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One Afternoon Class
“Hey, Rhea, you got to ask!”, said Niharika.
“Why me?”
“Because you are in the second bench, and you can easily approach sir as it is closer to the stage.”
“Nonsense! You are no farther away! You are in the third bench, right behind me!”
“Still it matters, you got to ask!”
Before I could reply , few other classmates joined in unison and entrusted the complete responsibility of the notes onto me, and if I failed the responsibility as the chosen one there would be serious consequences.
“Yes , yes Rhea , you have to ask , you have to!” several voices collectively directed me.
“Rhea, you know how good physics sir’s notes are! They are very helpful and our internals are coming near, and the module he started isn’t even included for internals.”, said Ananya.
Niharika continued, “He also told that it was an important question, we even left 3pages for it. Rhea, he clearly told us to remind him at the end of the last module to give us those notes, as at the end of the module the sub topics would be clear .”
Another classmate continued, “If we don’t him remind him today then we all will forget about it.”
Random voices kept on telling the importance of the notes and increased my morale responsibility as the chosen one.
“Sir will scold us later.”
“Yes, and we will lose 8marks in the exams.”
“Rhea, there isn’t any class representee in our class and we find you very liable and hence we are asking you.”
Literally it had been just 3months since our college had started and for what they found me responsible, I don’t know, probably I look like a fool to them and think these big words will push me to ask sir. But the problem is that my friends Niharika and Ananya are the frontrunners for the campaign they have organised to make me responsible. Anyone else dictating me something, I would never accept but with these two, I have to agree! It is simple logic among three of us , any two of us will team up and entrust responsible on the third when we want a work to be done and we can’t do it. Today I am the victim, I have to accept it.
“Alright, but you all know that as soon as sir enters the class, he starts teaching and doesn’t stop at all. He even takes attendance in the last. I will try to ask him at the beginning but if not at the end I will inform him for sure. Okay?”
With a pause for about 5 seconds there was an agreement in a little dismay , “Hmmm, okay.”
The bell rang, as the clock struck 2, and the habituated lethargy accompanied us for the afternoon hour and especially on the days when we have our day starting from 8am till 4pm, we all are exhausted for the classes after two.
*****x*****x*****x*****x*****x*****x*****x*****x
Our Physics sir is an one-off a character. A teacher whom one will instantly start imitating, even if one doesn’t want to. Around 5’3 feet, normal short haircut partitioned on the left, a normal moustache, all complete black, probably due to dye. He must be in his mid-fifties. Always dressed in in formals, and a little stomach peeping out. Super sweet, excellent in his subject and to whatever you listen in class you will cent percent understand but the problem is listening to him with concentration. He has this different voice, sweet but very monotonous. He has a clear Kannada accent, it is like English being spoken in Kannada and his tone doesn’t change only loudness varies, and none of the grammar rules are applied in his speech, no punctuations, no exclamations, no full stops, no question marks, only pendulum rule applies here, that is his voice’s loudness varying constantly like a pendulum, maximum loudness, then reducing loudness, then minimum loudness followed by increasing loudness and so on.
Today we had a physics class at 9am, that’s when we all realized that he had completed last module, before we could ask or remind him about the notes he started a new module. So when he started lecturing it went on till 50minutes without any pause and none of us could interrupt him. Hence now it is my task to remind him.
*****x*****x*****x*****x*****x*****x*****x*****x
We are sitting in the class waiting for sir. One fourth of the class is already sleeping, some are waiting for formality of wishing and then fall a sleep and quite a many are going to genuinely try to concentrate.
Sir enters the class. The little bit buzz going on ceases. We all wish him and sit down. We have hardly settled down that he starts teaching. I tried to speak out but within a minute he scribbled something on board and told us to copy and simultaneously started explaining, I have no choice but to sit and listen to sir.
6 – 7 minutes went by I had copied all that was written on board, and am listening to sir. I know I can’t interrupt him in between the class so I decided to remove the notes from the mind for time being and concentrate in class. As the seconds passed by the class became slower and slower, I couldn’t concentrate at class at all, I kept on drinking water to force myself to concentrate but all to no avail.15 minutes of class is over, sir is talking non-stop, now everything is above my head and 45 minutes is left. Suddenly I stopped hearing the class and seeing the class, it felt divine.
