Down the memory lane(2)

When I was in class 3 or 4( I don't remember exactly), Verma Teacher was the Assistant Head Mistress of our school. She used to teach us Geography , and I was afraid of her. She was very strict ( Asst Head Mistresses are like that!), and also very, very reserved. Rarely any student has ever seen a smile on her face, and I never saw. But she used to teach nicely, a bit slow, but the method was entertaining.

In the first Geography monthly test, I got 23 out of 25. That was the highest number I have ever obtained in any Geography exam till then, and it has remained as my "all time best"! So, one can imagine how happy I was after the exam, and I started to fear Verma teacher less than what I used to do.

Her class was in the 4th period, that is, the one before the tiffin break. We had a 15 minutes tiffin break, and 15 minutes play break. We, the boys, used to have the tiffin secretly during the 4th period itself, so that we can have 30 minutes to play! But I feared eating during Verma teacher's class, and I feel that the other boys also had the same feeling.

One day, in the midst of the class, she asked one question to a friend( I dont recall the name now). When he was unable to answer, she told him the correct answer, and then started advicing him. The tone was so boring and monotonous that I could not help myself, but started laughing!! I have this strange habit of laughing, and once it starts, its very difficult to stop it! Verma teacher saw me trying to conceal the smile, she told me to stand up, and then again turmed her attention to the other boy. Again the monotonous tone started, and after a couple of minutes, unable to control myself, I burst into laughter!!!

Verma teacher was really surprised, probably, she had not seen such a scene before. She ordered me ," No tiffin, no play either. Stay in the class during the break!" What a strange punishment it was!! The class ended, and when the tiffin period started, my friends started eating opening their tiffin box. I had brought maggi and chocolates that day. So after a while, unable to bear the scene that Godol is putting a whole Paratha in his mouth , I opened my box, and finished the contents within 2 minutes.

Since I disobeyed the first order, I decided to break the second one also, and went to play. After 10-15 minutes, somebody told me that Verma teacher was looking for me. Fully sweat, and without a tie(while playing, all of us used to get rid of that nuisance), I stood in front of Verma teacher, and she asked me:

Where is your tie?
- I was playing, teacher.
- What???? I told you not to do so, isnt it? Did you eat your tiffin also???
- Yes teacher, I like 5 star very much, and I was hungry!!

Verma teacher, undecided about what to say, looked at me in an eye which bored the expressions of surprise, disbelief and a bit of anger! I was certain that the matter is going to get worse, but to my surprise this time, she told me," Go away! From next time, never ever disturb the class laughing, understand??" I nodded, and again went back to play. My perception about Verma teacher changed from that day, and from the next class, my fears went away, although I followed her advice, never laughed in her class!!!!

Down the memory lane (I)

It is almost a uniform belief that school days are the best days in one's life. I do believe the same, and one of the vital reasons for that belief is, those days were really free from the tensions and boredomI face now. Today morning, I thought of writing about some incidents of my school life. There are numerous events which I can recall, most of them are still very much alive in my memory. These are the events which I like to cherish the most, so I have decided to blog them from time to time.

NICKNAME : In school, almost in each class, the boys have a nickname which is more famous than their original names. I dont know about the girls, although our school was a co-ed one! According to our teachers, our batch was "notorious yet brilliant". That is really a unique description I have ever heard of. Nevertheless, we had some out-of-this-worldnicknames, and I would like to list a few of them: Amartya : GaNtu , Mainak : Oshur(Demon) , Samrat : Lali , Prithwish : Latka , Sandip : Bile/Boyoshko(old)/ Rat-tat , Anirban: Pant , Dibyendu : Biri(this guy have never smoked in his life yet!!) , Souvik : Godol, Soumik : Krishno/Boudi , Shantangsu : Keshto, Animesh : Chasha, Subhankar : Kochi, Suman: Kathi(for his one-dimensional figure!) , Tamojit: Tommy, myself : Badam, Sumonjit : Kaku das , Pradeep: Danob/DeNto/DaNtal and so on.

Why Badam???? One day, while returning from school in a bus, it happened. We usually used to board a bus in a group of 4 or 5 friends. From the bus-stop near our school, a hawker used to board the bus too, and he used to sell badam(nuts) and candies. On that day also, as we took our seat, the hawker boarded, and started calling : e badam e badam, ek taka packet, lobenchus takay 6 ta ! I don't know what occured to me, I too started calling : e badam, e badam!! To my misfortune, Siddhartha was there with us, and he and Mainak were responsible for all the nicknames I have mentioned. Hearing me, Sidhhartha said, " Array, tui to or thekeo bhalo bolchhis re!!! Ekdom professional badamwala r moton!!!!!!!!" Then obviously, he proposed that I should be nicknamed as badamwala, which the other boys found no reason to oppose. Thinking a while, Sidhhartha said, " Nah, naam ta boro hoye jachhe. Ok badam bolei daka hok".

