Because he was
very intelligent,
Caio would not
admit that any
of his
classmates had
better grades
than his on the
school tests. So
when his
Portuguese
teacher handed
out the tests
with the grades,
Caio flushed
with anger.
Extremely
aggravated, he
saw that
Eduardo's grade
was better than
his and let
himself be
enveloped by
negative
feelings against
his classmate.
Eduardo, humbly,
approached Caio
and exclaimed in
wonder:
 |
- I do not know
how I did so
well on that
test, Caio! I
studied a lot,
yes, but I never
had the best
grade in class!...
Filled with rage,
Caio did not
answer, turning
his back, as if
his friend was
guilty for
having outdone
him at the
teacher's
evaluation, and
returned home
thinking with
his heart full
of bitterness:
- Eduardo will
pay for this! I
will avenge
myself!
At home, Caio
did not have
lunch claiming
to have headache.
His loving mom
wanted to know
what had
happened but he
responded with
bad manners: |
- It is nothing,
Mom. I have a
headache. I
think it's
because of the
strong sun.
- It may be,
dear. At this
time of the year
the sun is very
hot. I'll bring
you a painkiller.
His mother left
the room and
Caio, with his
eyes closed,
kept thinking of
how to get back
at the classmate
who managed to
score a higher
grade than his.
Then he got it.
"I know what I'll
do! Eduardo will
pay me! I want
to see him be
the laughing
stock of the
whole class."
And he had a
good laugh
anticipating the
situation.
A few days later,
the bell rang
for recess and
all students
went out of the
room. Caio
pretended to
pack his things
until everyone
was out. Then he
took a beautiful
new pencil case
that he had
gotten for his
birthday, and
put it in
Eduardo's
backpack, hiding
it at the bottom.
Then, satisfied,
he went out into
the courtyard.
After recess,
the students
returned to the
classroom and
|
 |
|
sat at their
desks. At that
moment,
pretending to
look for
something in his
bag, Caio
shouted: |
- Teacher, my
new case is gone!...
- What do you
mean, Caio? Did
you bring it to
school today?
Take a good look
in your backpack.
- I did, teacher!
But now it is
not here and I
want to know who
stole it!
The students
were agitated,
each one
claiming that
they did not do
it, and upset
with Caio's
attitude. But he
shouted:
- I demand that
everyone shows
me what they
have in their
backpacks!
So, the students
opened their
bags, pulling
everything out.
When it was
Eduardo's turn,
he emptied his
bag and, to his
astonishment,
Caio's pencil
case appeared!
Red with
embarrassment,
Eduardo shouted:
- I do not know
how this case
got in there,
Teacher! I swear
I did not take
it!
But Caio,
feeling
victorious,
accused him:
- And who could
have put it in
your backpack,
Eduardo?
- I do not know!
But I swear to
God I did not do
it! Believe me,
teacher! I never
took anything
from anyone. We
are poor, it is
true, but my
mother taught us
that we should
respect what
belongs to
others - he said,
weeping
copiously.
Suddenly, not
standing the
staring of his
classmates,
Eduardo ran to
the door, left
the room and
went to the
street with his
vision blurry
because of the
tears. He
crossed the
street and heard
the brakes of a
car that threw
him into the air
and he fell a
few meters ahead.
Everyone at
school also
heard the noise
and ran to see
what was
happening. To
their amazement,
they saw Eduardo
on the ground,
motionless.
 |
Someone who was
passing by
helped the
unconscious boy.
They called an
ambulance which
soon arrived to
take the boy to
the hospital.
Both students
and teachers
were terrified
as they looked
at what had
happened
and wondered
what would have
caused the
accident. One of
the bystanders
said: |
- The boy left
school and
crossed the
street without
looking sideways.
He seemed crazy
and was crying a
lot! Something
very serious
must have
happened.
Hearing this,
the teacher
looked at Caio,
who hung his
head and began
to cry:
- It was my
fault! When I
accused Eduardo,
he was
embarrassed. I'm
so sorry... I
accused him but
he was not
guilty! I put
the case in his
backpack,
teacher. I was
jealous because
he had a higher
grade than me in
the last test.
The teacher and
the students
hung their heads,
saddened, when
they heard it
but were pleased
that Caio had
confessed his
shameful act.
The teacher
decided:
- Let's go to
the hospital,
Caio! We need to
know how he is.
And you guys can
go home. We will
not have class
today - said the
teacher to other
students.
Arriving at the
hospital, they
asked news about
him and learned
that Eduardo was
fine. He had
banged his head
on the asphalt
but nothing
serious happened.
- Can we see him?
- the teacher
asked.
- Of course.
Follow me! He's
in the Bandage
Room - said a
nurse.
Seeing Eduardo
in a bed with
his head covered
with gauze, Caio
started crying.
He approached
the bed, full of
shame, and
confessed to his
classmate:
- Eduardo, I
need you to
forgive me. I
put the case in
your bag because
I was angry that
you have a
higher grade
than me. You
deserve the
grade but I lost
control and
invented the
theft, putting
my case in your
backpack. Please,
forgive me! I
know I do not
deserve it, but...
Eduardo, in
tears, smiled
brightly:
- Do not worry,
Caio. To me,
it's enough that
everybody knows
that I did not
steal anything
from you. I
could not bear
that my mother
would know about
it because she
always taught me
that we should
not take
anything from
anyone. I am
happy and still
like you as
before. We have
always been
friends, right?
Caio embraced
Eduardo with
great affection
and gratitude,
saying:
- I knew you
were better and
more generous
than me but I
could not
imagine how much.
Thanks, Eduardo! Now I understand
the importance
of being honest.
MEIMEI
(Psychographed
by Celia X. de
Camargo on
15/12/2014.)
