Published in 1960 in St. Pat's Calling (School Newspaper)
"Have you met my friend "M"? "No"? "Well here you can know a lot about him -- if you care to."
A Professor of Science will describe 'M' as a combination of mischievious bones and muscles. The book-readers describe him as a mixture of William Brown -- surely you have read of him -- and Ukridge of Wodehouse's books; which is not surprising since "M" considers both of them his heroes.
On the day I met him "M" gave me a lecture on Friendship. "To test a new friend", he said, "you should ask him to lend you some money". Then, looking straight into my eyes, he said, "Can you lend me two annas?". Remembering what he had just said, I gave him two annas -- my bus money --- thinking he would return it immediately. But the cunning old devil did nothing of the kind. He just said "Thanks", and returned to his lecture.

The next day he came to me and asked "Got two annas"?
"No!" I replied firmly.
"Oh!" he said, disappointed. Then struck with a brainwave, he said "I know, what you can do . You can borrow it from a friend and give it to me".
"I never borrow money" I replied.
"Just do it today. I didn't have any breakfast today and my stomach is empty".
"Why didn't you have breakfast?" I asked.
"I did not get up before seven and my father -- he is very strict about discipline -- did not let me have it".
"How good of your father! Tell me, where do you live? I'd like to meet him", I said.
But "M" had guessed what I would tell his father when I met him, so he said "I'll tell you after you give me the money". Although I had the two annas, I borrowed them so that "M" would forget to ask me to lend him money. But he did not give me his address. He thanked me for the two annas and said "Excuse me" and ran away to spend the money. Later I learnt that he had borrowed money from everyone in the class. If you have heard of Ukridge, you will remember that he too borrowed money from his friends, who never had hopes of ever seeing their money being returned.
In his first month at school, "M" never got into trouble with the masters. But for the rest of the year, he was always seen in the Penance Study class and even near the Principal's door.
His first trouble was with the English master. "John Keats was a very good poet" he was saying when his gaze fell upon "M". He roared, "M, you will please pay attention like a gentleman!" But "M" did nothing of the kind. Perhaps he did not consider himself a gentleman. Moreover he was not interested in Keats. He had an idea that Keats was a man who collected stamps. The result was a day's Penance Study.
In the Science Laboratory he did the Urdu homework. When made to kneel down he was engrossed in doing something else. The Science Master, who liked the name Darwin, was giving a lecture on Darwin. "M" was not interested in Darwin. He had a vague recollection that Darwin had something to do with monkeys. He made little paper balls and threw them at everyone. When he was discovered, he had another day's Penance Study to his credit. In this way, he rose to the rank of "Chief Troublemaker" in the Matric class.
But he was jovial. While talking to him, one had the impression that "M" had a clear conscience -- you know, he was good, honest, polite and what not. The other day he was telling us what had happened when his father had discovered that he was a frequent visitor to the cinema halls.
"He came home in a bad temper", said "M" "and the first thing he did was to call me to his room. I went knowing what was going to happen.
"Which picture did you see today?" he asked. "Me!" I jumped as if I had received an electric shock -- as a matter of fact I did receive it. My right hand had strayed to the radio wire. I told him everything and the worst was that I had received my report just that day -- full of red lines! My pocket money was stopped for a week" , said "M", ending his story.
What do you think of "M"? He is, I think the life and soul of the tenth. He never does his homework at home and manages to escape. He always spends his bus money and somehow reaches home. He never does P.T. because he always comes late. Surely a fellow like that must possess an extraordinary brain, although most of the masters declare that he has no brain!
Shakir Lakhani
X-'B',