Time passed, probably few minutes, then suddenly
“What Ma? What are you deeply thinking ?” , sir asked me in his typical tone at a loud decibel, staring at me directly. The entire class looked at me. I can notice it from my peripheral vision.
I am embarrassed and put the hand supporting my chin down. I realized as time passed by, I had suddenly slipped into a blank state of nothingness . I wasn’t thinking anything but my mind was just blank. The peaceful state of not listening, hearing or knowing class is going on. Though I hadn’t realized anything, my face certainly showed the lost look.
I still am a little disoriented with the pace of the world and wanted to be sure he is questioning me.
As I pointed myself, I asked, “Me?”
“Yes ma, you only. What were you deeply thinking?”, sir asked promptly.
The entire class and sir stared at me, I don’t know what to do, and there isn’t much time to think. I can already see sir losing his temper. I decide I will start speaking something or else it would make him more angry.
“ Nothing sir!”
“No ma, you were not listening to me , what were you thinking?” , his voice is a little assertive this time and surely next sentence he is going to scold me.
The entire class is waiting for the scolding, there is silence and threat surrounding the class. I have to save myself, it’s like man versus wild and survival of the best.
Like a defence mechanism, I am reply almost instantly and spoke very slowly so I buy enough time to contemplate my response, “ Sir actually , you told us to leave some pages for notes. That stress and strain part, in last module. You told you will give us at the end of the module but you started a new module today. Sir you told us to remind you.”
The entire class’s expression changed towards me, there appeared a slight smile on each face, they nodded for some reason as soon as they heard my reply.
“That’s what you were deeply thinking?, as sir asked there appeared a smile on his face, he knew that wasn’t in my mind.
“Yes sir.”, I nodded and replied with the most genuine voice and look.
“Hm Okay that’s what you very deeply thinking. Very good! Thank you for reminding me.” , with a smile covering all his face he stared at me for some time , I remained expressionless.
He asked for notebook to exactly see where he had stopped. A girl in the first bench, turned to that page and instantly handed the notebook to him. He went through the notes.
Looked up straight at me, smiled and said , “I will finish this small topic I am doing, it will take 5minutes and then give you the notes. Is it okay with you ma?”
There isn’t any doubt, he is addressing me.
“Yes sir.”, I replied very normally.
For the entire 5minutes he spoke, to finish the sub topic he stared at me. I made no mistake, I listened to him with at utmost attentiveness, if not actually but my looks did that job well.
After 5minutes,still staring at me, sir spoke, “Okay, now write down the stress and strain notes . It is a very important question. Write down ma.”
Sir smiled at me and turned towards the board to draw a diagram. I could see that this smile has officially ended the conversation.
As soon as sir turned towards the board, someone patted my shoulder as appreciation, before I turned , I heard a whisper, “ Well done !”. It was Niharika.
The smile I had controlled for so long appeared on my face. I am not sure if it is something to be proud of but I felt great. I am not good at excuses or come backs but this time I did save myself. Feels like I have won some kind of war with my wittiness.
The class atmosphere tells me that everyone is clapping for me within their hearts and I smile even more to thank them. I turnback and looked at Niharika and Ananya, they both smiled back at me.
“Very Good.”
“Well done.”
“Nice cover up.”
“Good comeback.”
“ Great Neha.”
My classmates around are congratulating and appreciating me, and I am happily enjoying that like I have achieved something great. But nevertheless it is a great achievement in college days to save yourself so smoothly and spontaneously, it shows a lot of presence of mind.
As I received appreciation, some spoken and some silently we all copied the notes. With all probability sir is aware of the whispers, appreciations going on in the class and all that had happened but he remained silent. However everyone in class knows that sir’s smile had already given me the compliment by ending the conversation and letting me win.
Sometimes teachers too appreciate student’s withstanding wittiness to save themselves from getting scolded. And for me I think it was a good impression for next few years.
