The founder of our school group on WhatsApp initiated a spectacular quiz contest the other day. It was about answering nine subjective questions. And, as usual, the winner was supposed to get an exciting prize.
We were all excited and participated as much as possible. From far it seemed like just another quiz but it was carefully crafted. All the questions were framed in such a way that it brings out hidden, buried memories of the school time.
I was trembling while answering them. A sweet-bitter pain engulfed me as I walked down the memory lane; all alone. There was no one to hold my hand, no one except these noisy memories. Life is quite silent in the late 30s but the memories — of school time — shout on top of their voices.
I, suddenly, remember everything. My mischief, my mistakes, my first crush, my achievements, my failures, my innocence, and all of it.
- I remember being the class-monitor once and being sacked because I was thrown out of the class. The school principal said that it was a disgraceful thing to see the class-monitor out of the class.
- I remember eating delicious street food outside the school. Back then it costs only a fraction of a rupee to buy such things.
- I remember poking my bench-mate with a pointer. She was so hurt and the school teacher asked me to bring chocolates for her immediately.
- I remember bunking school to go to the graveyard to smoke cigarettes with notorious boys. I was almost blacklisted after the school principal came to know about this.
- I remember being one of the master-minds of bursting firecrackers in the ladies’ toilet. No one attempted that before.
All the memories came in front of my eyes, one after the other. But this is not only what happened. There was more magic as we got to know each other’s memories. Every person is like a novel and has so much wit and wisdom in life. Everyone has their layers and this quiz pealed them layer-by-layer and made all our memories naked, without ego in front of each other.
Really. So much had to be explored with each other.
This quiz was magical. It has ignited a fire of strong companionship in everyone’s heart; like a sorcerer’s spell and united all of us — like never before — 22 years after school.