What does the author notice one Sunday afternoon? What is his mother’s reaction? What does she do?
One Sunday afternoon, the narrator was sitting at the dining table doing his homework. It was very cold outside so his mother was tending the fire to keep them warm and nice. Suddenly the author noticed smoke coming out from the roof. In no time, the room was full of smoke and they could not even see. They somehow managed their way outside the house and by then the flames had spread throughout the house. The narrator ran to the neighbour’s place to call the fire brigade. The narrator's mother ran back into the house and returned with a small box full of important papers. She dropped the box and ran again to collect the pictures and letters of her husband who wasn’t alive anymore.
Why does he break down in tears after the fire?
The author witnessed the loss of his house and the belongings, everything turning to ashes in just a few moments. The fire was such that it took the fire fighters around five hours to put the fire away. In this mess and loss, the author lost his cat. It was nowhere to be seen, either it ran away or it died in the flames of his house. He considered himself responsible for all the loss and broke down in tears and cried and cried.
Why is the author deeply embarrassed the next day in school? What words show his fear and insecurity?
The author and his mother moved to his grandparent’s house from where he was sent to school the next day. He was improperly dressed in his aunt’s tennis shoes on his feet instead of his school shoes. He was devoid of books and homework as well. His backpack was gone. He feet unlucky to be an outcast. He was so broken that he wanted to die. He was troubled at the idea that all his security from school, friends, house and cat had been ripped away. The damage put him in a deep shock.
The following statements from the plot highlight his fear and insecurity:
“Was I destined to be an outcast and a geek all my life?
I just wanted to curl up and die. All the security I had known from my old school, friends and my cat had all been ripped away.”
The cat and the author are very fond of each other. How has this been shown in the story? Where was the cat after the fire? Who brings it back and how?
What actions of the schoolmates change the author's understanding of life and people, and comfort him emotionally?
The news of the fire in the author’s house spread everywhere. Even his teachers and his classmates came to know about it. The author felt ashamed when he went to school the next day.
He felt uncomfortable but was deeply moved when he saw a lot of stuff heaped up on a desk- from school utilities to clothes- all collected by people he never even talked to. It was like the celebration of the Christmas festival. People who had never spoken to him gathered all around him to introduce themselves. They extended invitations to their houses. Their deep concern touched the author's heart.
He realized that he was not alone. Soon, he made friends who would sit with him and watch his house rebuild. This encouraged him enough to live his life with optimism.
What is the meaning of “My Cat was back and so was. I”? Had the author gone anywhere? Why does he say that he is also back?
My cat was back and so was I" means that he had found his cat and he himself had a new outlook on life. He got his cat back after he had lost all hope of finding it. He said that he was also back because he had a feeling of gratitude for his life now. Earlier he had a feeling of insecurity and fear regarding his new school whereas after the fire, the generosity of his friends and the return of his cat changed his outlook on life as he started participating in life and he felt that he was 'back‘.
Have any of your classmates / schoolmates had an experience like the one described in the story where they needed help? Describe how they were helped?
Natural calamities bring with them a state of utter mess. Mumbai rains are known for the loss they cause to people and property each year. Some years back, when Mumbai was hit hard by rain one of my seniors lost his family and house. Even the remains of his house couldn’t be found and he was left all alone.
The Principal and the staff decided to help him. The entire school brought some useful things for him- utilities, books, clothes, food. The bigger question was not about these materialistic things but about his dwelling. Our Principal adopted him and brought him to her house. Everything that was collected was given to him as a token of love and support.
He was highly obliged and moved by the support he got from all of us.