Interesting people!!

“So any one knows the Newton’s 1^st law?” My sixth standard madam asked us. We were all unassuming little kids then. So of course Newton himself was an unknown proposition to us.

“Who is Newton Teacher?” asked one of the unassuming little boys who was sitting 2 rows behind me. His face showed an eagerness to know.

The madam looked as if the little boy had committed a sacrilege. Maybe a punishment of human sacrifice would suffice such a sacrilege! Her face contorted, she had some trouble speaking up, “He was a great great great scientist!”

Apparently we were all ignorant about science.  So the next question was asked by me, unable to curb my bubbling enthusiasm, I went straight up and asked, “What’s a Scientist?”

All my fellow students made an approving noise which suggested that this was indeed a good question. I was no doubt very happy about my intellectual question. I don’t suppose any sixth grader was supposed to be of such great intellectual capacity. I was, it seems highly intellectual then! I have no idea where the intellect disappeared as I grew up!

The madam seemed to swear at something. She looked red in her face. She was undoubtedly controlling a lot of emotions in her. I personally thought that she should let go of all emotions and be free of it. Getting red in face doesn’t make her look good. She was like a water melon’s inside. Perhaps, a shade lighter. But only to a slight extent.

After a couple of excruciating second, she finally said, “A scientist is one who studies science and makes new inventions and laws.”

There was a complete silence in the class. I looked around. It was impossible to know whether they completely understood what our madam meant. I was a little unsure of whether such a thing even existed or not! But I was in sixth grade. What did I know about the world!! Apparently the whole class was in deep thought!! No one uttered a single word for sometime. Our madam was pleased, it seemed as she was smiling. As if to say that she knew more than us. Her imperious manner was quite suggestive that she considered herself as the self proclaimed queen and us her, well, not so loyal subjects.

The twinkle in her eye made it quite self explanatory about her victor over us.

My mind immediately went to this Newton guy. He must have been real important for our teacher to tell us about it. Perhaps we could meet him and I could personally ask a few intellectual questions. You must not forget that I was quite intellectual then! Though our madam didn’t quite accept it. Her regular use of the words such as ‘Stupid,Idiot,Featherhead..etc etc..’ to me, clearly marked her feelings.

Well, since that day we all learnt during our learning curve that Newton was an all important person in the arena of science and scientific inventions. I still go around that school some times. And to this day I see our madam still teaching the sixth graders who Newton was! And how important he was! I do look back and cannot help in giving a smile to our class at that time and how innocent we were!