Sunday 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm....
.....makes me nostalgic. When I moved from UAE back to India, my dad had a Herculean task of getting me into a school, that would not have Tamil compulsory and would if possible have Hindi optional, would not be too competitive etc. etc.
Finally I got into St. John's Matriculation Higher secondary school. It was rapid transition to say the least, from having a class strength of 2-5, and a school strength 60, I moved to a class with a total strength of 75. The very first day I saw a classmate beaten on his back by a teacher, later a teacher hitting another boy with a wooden scale. It was too much for me to take. Anyway the seemingly endless week came to an end. I was glad.....Saturday flew by.
Before I knew Sunday came up which meant it was Oil bath day. My mom was good at that, she would mix a blend of herbs and stuff with the oil to make it healthy for my hair. Usually after taking an oil bath I instantly fell asleep. Before I realized it was evening.
Then my spine chilled up. I had knots in my stomach at the thought of going to school tomorrow, teachers, wooden scales and above all, Hindi!!
In those times the Metro channel(yup, we were one of those few families who didn't' have cable) had a movie during which everyone in the family would have been superglued to the TV. Dinner is then served to regenerate all the lost energy. Nam Kudumbam starts and again the whole family roars in laughter at S. Ve. Shekar's jokes which is better defined as reading out a jokes book like "Why is it of no use to advertise for a lost dog - because dogs cant read".
Then starts the program that indicates to me that I have less than an hour to sleep - Superhit Muqabla. I still remember Tamilization of all programs, and this was no exception. So when Pritviraj calls out the No. 1 song, I know I have less than 10 minutes and usually try to make the most of it, try to be as relaxed as possible.
Then when the previous year number 1 shows up everyone goes to different places in the house and you feel very awkward sitting there.
After a few minutes of aimless wandering I get to bed, still uneasy about Monday.
I hate to sleep, because to me and I'd bet to everyone it is usually closing one's eyes and opening it again. Weird! Who says we cannot time travel?
Then I go to school, submit homework, go through the routine stuff, eat lunch, watch out for predators from pouncing on the chapatthis that my mom makes for me and listen to all the new stuff the teachers gotta say. Have you ever wondered it is usually the predators that are the strongest, cleverest and energetic of all. They eat the curd rice from the Iyer boy's house, then some dosai from the girl who likes to share her food, then some potato from the guy who tried hard to hide it but his expression gave in. Finally after collecting their quota they go back and relish and eat it.
Before I realize it is 4:15. Then again, it isn't 4:30 yet. I have found it impossible not to point out the fact that the last 15 minutes of anyday is painfully slow.(Unless ofcourse it is a free period and I am talking to a pretty girl).
Students rush out as if prisoners escape a prison just hit by an earthquake. I ride back home, to drink that tea my mom makes, to vent out all my frustration at my patient mom who advises me that the guy who bullied me will learn a lesson from god, and the girl who I think I divinely love is not worth my time.
Today is Sunday, and the time is 9:00 PM. I still feel the same...
Finally I got into St. John's Matriculation Higher secondary school. It was rapid transition to say the least, from having a class strength of 2-5, and a school strength 60, I moved to a class with a total strength of 75. The very first day I saw a classmate beaten on his back by a teacher, later a teacher hitting another boy with a wooden scale. It was too much for me to take. Anyway the seemingly endless week came to an end. I was glad.....Saturday flew by.
Before I knew Sunday came up which meant it was Oil bath day. My mom was good at that, she would mix a blend of herbs and stuff with the oil to make it healthy for my hair. Usually after taking an oil bath I instantly fell asleep. Before I realized it was evening.
Then my spine chilled up. I had knots in my stomach at the thought of going to school tomorrow, teachers, wooden scales and above all, Hindi!!
In those times the Metro channel(yup, we were one of those few families who didn't' have cable) had a movie during which everyone in the family would have been superglued to the TV. Dinner is then served to regenerate all the lost energy. Nam Kudumbam starts and again the whole family roars in laughter at S. Ve. Shekar's jokes which is better defined as reading out a jokes book like "Why is it of no use to advertise for a lost dog - because dogs cant read".
Then starts the program that indicates to me that I have less than an hour to sleep - Superhit Muqabla. I still remember Tamilization of all programs, and this was no exception. So when Pritviraj calls out the No. 1 song, I know I have less than 10 minutes and usually try to make the most of it, try to be as relaxed as possible.
Then when the previous year number 1 shows up everyone goes to different places in the house and you feel very awkward sitting there.
After a few minutes of aimless wandering I get to bed, still uneasy about Monday.
I hate to sleep, because to me and I'd bet to everyone it is usually closing one's eyes and opening it again. Weird! Who says we cannot time travel?
Then I go to school, submit homework, go through the routine stuff, eat lunch, watch out for predators from pouncing on the chapatthis that my mom makes for me and listen to all the new stuff the teachers gotta say. Have you ever wondered it is usually the predators that are the strongest, cleverest and energetic of all. They eat the curd rice from the Iyer boy's house, then some dosai from the girl who likes to share her food, then some potato from the guy who tried hard to hide it but his expression gave in. Finally after collecting their quota they go back and relish and eat it.
Before I realize it is 4:15. Then again, it isn't 4:30 yet. I have found it impossible not to point out the fact that the last 15 minutes of anyday is painfully slow.(Unless ofcourse it is a free period and I am talking to a pretty girl).
Students rush out as if prisoners escape a prison just hit by an earthquake. I ride back home, to drink that tea my mom makes, to vent out all my frustration at my patient mom who advises me that the guy who bullied me will learn a lesson from god, and the girl who I think I divinely love is not worth my time.
Today is Sunday, and the time is 9:00 PM. I still feel the same...
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