A simpler time

• Stuffing pocketfuls of “Gundumani” at the start of Fall, when the school basketball court was littered with these incredible red beads.
• Playing cricket with hard rolled-up paper balls, and makeshift bats (Golden Bells, sometimes even a hard-bound Good News Bible)
• Getting introduced to the cane. Thank you,  Benny & Late Mr. MT Thomas. I never seemed to learn my lesson, whatever it was.
• SUPW classes (I recall ACTUALLY telling the teacher, quite innocently of course, that it stood for “Some Useful Period Wasted”)
• Speaking of sports teachers, howzabout Peter Daniels (aka PD aka Nose-picker-extraordinaire)
• Watching in awe, as the old dilapidated canteen building made way, and the William Carey block took form.
• Having a crow fly by during lunch break, and relieve itself into the contents of my lunch box.
• Dressing up as a Tube of Colgate toothpaste for a fancy dress competition in Pre-school.
• Spitballs from Lawrence (aka Spitfest, spitball, Lorry). I’m still trying to scrub away the memories.
• Collecting ladybirds in Cheetah Fight matchboxes.
• Mr. Samson, and PT class.
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• The late Mr. Francis Joseph, and (God bless his soul) pants worn above the chest.
• Boys v. Girls, in Kannada class. (Mrs. Aaron)
• THAT yellow cane. Preparatory class. Miss Dawson.
• Morning assemblies.
• Class picnics. Mysore, 1994 … Mrs. Daisy Rani
• Varghese (aka Vargoose) and Physical Education classes.
• Mastering Organic Chemistry (Or not) in ISC. That still gives me nightmares.
• ISC Volleyball.
• Class couples. No names will be named here 🙂
• Miss Priya George. Prettiest Bio teacher. EVER.
• Paulraj, his wife (aunty, to us) and their beloved canteen. Fryums, Anyone ?
• The incredible story of the “classroom-invading-lunch-eating-monkey”. Std. 4.
• Easho Jacob “special” assemblies. 1 week. EACH year. Jeez !
• MINUS marks (Homework/Conduct/Material). HAHAHAAAAAA 🙂
• Farewell parties, in Std. 10 and 12.
• Last minute feverish polishing of “black” school shoes by rubbing them against the back of your already dirty khakhi pants.
• Mr. Pakinathan and his “Rock-music-is-Satanic !!!” scripture classes.
• Mr. Joseph David, and projectile pieces of chalk thrown your way, in case you were stuck in some awesome daydream.
• Reaching school late some days, and being forced to stand outside, in the basketball court. (Joke’s on them, they thought standing OUTSIDE was punishment).
• Clarence inter-school basketball tournament. Every year. Backing our team to chants of  “Jinkalaka, Jinkalaka  …. Ooh Aah, Ooh, Aah”
• That reminds me ….. ANYONE remember Aslam ?  (Close to 6’6″ . Jordanesque. LEGEND.)
• Learning to appreciate, perchance, mock Shakespeare. Courtesy Tara Ravindra (aka Tara)
• Watching Hamlet, in the school auditorium, including certain explicit scenes which she probably didn’t expect to be in there, and giggling away, despite being in, what, 11th Std ?
• Laporte (aka Clarence’s 1st openly (lets say flamboyant) teacher) and his effeminate charms. (Having a hard time writing this with a straight face) 😀
• Studying the Dickens epic, “Tale of Two Cities” in 7th standard. (Mrs. Alexander)
• Insane ISC Mathematics, with Ms. Sunita Jacob (aka SJ). Colossal textbooks, you might recall. I think that class made me what I am.
• Annual Sports Day. Assaye field. Walk past ? March past ? Did NOT matter. The taunts ringing out from behind those grilled windows of Aloysius College never ceased to amuse. 😉
• Speech Day & Prize Distribution Day. Man, i could count on being there regardless of how bad I had screwed up my grades, or the record no. of conduct marks. Yes, i could assure my seat there every year, purely on the basis of ….
• Flack Memorial Scripture Memory Contest. 😀  My calling card.
• Graduation day. Getting all choked up hearing “Au Lang Syne” at the biggest day in our collective lives.
• Class clowns. Class toppers. Class backbenchers. Class bunkers. Class acts. Teachers’ pets. There was one of every kind.

Golden memories all. Some things NEVER change.

Clarence (1988-2001)