Essays

Many years ago when I was in standard four in primary school I had an experience that was both terrifying and enlightening. Here is how it occurred:

During one of our science study lessons, we were undertaking studies of frogs and tadpoles. As an assignment, my friend Sandeep and I were asked to catch some live tadpoles and bring it to the class for joint study.

So during recess on that day, we walked down to a small stream that ran past our school about two hundred metres away. We were delighted to find a large number of tadpoles on a shallow part of the stream where the water was very still and quiet. We happily got down to our task of scooping the tiny black tadpoles into two glass bottles that we had brought. I noticed that the place was shaded by a huge tree and that made our work a lot easier. It was much better than having to do the work under the hot sun.

Suddenly the quiet mood exploded into a feeling of sheer terror, Sandeep was standing there with his eyes fixed on something behind me! I had never seen his eyes like those before and instinctively I knew something was wrong! I turned around. Before me stood a huge man holding an equally huge stick. His eyes were fuming and he was making some growling sound.

Again I have to thank my instincts for the next thing I knew, I was running for my life. Yes, running for my life! All thoughts of the tadpoles and Sandeep were forgotten. I shot out of the stream and started running as quickly as my eight-year old legs would carry me.

Fast as I was, the piece of flying stick was faster. The wooden missile flew past me, missing me by a metre. I looked behind and saw the huge man on the ground. I realized that he had flung the stick so hard that he fell down himself- It was a funny sight but I did not feel like laughing. All I could think of was to run, run, run, run!

All the way to school I ran. Then I realized Sandeep was running in front of me. He was even faster than me. It seemed like ages before we arrived at the school much to our relief. Our classmates were all wondering what had happened. We tried to tell them but we were incomprehensible. We were too shocked and dazed by the sudden happening that had descended upon us. Anyway we had to go into the class because the bell had rung.

We sat down on our respective chairs and waited for the next teacher to arrive. Presently the English teacher Miss Lata walked in and went about the task of teaching us. Both of us were not in a condition to do any learning, Both of us were too frightened and shocked by the terrifying event. Sandeep and I sat gloomily all the time wondering why we were attacked, how could such a huge man pick on two fellows less than half his size? I prayed that we will never meet him again.

My prayers were answered almost immediately but not the way we wanted it to. The huge man appeared at the doorway with the office-boy. They walked into the class and spoke to the teacher.

Then the huge man cast his blood-shot eyes all over us. The two of us were detected straight away. He pointed his accusing fingers at Sandeep and me and muttered non-stop, "that's them, that's them!" Soon Sandeep and I were standing in front of the headmaster in his office, The huge man was there too.

"This gentleman says that you've been stealing his mangoes," the headmaster's voice boomed angrily.

In unison, we protested and denied the false accusation levelled against us. Now, we understood why the huge man attacked us. He thought we were stealing his mangoes! He did not even notice that we were catching tadpoles under his tree. Somebody had been stealing his mangoes and we had become innocent victims of his rage.

We protested and shed some tears over our innocence. However, the huge man was adamant about our guilt- Eventually we were both given two strokes of the cane for a crime we did not commit. The huge man seemed satisfied and he left.

For the rest of the year I hated my headmaster and even fantasized about taking revenge on the huge man. Clearly, injustice was done unto us and we could do nothing except voice our innocence. The only consolation was that at least one other person besides me knew the truth. We knew we were innocent.

It is many years since that incident- I have largely forgiven the headmaster for canning us and the huge man for accusing. I learned that like, the huge man, it was so easy to jump to conclusions over certain things and to let anger control oneself, I realized that it is far better to learn the truth of any matter before doing something stupid like throwing sticks at young innocent kids. I could have been killed that day. I still shudder at the thought.