Third chapter in In Search of Swami series
The first morning in the Shutter Island is still fresh in my memory. As I opened my eyes, I saw the huge vacant hall. All the kids who were sleeping besides me on to my left and right were gone. Some were busy with their heads poked inside the cupboard, some were inside their trunks. There was some kind of activity happening outside, that was the washing and bathing area.
As an exception, first day there is no early morning chores- prayer, exercise or yoga.
Somehow, I wrapped the bedsheet and pillow. Washed and dressed up in new school uniform. Suman, a lean guy, who was one year senior to me, guided me. Later, I learned that he was from Sri Lanka. The time was around 8:15 AM. The bell rang. Everyone started walking towards the mess hall. Suman said it’s time for breakfast and took me to the mess hall. On way to the mess, I saw my mother, she signaled me to go in and eat.
The mess hall was double the size of the Vivekananda hall. There were six rows. 1st and 2nd were meant for Vivekananda hall. 3rd and 4th was for Ramakrishna hall. 5th and 6th was for Shradha hall. As you might have guessed by now, the 1st hall was for 5th and 6th standard, 2nd for 7th, 8th and 9th standard and the last was 10th, 11th and 12th standard.
Once everyone got seated, they recited a Sanskrit prayer- manthiram or slokam. I was like ahhhh!
The breakfast was coconut rice and appalam. I couldn’t eat much, still half plate left; I decided to throw it in the bin. Suman cautioned me that I’ll be caught by some staff, if I throw food. He asked me to wait for some time and then gave a signal to go. I briskly walked towards the hand wash, suddenly someone grabbed my arm.
He shouted, “Hey,, why are you wasting so much food??”
I couldn’t answer him or don’t know what to answer.
Someone in the background said, “He is the new kid”.
The guy released my arm and said “From tomorrow you shouldn’t waste the food, now go”. After few days Suman taught me how to manage my plate and also various ways to escape from being caught, if I need to throw-away the food.
It was 9’O clock and it's school time.
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Previous chapter- 2. Shutter Island Next chapter- 4. Who is Mike Tyson ?
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