Learn Curve for Girls

Suhani Dewra

Anne and Sid are best friends. High school students, they study in the same class as well as live in the same colony. Every evening they catch up after school, sometimes to study together and at other times to just chit-chat about all things sundry. One evening Anne came prancing to Sid’s house and said,

“Hey Sid, do you know where I am going to, this summer vacation?”

“Where to?” asked Sid.

“In the far off land of Stratford-Upon-Avon.”

“What is that? Never heard of a place like that,” said a bewildered Sid.

“That’s a popular tourist location that receives over 2.7 million visitors every year,” informed Anne to Sid.

“That’s a humongous number! What’s so special about that place?”

“That’s the birthplace of you-know whom?”

“Whom?”

“The most famous writer of English language – William Shakespeare,” said Anne with pride in her voice.

“O Anne, we have acted in several of the plays that he wrote – Merchant of Venice and Romeo and Juliet,” recollected Sid. “And what a delight it would be to visit the house he was born in!” added Sid.

“It sure will be, Sid. I am told that the house has the fireplace area preserved where Shakespeare was born and also is conserved the window of the same room. Writers from across the world visit his house to seek inspiration,” Anne said basis what she had heard her dad talk about the iconic site.

“That sounds magical. I would like to visit the town too sometime in the future. Which country is Stratford-Upon-Avon in?” asked Sid.

“England.”

“Oh! Would be exciting to see the English lifestyle. I remember seeing a fridge magnet in Susan’s house that had a picture of Shakespeare with lines – To be or not to be. I remember asking her dad what it meant,” Sid recalled.

“What it meant, Sid?” Anne interrupted. 

“Uncle explained it to me saying it that the lines are a metaphor to the perpetual conflict that adults experience – if they should keep going at life or not. There are times in life, when situations arise that make us wonder if there is light at the end of the tunnel or not. In those situations of “to be or not to be”, one must always choose to be,” recalled Anne’s young friend.

“That’s looking at the bright side of life, Sid,” Anne remarked. 

“Yes, that’s what he meant,” Sid confirmed.

“I will try to bring you a similar fridge magnet from Shakespeare’s birthplace, Sid,” said Anne.

“Do so. A fridge magnet that would remind me ‘to be’?” Sid said smilingly.

“Haha! sure, Sid,” smiled back Anne.