Seeing Things Clearly

A group of school boys was going on an excursion. There were fifteen boys and their teacher was with them. They boarded the train and settled down into their seats, chattering and laughing.
In a little while, a small boy named Peter got into the train carriage with his father, looking very excited. He touched the seats and looked at all the signs. He smiled at the group and sat down at a window.
As the train moved on, he looked up excitedly at his father and then backed out of the window.
“Papa, the trees are green,” he said, “and they’re flying past us backwards!”
“Yes, they are,” said his father.
The boys in the group looked at one another as they found Peter’s remark so foolish. Everyone knew that the trees were green and the speed of the train made it seem that the trees were going backwards.
“Papa, Papa, look! There are birds sitting on the wires!” said Peter.
“Aren’t they pretty?” asked his father.
Again, the boys exchanged looks. What a stupid boy!
When the train stopped at a station, Peter’s father bought some fruits for him. Peter looked at each one with wonder, saying, “What lovely colours, Papa! This is an orange, this an apple and this is a banana! Wow!”

The boys were now laughing at Peter’s remarks. They found it hilarious when he began to point out things on the platform and name them. They joined in and made it into a game.
Lamp-posts, milestones, the roofs of cottages, the colours in the sky and the fields, cows, sheep, horses, cars and tractors, were all pointed out and Peter had a lovely time recognising things. He thought the boys were playing a game. But his father knew that they were laughing at Peter. However, he did not say anything.
The teacher came back and sat down in the carriage near Peter’s father. He understood that the boys were trying to make fun of Peter, and frowned at them. They stopped.
But the teacher himself was a little puzzled by Peter’s strange remarks. He turned to his father and asked him quietly, “Why is he acting as if he were seeing something new each time?”

“Because he is actually seeing it all for the first time, sir,” replied Peter’s father, “He was blind, and his eyes were operated upon very recently. That is why he is so delighted to see all the things that we take for granted every day.”
Moral: Don’t jump to conclusions.

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