#SaraReads: Story- The Homework Machine
“3x5x4! Oh No! That’s a lot of work” said Chiky, sitting in his math class. It had fifteen tables, two fans and one cupboard. He was sitting in the corner with his friend Dolly. It was 11:37 am. The weather was as harsh as a crow. The school was almost ruined with water droplets coming from the ceiling. The school’s name was “Khelna, Padna, Rona, Dhona”(KPRD).
Chiky was fair, had a broad nose and long ears. He was around 4 ft tall and studied in class five. He was a sweet boy with innocent eyes, but the only thing that he did not like to study.
One day while Chiky, Diana and Dolly were discussing the homework hassles, Diana got an idea. She told us that we can invent the homework machine (as Diana was good at Robotics).They both went “Wow, A Homework Machine?! What a fabulous idea!”
After all the discussions and reading, they decided on the materials required. Carton box, paint, pens, screws, screwdrivers, buttons and batteries – they had everything in place. Just one issue- how will this machine do homework, the way we do? They were sad and puzzled and didn’t know what to do next.
A few days later, Chiky had a mysterious visitor to his home. The man wore a hat the whole time and spoke very little. Chiky’s father said his friend was a famous engineer who had invented some amazing things. Chiky was very excited and told him about how much homework he was getting and wished there was a machine that did all the work for him. He even showed him all the materials for the homework machine and asked him if he can fix it. The guest smiled and said the human brain is faster than a machine and our hands are more effective than a printer. Chiky was not convinced.
The next morning, Chiky woke up worried because he had not finished his homework. He took his pencil and rushed to finish what he could. Surprise! He saw a small black printer kind of a machine. There was a note next to it. It was by his dad’s friend, the famous engineer.
“Dear Chiky, you have the most brilliant homework machine with you. Use it well,” said the note.
Chiky jumped in joy. The great engineer had built him his very own homework machine. He took his school workbook and placed it inside the machine. He turned on the switch and waited. The buttons lit up. He waited for five minutes. Nothing happened. Maybe it is taking time understanding the math question. Or maybe it is taking time to adapt to my handwriting, he thought.
Time was running out. The homework machine was still processing. Chiky couldn’t wait any longer. He grabbed a pencil and began doing the sums quickly. He put the book in his bag and went to school. The next day he did the same thing. He put the book in the homework machine and waited all morning. The buttons would light up, but nothing would print. In frustration, he again did the homework himself.
For the next one week, the same routine happened every day. Chiky was sure the great engineer had created the perfect homework machine but why didn’t it work?
On the seventh day, the teacher gave the class an assignment to do at home and Chiky took a pencil like he did at home and finished the work immediately without even realizing it.
“Chiky, you seem to have become a homework machine,” remarked his teacher, looking pleased.
Homework machine? Chiky thought and laughed hard. He remembered the note the great engineer had left him when he gave him the homework machine. It had said “Dear Chiky, you have the most brilliant homework machine with you. Use it well.” He had thought the new black printer was the homework machine when in fact the homework machine was with him the whole time – his brain! Father was right, he thought. His friend, the engineer was a genius but with a sharp homework machine in his head, Chiky wasn’t any less!
Today, a year has passed since the idea of the homework machine and the kids are joining at Chiky’s place for a celebration. Want to join?! 🙂