For obvious reasons, all the other guys supported him, and the nickname Badam was unanimously accepted. The next day, as I entered the class, Mainak yelled, " Array Badam bhai!!!!!!"

I have left school 10 years ago. But still now, school friends call me "badam". Earlier this year, we had a get-together, where we were meeting with each other after almost 8 years. Seeing me, Mainak shouted, " Array badam bhai, koddin baade dekha?" Hearing this, the scene at the private bus came in my memory. Those sweet old days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. : I tried to write the conversations in english, but did not get the feeling. So I wrote them in bengali to keep the tempo intact.

Fire ! Fire !!

It was 11:15 this morning, I was in the middle of a presentation, which was about to end at 11:30. Suddenly, the building was alarmed by a shrill--------which was low at the beginning, but gradually went on increasing. My professor, a little bewildered, popped out of the room. After a few moments, he shrugged, and telling me that we would be continuing next time, left the room quietly. During that time, I figured out that this harsh noise is the sound of a fire alarm! So, gathering my belongings, I came out of the room.

11:15 is the peak time in any university, so I saw that a lot of students coming out of the classrooms and heading towards the stairs. Nobody opted for the elevator, probably because of the fear that it might get stuck in the midway. The entire building was evacuated within 3-4 minutes. I came down to the parking lot, and lighting a cigarette, noticed the different groups of people standing there.

Two students were writing an exam, and they were having a tough time. Leaning against the wall, they continued writing , the faces bored the expressions of anger, frustration, surprise------a threesome mixture of feelings. Some of the students were very happy though, chatting with each other, and enjoying the unexpected break. The faculty members , in small groups of 3-4, were chatting in a serious manner. The alarm, however, was continuing, only it got shriller and we were gradually adopting with it.

After 10 minutes or so, the alarm stopped as suddenly as it had started. A good portion of the crowd clapped their hands, some of them uttered, " Thank God, we are safe!" . Happily, the people started retreating towards the entrance.

Coming upstairs, I gathered that the fire alarm just "went-off" . For a number of days, it(the alarm) did not utter a single noise. So this fine morning, it "went off" ! Today is 3rd April, so the behaviour of the alarm can be considered as a "belated April Fool" event . I had to admit that inert objects have their own sense of humor, which comes out under the most unexpected circumstances.

Rain rules

It is raining here for the last 2 days, sometimes heavily, sometimes light drizzle, what in bengali we call as "ilsheguri bristy". In Wichita, we do not get much rain, in an entire year, it rains only for 10-12 days. Back home, I used to enjoy rain very much. I still remember the days when the streets used to get water-logged , and while returning from school, I , walking in the water barefooted, with the shoes in hand,and occasionally splashing water to the passers-by, and quite naturally did not care at all about what remarks or curses they used to bestow upon me.

But here, since the rainy days are very few, I do not get those good old days. Also, here the streets do not get water-logged, so the splashing business is out of question. The only thing I can get here is to drench in the rain. It is really a great pleasure for me. The walk from my apartment to the department takes about 10 minutes, and when I reached the department today, I was totally wet, and on entering the office, the carpets got wet as well. One of my office-mates, in a not-so-pleasant tone, asked me " Don't you have an umbrella? " I , reluctantly, replied," Yeah, I do. But I did not bring it. Its great walking in the rain without an umbrella". Hearing this, he looked at me in a such a way that he is looking at a lunatic or a totally insane person, and as if I have committed a crime or something of that kind.

For Bengalees, Khichuri and ilish machh bhaja are synonymous with rain. I cannot, or more precisely, do not, try khichuri(specially after the spinach disaster), but ilish is very much available here. So, yesterday night, as it was raining outside, I had a delicious dinner with rice, daal and ilish bhaja. I hope to repeat the same thing today. A peg of Bacardi Gold with coke, accompanied by some soft instrumentals, will create the perfect friday night ambience required. So am finishing off today, and intend to return some other time with some new information.

California trip

The California trip ended today. When I landed in Wichita at 7 in the evening, I felt like coming back home. I realised that somehow, I have started loving this city , no matter how desolate or unimportant it is. Maybe staying for almost 3 years here is the primary reason.

The very first thing about this trip is: the Law of Average worked this time! I reached California safely, and came back safely----both on time. For the first time, there were no hindrances or delays. The trip was excellent. I met with my friends after a long time: about one year or longer.

