The Phone That Answered Itself

The Phone That Answered Itself

It all started on a calm night in a small village. Arjun, who was 12 years old, was going through the attic of his grandfather’s old house when he spotted something strange: a dusty black rotary phone with a chord that looked like a snake’s nest. The fact that it wasn’t even plugged in was what confused him the most.

He still pulled it down the stairs and put it on his desk.

The phone rang that night, right at midnight.

Arjun stopped moving. The shrill trill rang out in the room, even though the phone was off. He grabbed it up even though he knew better.

“Hello?” he said quietly.

“Arjun…” said a deep, quiet voice. Why didn’t you finish your homework today?

His heart stopped for a second. How could this person know? He muttered, “Who is this?”

The speaker didn’t answer his query. “Your future will waste you if you keep wasting your time.” Choices are like bricks, and the house you live in tomorrow is created with the ones you make today.

And then—click. Quiet.

The Warnings Keep Coming

The phone called again the next night.

“Arjun,” the voice said, “you left your shoes out in the rain. You will damage them. Being careless doesn’t just degrade shoes; it also ruins character.

Arjun shuddered. Every night, the odd caller would contact him and point out small infractions he had committed that day, including not eating his lunch, failing to complete his tasks, and playing games rather than studying.
The boy got bored. He wanted to hang up, toss the phone away, or pretend it wasn’t true. But for some reason, he kept answering. He knew the voice was right deep inside.

The Point of No Return

One night, the voice was harsher than usual.

“Arjun, if you don’t change, the future you want will slip away.” You’ll wish you hadn’t taken those chances. “Do better.”

Arjun couldn’t sleep that night. He pondered about the warnings. His filthy habits, his sloth, and his justifications weren’t good for him. They were making him who he was going to be.

He started tiny the next morning. He cleaned up his room, did his homework without being told to, and even helped his mom cook. His days began to feel better and brighter over time.

Then, something strange happened.

The phone didn’t ring anymore.

The Lesson

Arjun became a responsible young man years later. He never forgot about the weird phone. He didn’t sure if it was a ghost, his conscience, or something else. But he got the message:

“Our habits today shape our tomorrow.”

Every bad choice adds up, and every good choice makes the future better.

The phone never answered itself again, but Arjun didn’t need it to.

Lesson: Our actions now affect our future.