The New Teacher

One could see the club building straight from the windows of the classroom, the green grassed ground lay in between. A little stretch of the neck and one could see the middle school on the left of the ground. While the teachers took us through the lessons, watching and mentally following someone cross the entire stretch of the ground would became a favorite pastime. The windows offered an elaborate view of the outside world, it appeared so charming while sitting in the desk but the same view didn’t fascinate once the school got over. So, the lessons and the teachers in the classroom perhaps made the difference. Every time the bell rang we were transported to the mysteries and discoveries of the universe through different subjects which were indeed, mundane and tiresome.

But, that day was different.

One of the most dreaded teacher entered the class with a usual looking gentleman. He was introduced as the new Biology teacher. The class became absolutely disciplined in the presence of the dreaded teacher and the new teacher perhaps mistook this collective fine behaviour as permanent mannerism of the students. Soon, the dreaded teacher left and the new teacher was in-charge of the class. The teacher had a faint smile on his face and presented himself as a gracious personality. It is perhaps human psychology that when introduced to a new person, people start assessing the persona through the small and subtle clues that the other person reveals. In simple understandable terms it means “Naapna”. That was exactly what the back benchers had already started to do.

“Which chapter are you all in Biology?” asked the teacher customarily.

“Sir, we are in chapter...so...and so...” came instant answers from the front benchers.

While the meaningful conversation and engagement was making a good headway some mild humming sound originated somewhere. “Hmmmm…mmmm…mmmm…”

Some inventive soul from the back benches had started this mischief. The teacher craned his neck to identify the culprit but this humming sound could be generated by keeping the mouth closed and by posing a serious and attentive face, so the miscreant was not identifiable. Soon, more students picked up the trick and they joined in the mission of creating the annoying noise. Now, every human brain is designed to trace the origin of sound, so was the new teacher. He strolled towards the back of the class while continuing his small talks. But, a sense of camaraderie prevailed, when the teacher reached the back the front guys took the baton. When the teacher walked to the front the back benchers took back the baton. The entire class got into the act of waywardness in a perfectly coordinated pattern. And, all these happened absolutely with no plan and preparation.

The teacher had now started prowling the corners of the class but not a single guy was getting caught. The entire classroom was now buzzing with “Hmmm…mmm…hmmm…”

It took no time for the teacher’s temperament to change, the submissive, ordinary and mild gentleman got transformed into a furious and raging man. He took the duster in his hand and banged it on the table. There was sudden silence but the humming started all over again, this time with renewed zeal.

The teacher was now enraged beyond control. “What do you think, you all are?” he yelled.

The class would turn silent dramatically when he shouted and then resume the new found amusement.

“I will pick you all one by one and bury you alive in that ground” shrieked the furious teacher.

Everyone, pretending innocence, turned towards the windows for a view of the ground as if something very interesting would soon happen out there.

“What do you think, you can only play such tricks, and I have done enough such mischief” the furious teacher continued roaring while the bell rang. He strode out huffing and puffing while glaring at the entire class as if saying “I will see you all”.

The class turned silent, as if guilty and ashamed, or was it out of fear.

The new teacher could not be seen in the school there after. Ironically, many of the students of that class are in the profession of teaching now and as they say “History repeats itself”. Who knows maybe their students would also write something similar someday!!!