The Peculiar Cut

Alex Tourangbam *

St. Joseph School :: Pic courtesy: Sir Brajamani Konjengbam

Those days were pretty good!! The initial days of my school.

The scampering 5-6 yr old kids in the hustle and bustle of a boisterous kindergarten section tried to settle down as soon as the peon rings the bell... all the students stood up with joined hands to start with the daily prayer... followed by the school anthem.....

After 2 continuous lectures each of 45 minutes we have a short recess for 15 minutes... some gotta run towards the playground to get a sit on the swing, slides on the slider, a pair on the seesaw..... and of course the foodies will definitely have their favourite tiffins ....

That day, It was our 2nd paper of the first terminal examination... I still remember ... I along with some friends were walking through the corridor of the primary block...our school was a missionary school.....run by the preist, whom we addressed as the 'Father' and the Catholic Nuns, whom we addresed as 'sisters'.. evryone was scared of them.... soon tht day When we saw a sister coming towards us we started running all of a sudden towards our respective examination halls... evryone was in a bewildering state...

when I ran into the examination hall I slipped and fell down, I was unconscious for a minute or two. when I open my eyes I heard my batchmates shouting 'ee thok a ee thok a' meaning it's bleeding...they took me to the headmistress's office , basically a first aid room if anything happens to any of the students.......I didn't knw tht I got a wound tht too a cut on my chin... I received what we called the first aid with providone iodine(Betadine) applied in and around wrapped up with the cotton gauge with a micropore tape....

Then, I was taken to a clinic by one Sir (Late) Pebam Joy who taught us Manipuri(Bengali script) ...... oh dear sir You are no more with us ... but I really need to thank you

The clinic was located in the heart of the city somewhere around Rupmahal theatre, western side of Kangla ( could'nt remember whether it was a clinic or something else... ) I still remember a nurse was there who sutured up the cut on my chin....

Till today I keep wondering how did it happen because some of my friends told me that I slipped and hit an edge of a Bench and got that cut.........some other told me I slipped and fell down , nothing happened till one boy lifted up the bench to help me wake up before he dropped the bench on my chin......