Then, you buy a new exercise book and copy all your work in there.”

    “Yes, maybe that is a good idea,” Andrew said, doubtfully. “But it’s going to be a big job to write all those notes and draw everything.”

    “Don’t worry, I will help you to write your notes. As for the drawings, I will come to your house and help you. I know you are not so good at drawing. That is if you don’t mind my coming to your house to help,” Barry suggested.

    “Thanks, Barry. You are a real friend,” said Andrew, relieved. “Of course, I wouldn’t mind you coming to my house. You are most welcome.”

    “Then, that’s settled. I shall come to your house when you’ve bought your exercise book,” said Barry.

    And so the very next day Barry went to Andrew’s house to help him write the notes and to do some drawings. After a few days Andrew had finished all his work, thanks to Barry’s help.

    Now, there was another boy in Barry’s class. His name was Kevin. Kevin was completely opposite to Barry. He was a very selfish and lazy boy. He would not help anybody even if he could. He would always find some excuse to get out of doing any work or helping somebody.

    For example, one day, Sammy lost all his lunch money. So he asked Kevin to lend him some and he would pay him the next day. Kevin just made an excuse that he had just enough money to buy his own lunch and went away.

    Sammy felt very hungry and did not know what to do. So he sat down on one side and watched the other children eating their lunch and some playing. Suddenly, Barry came and sat beside him.

    “Why aren’t you having your lunch?” he asked.

    “Well, I have lost my lunch money,” Sammy replied in a small voice.

    “Here you can share my lunch,” he said. “My mum always puts in extra sandwiches for such emergencies.”

    “Gee, thanks!” said Sammy, gratefully. “I was feeling very hungry indeed. I asked Kevin to lend me some money but he said he had just enough for himself.”

    “That’s alright. You can share my lunch,” said Barry.

    For this reason, nobody liked Kevin. He never even bothered to think that maybe somedayhe will get in the same situation.

    Now, one day, it so happened, that both, Barry and Kevin went down with a very bad cold. They were both unable to go to school for a whole week.

    Barry and Kevin’s houses were opposite to each other. Now, because Barry was kindhearted and helped everybody, all his classmates went to see him. They brought him all sorts of games and storybooks to pass his time. They also brought him the latest news about their class work. Andrew helped him to write his notes and brought him his books as well.

    Kevin could see through the window all his classmates going to Barry’s house, but none of them even cast a glance at his house. This hurt him very much and he began to feel jealous. He couldn’t understand why everyone was acting like that. He did not know that it his own doing.

    And so, the next time his mother came into his room to see if he needed anything, he asked her.

    “Mother, why is it that all my classmates are going to Barry’s house?” he asked. “Why aren’t they coming to see me? I’m just as sick as he is and yet nobody is bothered about me. It’s not fair. I deserve as much attention as he does. They are all selfish!”

                                                                            

    His mother looked at him for a moment and then she said, “Kevin, do you really want to know the real reason why they are not coming to you?”

    “Yes, Mother, I really do,” he answered.

    His mother took a deep breath and started to explain.

    “Well, Kevin, Barry is a very nice and kind little boy,” she said, sadly. “He is ready to help anybody in need and he has helped all these boys and girls in one way or another. I don’t think that those boys and girls are selfish, but I’m sorry to say you are! His mother must be so proud to have a son like him. If you are helpful to someone then, that someone will return your kindness in one way or another someday. Have you ever bothered to help anybody? No. Have you ever thought what the other person feels? No. You don’t even bother to help me when I want something done. You always have excuses, until either I have to do it myself or if I want something bought I send somebody else or I have to go myself. Barry has helped me many a time when you were too lazy to do anything, I’m sorry to say.”

    Kevin felt ashamed of himself. He was not even able to look into his mother’s eyes, because he knew that what she had told him was very true. He remembered the many times when his mother was tired and had wanted him to help wash the dishes. He had pretended that he had a lot of homework to do, when he did not have anything to do. He would just go to his room and play games on his computer and his poor mother had to do all the work.

    He also remembered how his classmate Sammy had lost all his money, but instead of helping him, he had been very rude to him. Up to now, he had felt that he would never need anybody’s help. Up to now, had felt that he did not even need a playmate. But now, he knew that he needed friends more than ever. He needed somebody to tell him where the class had reached in their lessons. Now, he would have to do all the work by himself. For his very selfishness he would be left behind in his work and it would serve him right, too!

    Kevin felt so ashamed of himself, he felt like crying. Why oh why had he been so selfish? Why hadn’t he done what he had to do? Why hadn’t he helped his poor mother who loved him so much in spite of his being so bad? His mother had never ever complained about him to his father or anybody or to Kevin, himself. How could he have treated his own mother like that? He was a beast and he deserved to be punished!

   At last, Kevin looked up. He saw his mother looking out of the window at the children coming out of Barry’s house. He saw that she looked very sad that her own son was so unthinking whilst the boy in the opposite house was so popular.

    “Mother,” said Kevin, “I’m sorry, I’ve treated you so badly. I’ve also been very unkind to my classmates. From now onwards, you will never get to complain about me. I will make you and Father very proud of me. I promise!”

  

    His mother turned around and came and sat down beside him.

   “All we want for you is to be happy,” she said, taking his hand into hers. “You will never get happiness if you don’t treat other people nicely. You can never win friends this way. Someday or other you will find that you always need somebody’s help, just like other people need your help. It would make me very happy if you would turn over a new leaf.”

    From that day onwards, Kevin was a different boy altogether. And guess who his best friend was? You guessed it right! It was Barry!