June 1986
We enter year 10, in 9 months time we will write the first ever 'Public exams' in our lives. No more good marks because your school/teacher set up an easy exam paper, the teacher gives you marks because you are the teachers favourite etc etc. The questions are set at a state level and the answer papers are send to different corners of the state to be marked and we have been told that this exam will determine our future. For 14/15 year old boys and girls reading this please do not believe all the hype made about this exam determining your future. I am not saying ignore the exams or do not prepare for it. Just remember that this is just one of many you will write in your life and do not get too worried or worked up about this one exam. It will not determine your future.
Annukkan had other things on his mind when he entered year 10. First there was cricket, then his new crush, his new crush, his new crush, his new crush.......Yes. He was in love and he did not even know that it was that. All he knew was that the very thought of this person gave him butterflies in the stomach and everything else did not matter. He will eventually become friends with his heart throb but will never express his true feelings to this girl. In the end it was all probably for good because he went on to have many more crushes before eventually marrying a beautiful young lady and settling down in life. Once again for the young teens reading this, it is alright to have a crush or two during this time. After all it is just biology and hormones driving your brain to think this way.
This year Annukkan was picked to represent his school cricket team. He has previously played a couple of matches for the school team but this was the year he scored his first fifty for the school team. So off he went to Little Flower High School. They were known to be one of the best teams in the district with a couple of players playing for the district team as well. Annukkan's good friend and neighbour was studying in that school and he was guaranteed of at least one supporter at the away ground. It was a hot dry day. Annukkan just played his usual game. Those days the cut and the square cut were the only scoring shots he knew apart from the ever reliable flick off the legs. His neighbour and friend, Kaka was cheering for him when he scored his fifty. A short while later he got out to a good spinner trying to hit the ball all the way to Holy cross. For young cricketers reading this, you don't have to hit the ball very hard, just time it like Rohit Sharma. There are no extra runs for hitting the ball further than the boundary.
Ramakkan was the biggest influence during Annukkan's school days. He was quiet boy who was incredibly intelligent. His parents also were a big influence on him and he spent a lot of time in their house. Ramakkan made everything look easy. He had a pleasing personality and Annukkan cannot think of a single episode where he was rude to anybody. So it was no surprise when Ramakkan went onto complete engineering at a Prestigious university and settle down in USA. Seven years back he met Ramakkan for his fortieth and realised that this boy he knew has not changed one bit. He was still the level headed boy who treated everyone with respect and kindness. Annukkan would have got a bit lost in his studies if not for Ramakkan's strong influence on him.
Annukkan stood for his first and only ever election during this year. His geography teacher, 'Adhi Sir' thought he will be a suitable person as the president of Geography club. Annukkan did not understand elections then and he does not understand elections now either. His opponent was Manikkan from the next class. He did not know him much and in his own deluded mind thought the election win was a sure thing. Annukkan lost the election by a few votes but his opponent magnanimously made him the vice president. That day Annukkan lost an election, gained a friend, learnt the meaning of humility and realised he would never again stand for an election. He just did not have it in him to market himself and did not like the whole idea of canvassing for one self.
Soon it was study leave for the dreaded public exams. Annukkan's dad made sure there were no 'distractions' for his son and he would just read, read, read, read, eat, use the toilet, sleep, read, read, read, read...............Annukkan's dad just did not know his son. Annukkan was master at the art of getting distracted. Even when he was locked up in his room to 'just study', he had plenty of things to get distracted with. Toy cars, bouncing a ball on the wall, a lot of day dreaming, reading everything other than the textbooks and finally mosquito research. Yes you read it right......mosquito research. He spent hours trapping mosquitoes and studying the pattern of shades on their bodies and their behaviour when sucking blood and when sleeping after heavy blood meal. And that is how Annukkan got malaria a few weeks before his final exams.
Somehow Annukkan recovered from malaria, managed to study and pass the Public exams with reasonable marks and he surprised everyone including himself. After the 10th Public exams we are rewarded with the longest summer holiday and that is when Annukkan and his friends started the Junior cricket club in the front yard of the deserted ghost bungalow in the corner of Gandhi road. Writing about Junior cricket club would need a whole separate blog. For young people who have just entered year 10 and getting worked up about the 'Public exams' don't fret too much. If silly dumb distracted Annukkan can do it, anybody can do it. More importantly make sure you have a well rounded school life which includes a little crush, a little sport, a little hobby, lots of friends and some reading. Thank you for reading this. Have a great day.
picture of Kovalam beach in Thiruvanthapuram taken from the little hillock where the light house is stationed
For people not familiar with geography of India, peninsular India in bound by the bay of Bengal in the east, Arabian sea in the west and the Indian ocean in the south. And Sri Lanka is that little tear drop shaped island to the south of the southern most tip of India.
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