Rahul Writes

I have been appointed as a class representative in most of my schools and colleges. I think it was because I was always a more sincere student than most others. In school, my important role was limited to maintaining the attendance register and making some announcements. But in the high school, perhaps my role reached a pinnacle. I remember the days very well.  

That was first year of my high school days, means I was in class 8^th. I had done best in the exams and that made my teachers appoint me as the class monitor. In those days very less things interested me apart from studies. I was a serious student, exceptional for others, very introvert, very well mannered and these qualities definitely make us favourite of teachers. In those days whenever a teacher was late to report for the class, the class would become a pitched fish-market and the noise would reach even the Head Master’s cabin. So our class teacher fixed my major role as maintaining discipline in the class. In between two classes, no one would make a noise and if one does I would note his (it was all boys’ school) name on the blackboard. The next teacher who comes to the class would punish those guys. I came out as a very strict monitor. I didn’t allow anyone even to make a minute noise. For example, no one could even ask another for a pencil. The boys asked me to allow them to chat with each other in the lowest of voice possible, but I won’t accede. Some guys threatened me but I won’t budge. In those days it was not uncommon for some guys to even beat up opponents. But what came to my support was that I myself was always high on moral sense and always practiced what I preached. But for sheer sympathy towards the guilty, some times I would erase all the names before the teacher came. But many times I won’t show mercy and the guys would be punished, mostly by being made to keep standing up in front of the class. I can feel the silence that prevailed in the recess.  

I now remember those days and can laugh at myself. I had taken the role so severely which my class mates didn’t deserve. If I allowed them to talk in whispers or to move around a bit by asking permissions, no great indiscipline would have happened. And I feel it was important to allow them to unwind in between the classes. What I did was to discipline them at the cost of them losing their humour and fun. And I now wonder at the patience of my class too – why they never revolted!  

- Rahul

In those days I was studying in the 12^th. I and another cousin (brother) used to stay in the same room. It was winter at that time. One morning, while he was heating bathing water with an electrical heating rod, we had a discussion about the device. I said that I would check if the water was hot by touching it while power was on. He asked me not to do so otherwise I would get an electric shock. I had read about the heating effect of current and I said that I believed there should not be actual currents running in the water but it was the rod which was heated and conducted heat to the water. When he didn’t agree, I said that I would demonstrate it. I went ahead and touched the water. He didn’t stop me from doing so. When I touched the water I didn’t get any shock. He was surprised and checked the heater. And he said, “Rahul, God saved your life. The plug was not fitted well.” Later on, I realised that I had a near miss. I don’t know what would have happened if I really touched the water while current ran through it.  

Afterwards, I had at least two serious near death experiences in my life. Once I had a close pass from a luggage train. And another time my motorbike slipped on a crossing of a highway, and thanks to my helmet I was saved because my head (helmet) banged on the road many times. Also, fatefully, there were no trucks on the road at that time. 

Our life is full of uncertainties. No matter how much we try to control the events, we won’t be 100% successful. Those who think of themselves as too powerful should think about the kings who have died having fallen from a staircase or from a horseback. It makes us realise the importance of the good days in our life. We should be grateful to the fate or to the God that we are safe, alive, and in a state of peace. Because, the good days are neither permanent nor given.  

- Rahul

Two snapshots from childhood

(Memories V2)

Jab mai chhota bachcha tha

It was when I was about 5 years old and we used to live in our grandfather's joint family. I had started going to school, and to make the matters worse, an old master jee was coming to teach us every evening. In those days, whenever one of us got fever, we used to get chutti from school. And some times to top it, father used to ask us to miss the school for an extra couple of days even if the fever had come down. I seemed to have observed this very well. :)

Once I enjoyed 2-3 such fun-days with no school and no studies. Now the fever was gone and I played the whole day off with my sister and cousins. In the evening, the riots of masti suddenly stopped when we saw a familiar figure approaching our home: our master jee! No!!!

Sister was also an obedient girl :), she brought her bag and notebooks and started with the tuition. But I was not to join in The whole family started looking for me everywhere, without any success. In the end, I was found, inside the rajai (quilt) on my bed, pretending to be asleep. When asked what happened, I replied innocently, "kamrori hai" ("I am feeling weakness" :).

