A DAY TO REMEMBER

In 1963, when I was 18, I entered college. It was St. Joseph's in Tiruchy,  one of the best for results and discipline. The most enjoyable period in life is the college days. Unlike school, you have to follow the lecture, take notes, and prepare for exams. Many people succeed but a few go wayward.

Rev. Fr. Mathias Sj was the principal. When the first bell rang, you could not see even a fly on the veranda. He took a moral instruction class for me. I remember his teachings. The human being is a mixture of good and bad. If good qualities are more he is a saint and if the bad is more, he is a sinner. He used to lecture a lot about the sins of lying. 

My father also insisted on speaking the truth. He would punish severely if anyone lied. The children should come back home before 6 PM, wash their hands and legs, apply Vibuthi on the forehead and chant slokas for 15 minutes in a chorus before the Lord, and then go for their studies. After the study and dinner at 9 PM, we went to bed to get up at 5 AM. 

Daily at 4-30 pm, we, friends numbering 5, met at a particular place. Then we walked through the town covering Chinna Kadai street, Malai Vaasal, then to Main guard gate, had ice cream in Micheal's for 25 ps, or filter coffee at Padma's for 30 ps or super tea at Bilal's in Singarathope for 25 ps. The route covered 5 kms and took an hour.

En route, we had fun talking gossips, jokes, movies, cricket, girls, teachers, lessons, tests, assignments, etc. If we saw beautiful girls, we gave marks for their looks. We argued when more marks were given to less deserved and fewer marks were given to more deserved. However, we never indulged in love affairs. Finally, we said goodbye, promising to meet the next day.

In St.Joseph's, on all Wednesdays, we had a 3-hour test in the morning and free in the afternoon. On one Wednesday, my friends suggested, we would go for a movie in the afternoon. In our house going to a movie was not permitted, especially without the knowledge of the parents. I was hesitant but on persuasion, I agreed. The company of friends lured me, though I was scared of my father.

We decided to go for a Sivaji Ganesan movie. We went to the matinee show at 2-30 PM. The ticket was 63 paise. Though we were friends, everyone had to buy his own ticket. Pocket money was rare. When the movie was halfway, there was a power cut. There was no generator in the cinema. We waited patiently and the power came after an hour.

The movie was over at 7 PM. and it was too late. I took leave of my friends and ran home before my father arrived. On the run,  I collided with my father who was going on the cycle. I was shell-shocked. He also saw me coming out of the cinema. He did not say a word. Cursing my bad luck, fearing the consequences, and praying to all Gods, I quickly returned home.

All my brothers and sisters were studying. I washed my legs, applied Vibudhi, and chanted slokas, and sat before my study table awaiting my father's arrival, with fear and goosebumps in my stomach. After a suspenseful hour, my father entered after buying vegetables for the next day. My father never ate outside. He took milk in a flask and had dinner on return from the office.

The more hungry he was, the angrier he used to be. As he was a workaholic, he might return home anytime. After his return, there was pin-drop silence. After a french bath and applying Vibudhi, he would go for dinner. After dinner, he would sit in his easy chair and read the newspaper or listen to music or drama in the AIR Tiruchy. 

All my brothers and sisters were looking at me with sympathy for coming late. They were not aware of the cinema episode. As usual, my father finished his routine. He did not question me. I was surprised. Then my mother asked me whether I went to the movie in the afternoon. I told her the truth. Nothing happened thereafter. For me, it was A DAY TO REMEMBER.

After 21 years in 1984, when he was staying with me in Chennai,  we used to have fun talking about the past and how strict he was. He had then become mild and pious. He appreciated me for telling the truth. I never lied in my life. I always accepted my mistakes. I also encouraged my children to speak the truth. MAY GOD BLESS YOU.