© All Rights Reserved
“Why me?”
“Because you are in the second bench, and you can easily approach sir as it is closer to the stage.”
“Nonsense! You are no farther away! You are in the third bench, right behind me!”
“Still it matters, you got to ask!”
Before I could reply , few other classmates joined in unison and entrusted the complete responsibility of the notes onto me, and if I failed the responsibility as the chosen one there would be serious consequences.
“Yes , yes Rhea , you have to ask , you have to!” several voices collectively directed me.
“Rhea, you know how good physics sir’s notes are! They are very helpful and our internals are coming near, and the module he started isn’t even included for internals.”, said Ananya.
Niharika continued, “He also told that it was an important question, we even left 3pages for it. Rhea, he clearly told us to remind him at the end of the last module to give us those notes, as at the end of the module the sub topics would be clear .”
Another classmate continued, “If we don’t him remind him today then we all will forget about it.”
Random voices kept on telling the importance of the notes and increased my morale responsibility as the chosen one.
“Sir will scold us later.”
“Yes, and we will lose 8marks in the exams.”
“Rhea, there isn’t any class representee in our class and we find you very liable and hence we are asking you.”
Literally it had been just 3months since our college had started and for what they found me responsible, I don’t know, probably I look like a fool to them and think these big words will push me to ask sir. But the problem is that my friends Niharika and Ananya are the frontrunners for the campaign they have organised to make me responsible. Anyone else dictating me something, I would never accept but with these two, I have to agree! It is simple logic among three of us , any two of us will team up and entrust responsible on the third when we want a work to be done and we can’t do it. Today I am the victim, I have to accept it.
“Alright, but you all know that as soon as sir enters the class, he starts teaching and doesn’t stop at all. He even takes attendance in the last. I will try to ask him at the beginning but if not at the end I will inform him for sure. Okay?”
With a pause for about 5 seconds there was an agreement in a little dismay , “Hmmm, okay.”
The bell rang, as the clock struck 2, and the habituated lethargy accompanied us for the afternoon hour and especially on the days when we have our day starting from 8am till 4pm, we all are exhausted for the classes after two.
*****x*****x*****x*****x*****x*****x*****x*****x
Our Physics sir is an one-off a character. A teacher whom one will instantly start imitating, even if one doesn’t want to. Around 5’3 feet, normal short haircut partitioned on the left, a normal moustache, all complete black, probably due to dye. He must be in his mid-fifties. Always dressed in in formals, and a little stomach peeping out. Super sweet, excellent in his subject and to whatever you listen in class you will cent percent understand but the problem is listening to him with concentration. He has this different voice, sweet but very monotonous. He has a clear Kannada accent, it is like English being spoken in Kannada and his tone doesn’t change only loudness varies, and none of the grammar rules are applied in his speech, no punctuations, no exclamations, no full stops, no question marks, only pendulum rule applies here, that is his voice’s loudness varying constantly like a pendulum, maximum loudness, then reducing loudness, then minimum loudness followed by increasing loudness and so on.
Today we had a physics class at 9am, that’s when we all realized that he had completed last module, before we could ask or remind him about the notes he started a new module. So when he started lecturing it went on till 50minutes without any pause and none of us could interrupt him. Hence now it is my task to remind him.
*****x*****x*****x*****x*****x*****x*****x*****x
We are sitting in the class waiting for sir. One fourth of the class is already sleeping, some are waiting for formality of wishing and then fall a sleep and quite a many are going to genuinely try to concentrate.
Sir enters the class. The little bit buzz going on ceases. We all wish him and sit down. We have hardly settled down that he starts teaching. I tried to speak out but within a minute he scribbled something on board and told us to copy and simultaneously started explaining, I have no choice but to sit and listen to sir.
6 – 7 minutes went by I had copied all that was written on board, and am listening to sir. I know I can’t interrupt him in between the class so I decided to remove the notes from the mind for time being and concentrate in class. As the seconds passed by the class became slower and slower, I couldn’t concentrate at class at all, I kept on drinking water to force myself to concentrate but all to no avail.15 minutes of class is over, sir is talking non-stop, now everything is above my head and 45 minutes is left. Suddenly I stopped hearing the class and seeing the class, it felt divine.