The whole house burst into laughter, and I still love myself so much for this incident :)

Teacher jaldi aa jana

By this time, we had started understanding the things and had begun experimenting too. And we had started hating our next tutor who spoilt all our evenings. Was that a good time to teach? In the middle of the games, when we had to pull out, go back home and spend two hours studying at a round table? No!!! :)

And then one day we decided that enough was enough. We thought out plans to take revenge on him. And we got a great idea! Teacher had a good habit ' whenever he used to come in, he took out his handkerchief and hit the chair even if it was very clean. We planned our revenge in this way We brought in kept some soil and some water on the chair and applied the paste on the seat. :) We kept all other chairs very far away, so that he sits on that chair only. And then we imagined how he would come in, would pull out his hanky and strike it on the chair and then he would sit down only to realise something was wet! :) We were so happy! Luckily, no one else was at home and hence we were very sure about our success We were giggling and were being very proud of our superb plans Suddenly, the demon arrived :)

He had come in while we were still mud-handed! :) He didn't say anything and just asked me to fetch the chair which was kept far away. And then he again brought out his hanky in his trademark style All our dreams were shattered :) Sapne mitti me mil gaye :)

We still remember the day and wonder how dare-devils we had been :)

(Memories V2)

First time in market…

I don't remember my age at that time, but I was very much a super-hero even then. It was also the time when I envied my friends who had got full-pants as their uniforms and curiously looked at my father driving his motorbike every evening. School was 'the' world of the day-time, and home a place to dream and experiment. And then one day, mother asked me to buy 250 grams of chuda (beaten rice). And hence I went to the market ' for the first time alone

Mother had asked me to enquire more than one shop, because they might try to fool me into charging more. I went to the first shop and enquired ' Rs 11.50 per Kg. Ok Then the neighbouring shop ' Rs 11 a Kg. Wow! They really thought I was a kid? I realised that if just going 10 feet further gave me a saving of 50 paisa, how about making a round? And hence I made a quick round of all the kirana stores in the market, about 8-10 of them

I realised that it was not working. There were only two rates and I was not gaining anything from the exercise. So when the next shopkeeper said Rs 11.50, I told him that the rates of the competitors were lower by 50 paisa! He said, "Ok, how much would you take?" "250 grams " To my surprise, he agreed to give me at the lower rate. I returned back home happy and victorious ' after all, I was not fooled at all by them. By the time I reached home, I had done the calculation

I had saved Rs (11.50 ' 11)/4 = Rs 0.125 = 12.50 paisa! Now I realised why the shopkeeper had agreed at the lower rate of his competitor I don't remember what happened next ' and it is indeed comforting not to remember mother's reaction. I must have told the story of my smartness and business acumen to mother who would have told me what I saved after spending 20 extra minutes ' 10 paisa! And an experience.

The funniest thing is that I still make such funny mistakes ' just their sophistications have changed or should I say improved?

(Rahul)

Memories

Jab I learnt flying Patang…

As Makar Sankranti has come, kites are ruling the Mumbai sky. Kites are hanging from every tree and are making the otherwise dull power cables beautiful. Slum children can be seen running after the kites which come down drifting. Kites are of all colours, shapes and sizes. They are even selling beautiful small toy-kites for little kids. Make shift shops have come up in all corners, and are doing good business. I recall my own little experience with kite flying.

Bachpan mein ek baar, during summer vacation, mujhe shauk hua ki mai bhi patang udaana seekhunga. So I purchased a patang, ek powder ke dibbe me stick ghusaa kar latai bhi banaa li. Ab ek guru ki jaroorat thi. So I went to the playground, full of enthusiasm. Guru aasmaan se to tapakte nahi hain, so ek ladka chal kar mere paas aayaa.

He took my kite and very soon my kite was in the sky. Wow! "Ab mujhe bhi udaane do ". "Ek minute"; he was enjoying and main apni baari ka intjaar kar raha tha. Achanak, something happened, and patang sach mein udne lagi. He ran after it. Ab samajh mein aayaa. Maine latai banate samay shayad dor ki end mein knot nahi baandhi thi. Ya shayad guru ne kuchh game khela chele ke saath?

Memories

Memories of that American shoe  

Memory goes back to 1995, on the evening before the morning I had my first tea J We were there to take part in our youngest uncle's wedding.

One of my maternal uncles lives in the US. When we were kids, he used to bring gifts for us. Once, along with many things, he brought a pair of formal shoes. That was a stylish black leather shoe, very light one. I don't know why but father didn't take that for self. And mother being a loving sister, kept it for some occasion. By this time, I was grown up enough to make use of it.

The wedding was a perfect occasion for me to take over the shoe. I checked the size, it was perfect. I got it polished, and waited for the day.

We went to the bride's place with the baraat. We, the children were mostly together. We had reached the place and were roaming around, when I discovered something to my horror: the sole of one of my shoes was lying on the ground, looking flat towards the dark sky. And I felt the length of my two legs had become different! Wow, what a soup to be in!  I tried to fix that by standing over the poor sole, but there was no way. That was as embarrassing as was it adventurous. I restricted my movements to avoided being caught in the act. I waited for the party to end and to return back.

It was good that we got into a car to return. I was waiting for us to reach home as soon as possible. Something that I never imagined had occurred ' I was 'the' guy with single sole! I rushed to my mother to tell her the story.

Laughing in the dark, I told her the story about how the bride's party would find a flat sole on the floor in the morning! I showed my mother the only sole that was with me, and then, to my horror, I discovered that the other sole too was missing! It had remained in the car, which I got to see in the morning!

This story remains to be my favourite laughter generator ' a reason why I believe reality is more interesting than fiction.