The announcement was being made during the school assembly and those being affected were looking at each other, as if asking "Bhai, Ab to lag Gayi" and I had no idea till people in the know gave me a reality check.
Yes, it was time for cholera shots before NCC camp, but why would it scare me? This was my first camp but fear was forthcoming. There were many such routines that make me smile today but in those days it was tormenting, one of them was hair cut shot.
Let me share it this way, the injection may or may not be painful but as the tradition in the hostel goes the hand that gets the vaccine injected receives honorary punches randomly by anyone you pass during your breakfast/lunch or dormitory visit, and there is a callout by puncher "vaccine shot" and it is veerry paaiinnfuul. Therefore, the doctor injecting the fluid may have mercy but escaping the inevitable "vaccine shot punches" was impossible.
Every cadet of the Senior and Junior Division has to undergo service training for a minimum period of 75% of total hours during the annual college and school session. Every cadet (in the case of JD, who has completed one full year of training and is in his second year) attends an annual training camp of 9–10 days, also known as National Combined Annual Training Camp. At the end of the camp training, the cadets receive a certificate of successful completion.
It was during the winter season the camp was scheduled, and we were to travel to Secunderabad for about 2 weeks. I was in the Air Wing of NCC or National Cadet Corps which is a Tri-Services Organisation, comprising the Army, Navy, and Air Wing, engaged in grooming the youth of the country into disciplined and patriotic citizens. The National Cadet Corps in India is a voluntary organization that recruits cadets from high schools, higher secondary, colleges, and universities all over India.
After the class, that day, we had fall-in instructions by our Sergent and we were lined in the file of 3 cadets each. Post the parade and routine, the refreshments arrived, and then the race to collect the uniforms, stocking, belt, and shoes that fit your size began for the camp. But the ordeal was yet to strike on the weekend.
Saturday morning it was, and we were queued in front of the school infirmary. Everyone was planning their next move after the shots and make it painless through the weekend. I too had a foolproof plan to walk pain-free, here it was two layers of sweaters and a bandage.
Thinking of a song from Shehenshah(Amitabh Bachchan's movie) I had everything under control.
There I was, left hand covered with a bandage and two layers of sweaters, it was flawless and nothing could go wrong. I walked towards my dorm after the inoculation with no fear and suddenly distressing and intense stimuli called PAIN came to address my left arm. this was a well-formed punch with surgeon like efficiency from a senior year student.
“ You can choose courage, or you can choose comfort, but you cannot choose both.”
(anonymous)
I could choose neither that day and gone with the tradition, but courage if you may call I took about 100 punches like a boxer in the ring only to stand till the match ended up in a draw.
This was followed by a memorable camp at Secunderabad.
No Matter how much you hate school, you will always want to go back when you grow up.
Nice
ReplyDeleteQuite nostalgic, if I may say... Good one
ReplyDeleteGood
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