Honesty: the Best Policy
Ganesh gazed at the paper in amazement. Not for the life of him had he imagined that Kartikeya would actually get him a copy of the algebra test! “How did you do it?” he asked Kartikeya, his eyes shining in delight. Kartikeya tried—and failed—to look humble. Smiling slyly, he said, “It was easy, dude. I hacked our math teacher’s computer password, and there was the test staring at me!”§
Ganesh gave Kartikeya a grateful look and said, “You did it for me?”§
Kartikeya replied, “We’re pals, aren’t we? I know how badly you want to get into the honors math class. If you can just get in, I’m sure you will do well.”§
The next day, the teacher presented the test— the same as the one Kartikeya had given him— and Ganesh breezed through it.§
As he walked out of the classroom, a soft warm wind blew. Ganesh felt carefree and happy. It seemed his luck was changing for the better. Just beginning four years of high school, he wanted to get into the honors program, because that counts a lot towards getting into a good university. The first honors class was in geometry and algebra. He wasn’t very good at math and, even more of a problem, he hated doing homework. He didn’t want to risk taking the test cold, so he urged Kartikeya to help him cheat.§
The next month went by swiftly. All too soon, classes began. Ganesh sat near Ramesh, who had been his friend since childhood. The first day was on geometry, on the basics of triangles. It was not hard, and Ganesh did well. But then the classes got harder, and the teacher was assigning four to six hours of homework a week. Ganesh hated cutting his playtime to do it. His sister had taken the same class last year, so he found her homework and copied it.§
At the end of the week, the first surprise test came around. Ganesh stared at the difficult geometry questions. He had no clue how to answer them. He whispered to Ramesh, “Do you know what all this is about?”§
Ramesh gave him a puzzled look, “All this was in the homework— didn’t you do it?”§
Ganesh felt a strange tightening feeling in his stomach. He began feeling sick. He had cheated on the test to get into the class, and now he was cheating on the homework. Looking down, he tried to recollect what the teacher had said on the types of triangles, but he hit a blank. Luckily, at that moment, the principal walked in to introduce a new teacher. As they continued talking, the bell rang, and Ganesh slipped out of the room.§
The next week, as he sat down, Ganesh hoped there would not be another surprise test. He shuddered when the teacher walked in and announced, “Today’s quiz is on basic algebra, the same material you studied for the entrance exam. You should have no problem with it.”§
But Ganesh had cheated on the entrance exam and did not know the material. His head began to hurt. As he looked down at the paper, the letters and numbers seemed to be swimming. He could only answer half of the questions.§
Sweating heavily, he wondered if the teacher would suspect something when she saw his half-filled answer paper. The fear of being found out increased his fear, and his head began to ache even more. Within a few minutes, he handed in the test paper and rushed out the door.§
As he walked blindly around the school lawns, he bumped into Kartikeya, who grabbed his hand and said, “Hey, Ganesh, how are you, dude? Haven’t seen you for so long! How’s geometry? A breeze, eh?”§
Ganesh admitted painfully, “Kartikeya, I’m very scared that I’ll be found out. In almost every class, the teacher is giving us tests. The last test covered some of the same topics as the entrance test. I’m clueless, and I have a gut feeling that the teacher will soon find out I cheated. I’m so worried! What should I do?”§
Ganesh couldn’t bring himself to mention he was also copying his sister’s homework from last year. Hurriedly Kartikeya advised, “Ganesh, you have no choice. You just have to study like crazy now to keep up with the rest of the class.”§
As he walked home, Ganesh stopped outside a Siva temple. The evening puja had just begun, and the sound of temple bells echoed inside his heart. He walked into the temple, his feet feeling heavy and his heart miserable. As he neared the shrine, he could not face the Deity. Instead he bent his head and closed his eyes. Suddenly he heard a voice, “Ganesh, you are not scared to face me. You are scared to face yourself, and that is bad. Why do you continue to do something you know is dishonest? Can’t you just stop?”§
“Yes! Yes! I will stop this!” He opened his eyes to see people staring at him and he realized that he had spoken out loud.§
He looked at the Deity and prayed. As he walked out, Ganesh felt like a changed person. A weight was lifted from his shoulders.§
In the next class, the teacher handed out yet another test that Ganesh had no clue about. He knew his game was up. He waited till the class was over and the students had all left. He then walked up to the teacher, “Madam, haven’t you wondered why I’ve been doing so poorly on the tests? I’m even missing questions on the algebra that was covered in the entrance exam.”§
Mrs. Mahesan was a wise, mature lady with soft grey eyes. She looked steadily at Ganesh, “The principal is aware that my computer was hacked. The computer systems manager is looking in to it. But no, I did not suspect you. I just thought that you had probably forgotten what you had studied. It happens sometimes, you know.”§
“Well, I have to confess that I never studied for the entrance exam. I got the test answers from a friend and memorized them.”§
Mrs. Mahesan realized her next few words would greatly impact Ganesh, perhaps even for the rest of his life. She reflected back to her own teenage children at home, trying to imagine how she would like their teacher to treat them. She knew she should not harshly scold this boy, who now had the courage to confess. It seemed to her that he had already suffered for his actions. But it was also her duty to be strict.§
“Ganesh, I admire your courage in coming forward and confessing. But you know this means you will be dismissed from the class. I cannot let you stay on, knowing that you cheated to get in.”§
The boy stared down at the floor. His feet in their sneakers looked huge and awkward, and that’s how he felt in front of this petite teacher. “Yes, Madam. I understand.”§
Ganesh walked home that day without even feeling the rain pelting down on his head. His dream of passing honors math had ended, and with it, perhaps, his chances of getting into a good university. Now he had to face his parents, because he knew the principal would have told them he was being dropped from the class.§
Nearing his house, he slowed down until he was almost standing still. The elm tree at the corner of his street sheltered his bare head, and yet the pouring rain managed to escape the leaves and drench his face and head. He wished that he had not let his ambition blind him and lead him to cheat. He wished he could turn the clock back. He wished for many things, but now there was nothing he could do. He felt helpless, and tears rolled down from his eyes.§
Finally he pulled himself together and shuffled into the house. His mom, greeting him at the door, helped him dry off and fed him dinner.§
Then she announced, “Your father is waiting for you in the study.”§
Ganesh slinked into the study. As his father looked at him, Ganesh felt that somehow Appa had aged considerably since he had seen him that morning. How hurt he must be!§
“I am so sorry, Dad.”§
His father beckoned him forward, “Son, even if you want something badly, you should never resort to being dishonest to get it. I don’t want to give you a lecture. I know you have realized your mistake. All I want you to do now is to study for the entrance test and get in the honors class on your own merits.”§
For the last month, Ganesh had felt happy to be in the honors class; but that happiness was not real—it felt like stolen happiness. The thrill of cheating was momentary, and it had left him feeling guilty and uneasy. As he sat in front of his father, he was struck by how much pain his act had caused his parents. His friends, too, would now come to know what had happened. Kartikeya, who had stolen the test for him, was also in trouble.§
Ganesh had not won by cheating. Actually, he had lost. But today, after speaking to the teacher and then to his father, Ganesh felt a change coming over him. He promised himself that he would never again stoop to dishonesty, never again cheat to get ahead.§
Six months later, Ganesh took the test again and passed. The first day of class, while walking on the cobbled pathway, he recalled the happy way he had walked six months ago. Today he strode confidently, without burdens. In his heart, he knew that it was not only the entrance test that had been a challenge. He had faced one of life’s challenges and passed it, too. He had learned the value of honesty.§