Although I came to California in 2005, we did not go to the Sea World in San Diego. So, this time we visited Sea World, and it was worth-watching. The shows were excellent----------specially the sea-lion show and the dolphin show. There was another show named Pet's Rule! which consisted mainly of dogs and cats. I was amazed by the level of training they got, and was surprised by the timings as well. It cannot be explained in words to anybody who has not seen the shows in person. Above all, there was Shamu, the main attraction of the Sea World.

For most of the time, however, we stayed home chatting and eating. The lunch and dinners were mind blowing-------ranging from luchi-aloor dum to shorshe ilish, from muri-chanachur to tel-koi, from mutton kasha to tangra machh er jhal!! For a food-lover like me, it was really awesome. I am sure that I have gained a few pounds in these 10 days. The desserts consisted of cakes, pudding, ice cream and gajar ka halwa!

I need to go back to work again from tomorrow, but we all are waiting for the next trip in early August, although nothing is decided yet. But something will come out, and we'll be having a gala tour again. It is this spirit which keeps us going. Whenever a tour is finished, planning for the next trip starts and we get engaged mentally! This is something very unusual. Hope it continues as long as we stay here.

Aamar ei path chalatei anondo

Time for a break

I am leaving for Riverside, California, today and will be returning to Wichita on March 20. After working too hard (supposedly) for two months, I need a break badly. In Riverside, I will be meeting my friends, two of whom I haven't seen for almost two years.
The most important thing is, this time, the stopover is not Dallas, its Denver. This one has a 'D' as well. For me , 'D' is Delay, Drama, Damadol(Hotch Potch). Hope this time I wont face any problem, after all, there is something called Law of Average.
Bon voyage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Exquisite Excuses

Excuses--------this is a very useful technique we all use in everyday life. In bengali, this is termed "ojuhaat" . A friend of mine once told me that we, the Bengalees, have three hands ( haat), namely, the Right hand ( or daan haat), Left hand ( baaN haat) and Ojuhaat. When neither right nor left hand works, we use our third hand, and in most of the critical cases, if we can use this hand properly, we succeed in getting away with the trouble.

Here, besides studying, I also need to teach math courses to the undergraduates . These students do not like maths, and most of them has a sort of "math phobia". In order to skip classes, or to turn in a late homework, or to take a late exam, they come with a lot of different excuses, and some of them are really fascinating. I want to list some of them below:

• I cannot come to class today due to stomach upset/flu/fever/headache. Would you accept if I turn in my homework the next day?? This is a very reasonable excuse, the illness changes as the season changes. In winter, its headache, and when the temparature fluctuates , the illness changes to flu, fever, cold etc, and stomach upset is perennial.

• I was not in town yesterday, as I had to attend the funeral of my paternal uncle's mother-in-law. Can I submit the homework later? This is quite common an excuse for skipping classes. Only, the relation between the deceased and the student changes from occassions. Grandma, Grandpa (from both sides), step-mom and dad, and then, these type of distant relatives. Some students are not so imaginative, or they have a weak memory. So they kill their Grandma or Grandpa more than once!! But, most of them are cautious in this respect. Relatives die mostly when an exam is scheduled.
  

• I was on my way, but my car battery got into trouble / I had flat tyres./ I got a ticket. This is the one for which you cannot protest. In wintertime, specially in the morning classes, batteries do not work quite often, and on friday evening, the tyre gets flat, because Friday party is more lucrative in all means than a mundane math class.

• Dear Sir, I did my homework , but while submitting, I got distracted watching a pretty girl, and followed her. Can you please--------? This is the most imaginative excuse I have had so far . I appreciated the student very much for his on-spot innovation, and really accepted the homework.

• Sir, I could not come to class yesterday for the exam, because my lovely dog died. Can we reschedule the exam? I was really amazed by the humbleness of the student. This will be the second best innovative excuse I came across so far.

Now, the important thing: what did I learn from this list? Well, to apply these same excuses as and when required. Last semester, I was assigned to teach early in the morning from 7:30!! Its a real pain. Students can be late, they can sleep in the class snoring, but, as an instructor, you have to be in class on time. One day, I woke up at 7:25 !!!! It was a real disaster. I hurried to the class at 7:47. The students were waiting for me, although 3-4 of them left. As I entered, one guy told, " We thought you won't come today". Without any prior thinking, I announced, " Sorry guys, my car-battery was not working, so I was stuck in my parking lot . Sorry for the delay"!!!!!!! The reality is, I do not have a car! But the students do not know it. They were happy, I was happy, and the class started happily.