He walked out of the examination hall.

“How did it go?”

“I think it went well; I’ll get a 65 on 75 and the practical exam is still to happen.”

The father didn’t say anything. “Unbelievable,” he thought to himself. Just a month ago, his son had barely scraped through the qualifying exam. His son, he thought, obviously didn’t know what it took to excel.

As they reached home, he told his wife, “Your son says he will score full marks.”.

Mother and son exchanged glances. The son looked up and said, “I didn’t say that.”

A month later, the results were declared. He had indeed got a 65 on 75 and a full 25 in the practical – added together it made for a handsome figure.

Mother and son grinned ear to ear; his father – though happy – looked on in disbelief. Faith had just trumped sarcasm.