M.I. Room and PORK

Many a thing in our lives, perhaps happen because they are destined to happen. Perhaps many would and many wouldn’t agree.

I was in my VIth, my first year in Sainik School. Our First Phase test just got over and the very next day, I detected a painful boil on my bottom that led to fever. I went to the MI room (often termed as the pleasure house in school. As all you have to do there is eat, sleep and play, being exempted from everything else like PT, drills and classes.). The doctor examined the boil, as I embarrassingly looked outside through the window, and got me admitted till condition improved.

Being my first year in school, the thought of having to mix up with seniors (patients who were already admitted from senior classes) created a slight anxiety. As I packed my clothes, I brushed aside those anxieties, with the happy thought that I could sleep as long as I wanted! As I stepped into the MI room, the seniors stood there menacingly to greet me, and standing alongside was Mr. Janardhan ji, the ideal all rounder, who can apply first aids during games, assign medicines at times, insert syringes and bring food for us from the mess. My initial inhibition with the seniors turned out to be a false alarm, as they got friendly after small initial enquiries. It was fun as there were no rules; we could wake up late, sleep early, play and anything we wished. The seniors (Class IX) used to smoke, and that was a strange thing for me. It was there, where I learnt about the places like PWD and western canteen (out of bound places). We would often eat noodles brought from these areas by the seniors….and getting to taste noodles after so long felt simply amazing.

But the biggest breakthrough happened when a senior asked me, “Will u have pork?” I had never tasted pork. And I had often heard people saying its delicious and a lot of them going crazy to eat it. I looked at my seniors; I could see them expecting a positive answer from me and after much thought I gave them my consent. The seniors then collected 40 rupees from each and went to western canteen to bring Pork and Parathas. The rest of us waited eagerly for them. Thoughts about its taste kept coming to me and also the anxiety of the consequences if my parents would know about it. Amidst these thoughts the seniors arrived with two polybags.

After a quick inspection for law maintainers (teachers), they sprung into action, emptying the two polybags on two different plates, the parathas first and then the pork. I found the pork pieces quite cute, some white pieces attached to brown parts like two piece suits. There were other pieces that looked like mutton and few with bones. I was somewhat skeptical at first but after persuasion from the seniors I had my first bite of pork, it was awesome! I was still not sure about the attached piece when suddenly some body asked me to taste it, he said taste it is “tel” (Fat); it is very tasty and you’re going to love it. I took it, gave it a wired look and put it inside my mouth………..and it felt heaven.

That was the first time I tasted it and I must say I never looked back again. I ate it as when I got a chance during entire my stay in the school and still love it. I can miss many an important thing in my life, if pork was at stake, and that’s how much I love it.
As for my stay in M.I room- the pleasure house, I was released after 4 days with E.P.D. (exempted from PT and Drill) for 3 days. If I love pork, it perhaps because of the MI room with green roof and those seniors. Thank you!