Sometimes, childhood is least concerned about the happenings around us, whereas the innocent mind is always busy calculating the divisions and additions of friendship. Could ignorance have a cost?
Returning from school, I used to get off at the Nallalam Bazar bus stop in Kozhikode (Kerala) and walk nearly a kilometer to my house, which was an apartment on the ground floor of the Telecom Staff quarters.
With my hands either in my pockets or holding the straps of my school bag (which rests over my shoulder), I used to walk towards my house. Occasionally, I would kick a stone or an empty can to make my way home while my mind replayed the events from earlier in the school. As I arrived home, I would glance at all the cans or stones lying beneath the veranda. Some of them would be missing. The workers who clean the area might have removed most of the cans.
After getting refreshed, I used to take a little nap before my evening studies. I preferred to sleep on the floor, leaving the cot aside. It cools me. We had a volleyball match that day at school, and I was engrossed in it.
Just then, I felt something flying over me. Since my mind was flying along with the volleyball, I ignored it. But before I could close my eyes, I felt something flying around me again. Ouch, it was a cockroach. SWAT! That was the end of it, and I relocated it to its designated spot—the waste bin. That night, I also sensed the presence of flying cockroaches. A wooden packing box on the wall's side was the source of the sound. My mind was busy with the next day's activity at school, and slowly, sleep took over.
Days passed into the week. Each night, I could still hear cockroaches fluttering around the box. Each night, my mind is occupied with the intricacies of school activities, leaving no time for these cockroaches. Cockroaches lurked around the wooden box, frequently interrupting my concentration as the examination approached. Unable to withstand any more irritating disturbances, I decided to clean the box and eliminate all cockroaches. As I opened the box, I nearly jumped out of my skin. Yes, cockroaches flew past me, and there were dead ones, too. However, I could not speak; I needed to call my father and yell loudly. Instead, I was stammering, SSSSSNAKEEEE, as I gasped for a breath!
That Viper's presence skipped multiple beats in my heart, and I found myself lying on the floor, scared out of my wits. Along with me, I brought down some of the stationery and books lying on the table. This jarring sound brought my mother, father, and sister running into my room. Seeing their perplexed faces, I feared the snake might emerge from the box at any moment, so I gestured for them to stop and pointed my fingers down at the box. They looked down and were shocked. Without hesitation, my father promptly covered the box with its lid and placed weighing objects. I sighed with relief.
There were small holes through which cockroaches could move, but not the snake. Cockroaches were still flying, and so was my sister, who used to scream at the top of her lungs whenever she encountered a cockroach, let alone a flying one! My mother, however, handled these cockroaches very efficiently. She could simply catch hold of one and throw it out! People were called, and they removed the Viper from my room.
My mind flashed back...
Those flutters and the flight of cockroaches were due to the Viper trying to catch them and enjoying its easy meal. Oh my God, I've been sleeping on the floor in this room with this Viper beside me in the box for the past week! A jittery feeling ran from my head to my toe. Indeed, my ignorance would have paid the price.
Thank God the Viper didn't wipe me out, and thanks to the cockroaches
© Krishnan
#reallife #childhood #childhoodmemories