It was the autumn of 1998. And the story that I am narrating happened one night – the night before our Puja break. I was in my Xth standard, Lohit house. Most of my classmates stayed in the designated Common room (Room number 6) meant for Xth students. Some stayed in the senior rooms (Room no 1 & 4) with XIIth students. I happened to be in room number 4.
Whether someone celebrated Puja or not, it was always a moment of exaggerated festivity, as we packed our bags much in advance in order to go home. I packed my stuff, in room number 4 and went to sleep. Unable to contain my excitement, I went to Room number 6 at 1.30 a.m. to meet my classmates.
Rooms in our hostels are seldom locked, unless super seniors were punishing seniors inside the rooms, and trying not to humiliate them in front of juniors. So as I went to the common room (room no.6), I was surprised to see the door locked from inside. I knocked the door and an ongoing murmuring dies down into a hushed up silence. Someone must have checked me through the key hole and opened the door.
I got a warm welcome in the form of a variety of 'slangs' while some sighed in relief that it was not someone senior. As my eyes adapted to the darkness, I saw small orange lights moving like fireflies and picked up a familiar smell, mostly found in the senior rooms. I realized that they were smoking cigarettes and then I asked them for one. Most of them laughed and whispered, claiming it to be 'too strong' for me. But my persistence gave way and I got a menthol cigarette.
I asked another friend (3294) to light it for me, as he gave a smile of pride, like an old acquainted smoker and lighted it for me. As I puffed, I don't remember the taste of it distinctly. But what I remember is the sense of having achieved that 'status symbol', like having passed a test and having promoted to an 'elite group'. I could not wait for the vacation to be over so that I could be back to school and smoke. I continued to smoke for the next two years in school and continued it till college after that I left it almost a hundred times and as "Mark Twain says leaving cigarettes is the easiest thing to do, I myself have left it 200 hundred times".
Statutory warning: cigarette smoking is injurious to health.
8 comments:
Rajib 3265, thanks for the post and welcome to the family. Now pull up your socks as our regular commentors will bombard you with comments and queries.
Roll No 3294 have a distinction of teaching many number of classmate how to smoke properly ..even i was 1 of them... ha ha
Forgive my dwindling memory...Why do i feel, it was Mr. 3294 who taught me as well...? Its high time you responded, Mr. 3294.
Then u joined me in our smokers group. I also learnt smoking in common room only from Thinley Dorjee. Rajeiv do u remember the incident in class XI when Shyam da returned from NDA and came to know about both of us smoking.
Yes Prana b I do remember we were in class XI and how Shyam da on a trip to school from NDA caught you smoking and enquired u about me and asked u to bring a cigarette from me and u being so cruel did not give me a hint that he was waiting outside just to catch me red-handed, I remember I was sleeping and as soon as responded to your call and said no yaar I don’t have one, I could see Shyam da coming running towards my bed and he gave me a solid kick and than dragged me and started beating for smoking…….well that was the kind of bonding we shared, we still share and of course as long as smoking was concerned it was a false promise given to Shyam da at that point of time.
And as for Mr 3294 we need to find out who are the other members whom he has influenced and send him an illegal notice that if we are attacked by any disease (related to smoking) he will pay for the treatment.
Rajib, that again reminds of an episode, when I was in IXth. Rajmohan (then in XIth)asked me to draw some practical stuff for his zoology practicals. And Shyam (the in XIIth) asked me to draw some Physics stuff. I hurriedly sketched for Shyam da and then went to room number 03 to Rajmohan. Suddenly Shyam came calling my name and when I went up to him, he kept slapping me endlessly and then finally when he stopped, he asked me...'have you counted, how many times have I slapped you?'
He slapped me, coz he felt I was giving his work, secondary importance. I dont remember having spoken to him ever after, until I met him again in 2007, in some forward posting, where I had gone to meet my fatty army officer...
We all have so many stories. heh. Very few had the privilege to get double works for having good handwritings and some drawing skills. I, unfortunately was one amongst them.
Those were the best days of my life. Thanx dudes. I can't ever forget those rainy days when we used to cross the wall and jump on a 407 and fly on it's roof. Do you remember guys.
Manab Ananda Baruah (3280)
Manab its so great to see you after so many years! Alright send me your gmail id. will send you an invite. Thanks a lot for writing in. And yes I do remember...those 407s...and the famous bus (MANDIRAM) haha..waiting to hear from you.
Post a Comment