Thuman woke up in a fright, but realized it was just a dream. It had been a bad day because he was bullied at school again. The same guy, Sanjay Mahotra kept hitting him. He would hurt Thuman any chance he got. This would be least of his problems. “Thumandeep Singh” his mother said soothingly. Are you alright Beta? Theek Thaak Kushni”? Thuman replied “Where will we go now mama?” Thuman feels the salty tears fall down his cocoa colored cheeks, which turned red from anger and frustration. “It’s ok Beta, we will be ok. God has answer for everything. Besides, your father said to stay strong, he’s coming back from Pakistan and he’ll fix everything.” Thuman’s heart almost jumped out of his chest at the thought of his father coming home. He hadn’t seen his father for almost eight months because of his fabric business abroad. The jobs in India were either too low quality or too high for his father to obtain, as they needed money.

It was already midnight, and there was still no sign of Thuman’s father. His mother, optimistic, and always positive says, “Don’t worry Beta; your father will be home soon.” The hours passed by while Thuman played around with difficult calculations and problems. He was an extremely bright child. Thuman was recently entered in the National India Academic Invitational and got fifth place. The top five in that competition were going to be evaluated separately to see who was fit for a potential scholarship for an American University. Thuman wants it so bad, but the first place winner, Raj Shulkmar, was one of the two who was the favorite to be selected. Raj was a very scary looking kid whose father was in prison because of Thuman’s father. Thuman’s father caught his Raj’s father trading opium, while he was on one his business trips.

Bang! Bang! Bang!”Daddy!” Thuman rejoiced but to his disappointment, it was only their neighbor knocking on the door with tears in his eyes. Thumans mother who had been smiling but now concerned at the sight of Joy Singh, who was as genuine and loving as they come. Also behind them was another beloved friend and also Muslim, Benin Al-Ferouq. “What’s wrong?”…Thuman’s mother asked. “It’s, about Bavinder (Thuman’s father)…He was murdered”. Joy had tried to keep it in, but he sobbed so hard that his tears created a tiny stream of despair and grief. “Oh my God, who would do such a thing? Why! Why! Who would kill my beloved husband” Thuman’s mother was inconsolable, but by this time Thuman had escaped the yelling and crying for the most brisk and cold air he had ever felt in a usual 100 plus degree environment. This is where he let all his emotions and tears out, he thought about his father leaving the world and he would never get to see him again. He also thought about losing his home, he thought about everything. He told himself this would be a day he would never forget. He would prove this to be true as he used his anger, sadness, and confusion to motivate himself to be successful. It would be the motivation that he would need in the long run; for the rest of his life.
10 years later…Thuman would write his mother everyday he could. His mother was so excited the day he won a scholarship to Columbia, he beat out everybody but one other person, he never found out who it was. Thuman was just a few months away from his degree in business and a guaranteed good paying job. His mother still lived at his aunt’s house but was happy and working on a visa to come to America. He won a scholarship that even rich people envied. It carried a purpose and permission to fly in the country of dreams. Thuman’s good fortune, was soon interrupted as he started to fail his exams. Thuman was too smart to fail. Something was wrong. He turned in a paper that was found not gradable because it was blank. This angered Thuman. He knew that he did everything right on that paper, he even sent it to his personal English tutor and he said was fabulous. For weeks these kinds of things happened. He got a letter saying that he may not be able to walk at graduation unless he shows improvement. His exams came back and some of the answers were not even his writing. Then it hit him, someone was sabotaging him. Three days later he filed a complaint to the dean and an appeal for his current graduate status which was in still in jeopardy. There was a police investigation and everything. His life had seemed so awful, but then a knock came at his door and it was a smiling with Oakley sunglasses and a three piece suit. His jet black hair and dark tan complexion gave away his identity. Thuman was in shock, “Raj, you won the scholarship too?” “No you fool; you were the only one they selected. My father is now a professor at this university teaching mostly online courses. How is school?” “Well actually not so good, someone has been trying to ruin me, but thankfully the committee has a lead and I will graduate” Then Raj said sharply “So why did you send your mother a letter that says your fine?”…”Well I didn’t want her to…Hey wait? How did you know I sent her that?” … Ha it looks like you’ve seen a ghost, the same look your father had right before he died .