A day in School again...

I NEVER liked going to school but coming back was the best thing to happen that day.
I was invited to my school — Victoria H S, Mahim — for an inter-class advertising competition, since I am a media person.

I was hesitant to take up the task of judging the students but after some insistence I accepted the invitation.

By my experience, I was fortunate, as the sweet childhood memories came gushing back to my mind, just like re-living the golden period of one’s life.

And what a coincidence, it was!

I would either reach school just a few minutes before the final bell to go or be late always. Apparently, it happened again on that day. Because of late night shift at work I could not make it on time. I reached half-hour late from the scheduled time 9 AM.

I ran non-stop to school the moment I left my house. Ditto every morning during my school days. Even the teachers had a great laugh, when I told them.

It was a nostalgic moment to meet my teachers after a long time. Some couldn’t recognise (though they tried their best), as I have changed physically in last eight years.

I did not feel bad because neither was I a topper, famous or naughty. I was a shy and an introvert person in school. I would be lost in my own world with my best companion — music.

But there was a teacher — Miss Agnees — who I knew would recognise me. She was my class teacher in Class IX and X. Miss Agnees was touched by the gesture that I came to meet here. Emotions were high on both sides.

She was awesome because she made me do all those things that I liked. In fact, she knew the interest of maximum students in her class.

I remember she made a surprise announcement during the farewell party that I will present a song. I was not prepared but she gave me the confidence, which was very vital in my development over the years.

Well, coming back to the advertising competition. I entered the school premises of the primary section. The staircase is still the same — huge ones. I remember we would slide on the side bar on the staircase. We had got many warnings to stop it.

Then once I was the Blue house captain (there were four houses like Red, Blue, Green and Yellow). I got it after making many requests to my class teacher. There would be a batch that we proudly tug it on our chest. My job was to maintain the discipline of my house. It was great fun.

We also had some powers. The feeling was incredible. I would actually feel like a King, but sadly only for a month. Because there were others waiting in line for their turn to be king.

There was this special classroom on third floor. I would sing a song ‘Aaja meri gaadi mein baith jaa’ almost everyday during recess. The Baba Sehgal track was a hit among my friends, especially with girls. I would often get request for it.

The toilets used to be a great place to play all the pranks. Once a boy from other class blew a rassi bomb in the toilet. There was lot of damage and some pipes got leakage.

The canteen is still the same, very EXPENSIVE. To eat a Vada Pav meant saving your whole week’s pocket money.

But the aunty is still there… as sweet and charming like before. She had harrowing time during recess. Students would flock for here hot vadas and samosas. It is still the same even today.

Later, I realised the school was renovated and got a new paint. But still something’s never change. I miss all that very much.

That’s Mr Chatterjee!

PAST couple of days have been a great fun following the Parliament proceedings.

I have never done this, except once when I had no option but to watch Doordarshan as the cable guys were on strike during my childhood days.

MPs barking at each other (even if they have a microphone in front of them), beating up another opposition MP with chappals, passing livid comments at opposition camp and making a ruckus over an issue are a common site in Indian Parliament.

But the way Speaker Somnath Chatterjee handled the BIG debate over N-Deal was amazing. In his very own comical and jovial way, Chatterjee handled the proceedings really well.

He was funny at times and rude at the other moment. Sometimes he would make a strong statement and as the House comes back to normalcy, he breaks into laughter. He was just too good. I wonder how he kept his patience.

It would be appropriate to recall a moment where Chatterjee was at his best.
Opposition leader Lalkrishna Advani was giving his speech when a ruling party member tried to interrupt by rubbishing all the facts that Advani presented.

The Speaker repeatedly asked the member to speak when his turn comes. But the member still raised his voice to make his point.

In spite of warning him that nothing will be ‘recorded’, the errant member did not stop.

Adamant Chatterjee asked Advani to carry on with his speech. To which a member from Advani’s camp appealed to the Speaker to ask that members shut his mouth.

To which Chatterjee replied, “What shall I do? I told him to be quite but he isn’t willing. Kya main uska galaa dabaa kar maar duu (shall I strangle him to death).

God! It was so hilarious.

Hats off to Mr Chatterjee for the way he handled. Seriously our MPs are really tough to handle!

Amidst the news that Chatterjee is quitting from the post, I wish Chatterjee to continue as the Speaker.

Airtel breaking bonds

THE recent breakdown of Airtel network in Mumbai due to fire has caused many problems to their service users.
Thankfully, I am not an Airtel customer anymore.

Obviously, people have suffered a lot due to the inconvenience. But this one is something different.

I was travelling in my favourite BEST bus to office on Tuesday. There were these two men sitting in front of me. Both were relatives. One of them got a call on his Nokia 6600. He attended the call but suddenly got disconnected.

The man then showed his cell to the other and said, “Can you see, the signal (network) is not proper. It is not constant.” As the other man was having a look at it… the phone again rings.

The man tries to explain to the same caller that Airtel services are down here and service is badly affected. They have a short argument over it and as they had just started to speak on that all-important matter for which the call was made, the phone again hangs up.

The man, now frustrated, said to his fellow person, “I am trying to explain him that Airtel is not functioning properly, but he is just not ready to take my words.”
He then added, “He thinks I am purposely disconnecting his calls. Woh naraaz ho gaye hai mujhse.”

Actually the caller has every right to get upset.
Anybody would be taken for a rude shock that Airtel is not functioning properly for almost three days now.

It is pathetic to be in a situation like ‘only-lucky-callers-get-connected’. It is shocking that a multi-billion company like Bharti does not have a back-up system in place.