Time passed, probably few minutes, then suddenly
“What Ma? What are you deeply thinking ?” , sir asked me in his typical tone at a loud decibel, staring at me directly. The entire class looked at me. I can notice it from my peripheral vision.
I am embarrassed and put the hand supporting my chin down. I realized as time passed by, I had suddenly slipped into a blank state of nothingness . I wasn’t thinking anything but my mind was just blank. The peaceful state of not listening, hearing or knowing class is going on. Though I hadn’t realized anything, my face certainly showed the lost look.
I still am a little disoriented with the pace of the world and wanted to be sure he is questioning me.
As I pointed myself, I asked, “Me?”
“Yes ma, you only. What were you deeply thinking?”, sir asked promptly.
The entire class and sir stared at me, I don’t know what to do, and there isn’t much time to think. I can already see sir losing his temper. I decide I will start speaking something or else it would make him more angry.
“ Nothing sir!”
“No ma, you were not listening to me , what were you thinking?” , his voice is a little assertive this time and surely next sentence he is going to scold me.
The entire class is waiting for the scolding, there is silence and threat surrounding the class. I have to save myself, it’s like man versus wild and survival of the best.
Like a defence mechanism, I am reply almost instantly and spoke very slowly so I buy enough time to contemplate my response, “ Sir actually , you told us to leave some pages for notes. That stress and strain part, in last module. You told you will give us at the end of the module but you started a new module today. Sir you told us to remind you.”
The entire class’s expression changed towards me, there appeared a slight smile on each face, they nodded for some reason as soon as they heard my reply.
“That’s what you were deeply thinking?, as sir asked there appeared a smile on his face, he knew that wasn’t in my mind.
“Yes sir.”, I nodded and replied with the most genuine voice and look.
“Hm Okay that’s what you very deeply thinking. Very good! Thank you for reminding me.” , with a smile covering all his face he stared at me for some time , I remained expressionless.
He asked for notebook to exactly see where he had stopped. A girl in the first bench, turned to that page and instantly handed the notebook to him. He went through the notes.
Looked up straight at me, smiled and said , “I will finish this small topic I am doing, it will take 5minutes and then give you the notes. Is it okay with you ma?”
There isn’t any doubt, he is addressing me.
“Yes sir.”, I replied very normally.
For the entire 5minutes he spoke, to finish the sub topic he stared at me. I made no mistake, I listened to him with at utmost attentiveness, if not actually but my looks did that job well.
After 5minutes,still staring at me, sir spoke, “Okay, now write down the stress and strain notes . It is a very important question. Write down ma.”
Sir smiled at me and turned towards the board to draw a diagram. I could see that this smile has officially ended the conversation.
As soon as sir turned towards the board, someone patted my shoulder as appreciation, before I turned , I heard a whisper, “ Well done !”. It was Niharika.
The smile I had controlled for so long appeared on my face. I am not sure if it is something to be proud of but I felt great. I am not good at excuses or come backs but this time I did save myself. Feels like I have won some kind of war with my wittiness.
The class atmosphere tells me that everyone is clapping for me within their hearts and I smile even more to thank them. I turnback and looked at Niharika and Ananya, they both smiled back at me.
“Very Good.”
“Well done.”
“Nice cover up.”
“Good comeback.”
“ Great Neha.”
My classmates around are congratulating and appreciating me, and I am happily enjoying that like I have achieved something great. But nevertheless it is a great achievement in college days to save yourself so smoothly and spontaneously, it shows a lot of presence of mind.
As I received appreciation, some spoken and some silently we all copied the notes. With all probability sir is aware of the whispers, appreciations going on in the class and all that had happened but he remained silent. However everyone in class knows that sir’s smile had already given me the compliment by ending the conversation and letting me win.
Sometimes teachers too appreciate student’s withstanding wittiness to save themselves from getting scolded. And for me I think it was a good impression for next few years.
© All Rights Reserved
