The King's shoes

The kids ran out of gum . Gum as in gum paste , meant to stick things together . Tomorrow was the annual function . A kings’ shoes , normal tennis shoes , with great deal of gold foil stuck to it , was being prepared . Others wrote banners, stuck green chart paper leaves to cardboard cut out trees ,props for plays. A group of giggly girls stuck gota (golden border) to a sari , the saree being polyester, gota refused to stick , causing frustrating mess all around. 

An enthusiastic 6th grader was dispatched to school office , and he brought back a greyish lump of smelly gum made of flour-paste , which girls refused to touch . Boys took one look, wrinkled their noses and got back to doing what everyone does best under such trying circumstances , gossip . Movie stories , match-fixing tales , cricket scores and teleserials were discussed threadbare and debated hotly upon , as the pink sari sat forlornly on the floor , the gota lying unstuck .Paper leaves flew helter skelter, threatening to stick to the gummy border of pink saree and the King’s half golden shoes . 

King’s shoes were the first to be finished . The maker (King herself ) triumphantly placed it on the teacher’s table .

“Unthinkable !Sacrilege! How can you keep it there?” Deepa , the class brahmin monitor screeched, and no one paid any attention.
Wiping her fingers on a piece of newspaper , the” king”grinned .The shoes were golden . Regal tennis shoes.

Vinay , the class stand up comedian , rushed to the table . Gesturing dramatically , he swept the class with an exaggerated bow and puffing out his diminutive chest, yelled -“ladies and gentlemen , please bid for the kings’ shoes .”

Screams of laughter broke out . Few tired bids later , the shoes were removed and placed in the cupboard , where it sat drying in its moist, moldy solitude. 

By afternoon , the following day , the trees and the sarees also were complete and looked appropriately blingy and stage worthy.

The play was a success, except for the part where Dashrath stamps his foot in indignation at kaikeyi's  undue demands. A large piece of foil, stiff with dry glue ,fell off Dashrath's shoe , prompting immense hilarity from behind leafy trees , where "king's" classmates were stationed.The trees shook ominously.

Following week a visit to the photographer's shop was mandatory , to collect the school function snaps.

The bespectacled , paan-chewing , fellow came out , looked at the kids and wordlessly , went in . The kids waited for 15 minutes and again rang the bell . This time he came out , took out his specs , wiped them , and wore them .

 Then grinned , apologetically , saying "I have no photos ."

"How come ?Aise kaise shatriji?"

The kids were , understandably, livid .

"You see! On the day of your function , I forgot to put a film in my camera ."