Whispering

Written by: Wajiha Sayar

Alia and her brother, Qayum go to the castle and Lalo Mama welcomes them. Qayum says that his friend, Waheed also wanted to come with them to the castle, but he did not have money to pay the fare for the bus.

Lalo Mama takes them inside the castle. Alia says that Waheed always goes to school a long distance on foot. Qayum says that Waheed has decided to leave the school.

Lalo Mama says that pocket money is a common problem among some juveniles and they can find a solution to this issue and then he opens a window for his guests.

Window:

In the window, the reporter of the castle is asking some youths that how they get their pocket money.

Razia says, “My father pays me pocket money.”

Wahab says, “Sometimes my mother pays me pocket money and sometimes my brother.”

Nazanin says, “I am sewing clothes at home and fulfill my necessities and I also pay pocket money to brothers too.”

Saleem says, “I am apprenticed to a carpenter and get my pocket money.”

The reporter says that father or brother fulfills the family expenses but sometimes youths and school children also need money to prepare their school needs and other requirements and if their fathers and brothers are not able to pay them, then how could they solve their problems?

Amir Khan, a resident of Logar province says, “If my father or brother is in good mode, they pay me pocket money otherwise they do not and I become ashamed in front of my friends.”

Sediqa, a resident of Kunar province says, “Sometimes I want to buy some eating stuff or other things, but no one pays me pocket money. When I want my brother to pay some money, he wants me to leave the school.”

The reporter says that some juveniles have found a solution to this issue.

Sherin Agha, a resident of Mazar-e-Sharif city, Balkh province says, “I go to school in the morning, and I work in an ice cream shop after school time until 10 pm. I have made a timetable. When I go back home, I do my home assignment and study my school lessons.

I get my 200 Afghanis daily wages. I solve my problems and pay the extra money to my mother.”

Lalo Mama closes the window. Qayum whispers in Alia’s ear. Lalo Mama asks if they are talking behind him.  Alia denies and says that Saleem wanted me to say to Lalo Mama to open another window too and it is his habit to whisper instead of talking loudly.
Lalo Mama says that whispering in a gathering of few persons is not a good habit and they should avoid it. He adds that sometimes whispering causes anger and sadness among friends and relatives and then he opens another window about this issue.

Window:

Frishta, a resident Parwan province says, “Once there was my cousin’s wedding ceremony. I was sad with one of my friends and she was also invited to the wedding and she was sitting beside one of our neighbors. They were whispering between them and seeing toward me and were laughing. I thought that they were talking behind me and I became very sad and finally, I left the wedding ceremony.”

Najma says, “Whispering is common among girls. Once I was whispering with my cousin about the time of a feast. My other cousin was sitting in front of us and she thought that we were talking behind her and she wanted us to talk loudly. We told her that we were talking about a feast but she did not accept and became angry with us.”

Lalo Mama closes this window too. Saleem promises that he would no longer whisper unnecessarily.