The Pain Of The Second Number
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By Rajani Puranik
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I was in Mumbai in the month of June, which is the month of results. Every day’s papers used to give some or the other results on the front page with the photographs of the successful students. The results for public exams like SSC and HSC are considered more important as the no. Of students appearing for it is more than any other exam. The whole month after the result has different atmosphere. The merit list, the honors, the prizes to the students and their interviews is lot of material to read and enjoy. I like to see the photographs of the successful children and to read their experiences that how did they prepare for the exam, who helped them or inspired them for the success.

I always used to see the difference of marks between the first rank and the second rank student. It is always the difference of one or two marks. This difference of one or two marks turns all the efforts, pains and preparation of the student into second rank. Actually the first ranker and second ranker proved them selves as equally brilliant except for one or two marks or some times whims of the examiner they got but it changes the whole pattern. My heart goes for the second no. I can understand the pains of the second number. The agony of second number always remains with him forever. He has to accept it as fate, luck or what ever.

The pain of the second number is not limited to exams only but has its effect in many areas of our life. The first child of the married couple is always welcomed irrespective of the sex but generally the second one is wanted as son if the first one is daughter. The attention and the admiration the first one gets is always more than the second.

In the Monarchical system the heir to the throne is always the first child and not the second. I shall not here enter into boy or girl debate. Even in the life of common men the first one automatically becomes family head if it is joint family. I do remember here the incidence from Mahabharata. Doupradi was the wife of five Pandavas and accordingly her stay with each one was decided and determined. We also know that once Arjun wanted his weapons or arms to fight with demons he went to Droupadis room as it was his turn to be with her and saw Dharmaraj the eldest or the first son with her and according to the agreement Arjun had to go on pilgrimage. The extra right Dharmaraja used was due the first number. Even once Droupadi told Bhima that he should be the first Pandava in the next life.
It is said about Napoleon Bonaparte that he used to be ready on the battlefield before his enemy would attack. But in the battle between him and combined Allied army of British, Dutch, Belgium and Prussian led by Duke of Wellington at Waterloo he was late due to heavy rain and the delay or missing the first no cost him the defeat. What I want to say in this case that first has always seat and success in life. It does not mean that the second is unsuccessful but the first gets the place automatically by the virtue of the rank.

Think of the Apollo 11 Mission. It was the first manned mission to land on the Moon. This mission carried three American astronauts to the Moon in 1969. Neil Armstrong was the first to step out of the landing module and on to the lunar soil. Armstrong said,”that is one small step for man , one giant leap for mankind”. Such a great event is remembered along with the name of Armstrong. The other names are recorded and honored they got all the name and fame but Neil was first to step out. All the three were equally trained and fit for the mission but the importance and credit goes to the first name.

We have the experience of this fact in all walk of our life. The second no. has to compromise a bit for no exact reason but for number. We remember every first event of our life or our child’s life but the second can be forgotten or allowed to forget.
Till last Sunday we all have enjoyed Australian Open and before we enjoyed US Open Tennis Matches. .Defeating many players Roger Federer and Andy Roddics reached to the Final in US Open it means both of them were equally competent to reach to the final . The swing , who would be the Number One was developed in the second set but ultimately Federer won the Trophy , the prize and the Champion ship of US Open .Roddics said in his statement that there is still scope for him to improve his game but if the result would have been otherwise then he would have been perfect. Same thing has happened in Australian Open.Federer and Gonzales reached the Final keeping the viewers guessing but after the first set Federer again got the first place. We must accept the skill ,the practice, and the determination plus hard work of the first number but there is unseen part of the luck which takes you to the second number. There fore I have sympathy for the second number.
(writer is having very good skill in writing with deep study of the subject.)
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