SCHOOLING 'AUTO'MATED...

          I have always made it particular to go to my school premises whenever I come back to my hometown. Meeting the teachers, watchmen, canteen anna and sweeper aayaas always feels good. Especially when some daily wagers out there say, “Wherever you go, please take time to come here and see us”, tears tend to shed out. This is the school that taught me to be independent; that lifted my aspirations; that improved my social awareness; that transcended me to the next level. Most of the so – called schools of practical knowledge never allow students to think critically, expose themselves to competitive environment et al. For them, competition is nothing but scoring more marks than the compatriots. Oops, this school sentiment always affects me to such an extent that I speak more about it. Let’s shift to the topic now.

          For most of the school – goers in Cuddalore, auto is the primary mode of transportation. In my two years in Chennai, I have never seen jam – packed auto – rickshaws bustling their way towards the school campuses, let alone one or two, with the chatter of students overcoming the noise of roaring vehicles in the traffic signal. Those who haven’t traveled by auto and cycles have almost missed more than a half of their schooling.

          I studied my primary classes in St. Joseph’s Mat. Hr. Sec. School, which is in the adjacent street to my home. When my parents said they wanted me to write entrance examinations for another school, its full name infused some sort of fear in me – the Arcot Ramasamy Lakshmanasamy Mudaliar Mat.Hr. Sec. School, shortly ARLM. Of course, I cleared it with relative ease and was ready to enter a new world. But then, I didn’t know that friendships would affect me a lot and take a toll on me.

          An auto driver, who had the routine of taking students from Koothapakkam, my locality, to Manjakuppam, where my new school was located, agreed to take me along with some 10 - 12 others (!!) First of all, I didn’t like the notion of clinging on to a vehicle which had twice the usual load. Secondly, that school took the hell out of me with its strict restrictions of Spoken English, with secret spies being appointed to complain about the defaulters to the Vice – Principal. Thirdly, I missed my old school badly. There were some differences between those two – my old school gave me freedom to play tic – tac – toe in the playground and eat there, spilling and spreading all rice onto the sand; but, this was strictly restricted here. I didn’t have to board an auto and travel for almost 40 minutes; I could very well get ready at the last five minutes and run in no time.

          But in the course of time, I got used to the patterns of ARLM, mostly due to the bliss of traveling by auto. This three – wheeled vehicle became my home in motion for five entire classes from 6^th to 10^th. Prayer would commence sharply at 9:30 and we had to be there at least 15 minutes prior to that. I was the 4^th to get in to the auto at 8:35. As the others got in gradually, there would be this routine of fighting for a place at the front because those who sit at the back seats had the additional burden of carrying some kindergarten children on their laps. Then, there were this differences regarding the right and left seating at the front. While the left seat provided the elegant, comfortable posture, with the perk of no – load – on - lap, the right was meant to give a rough, rogue – kind of look, which is the ever – favorite way of getting a girl, as shown in movies. The person who sat at the right had some assigned duties to be taken care of. He had to see that the vehicle doesn’t ramble with another at signals; he had to horn during traffic; he had to run right – royally into the house to get another fellow if at the sound of the first horn, he/she is not there. And, he who is at left would have to start the auto by lifting that rod with great force so as to ignite the engine. Most importantly, only those at the two sides of the front got the flamboyant chance of getting down when the auto stays in motion. And, the throne was provided mostly to students only after their 8^th grade.

          Now, let’s see how an auto looks at its full strength. Four students would occupy the back seat with any two of them owning the responsibility of seating their juniors on their laps. There is an additional facility called the baby seat, which gives room for four other kindergarteners. Further, two at the front seat in addition to the driver himself would make it up. In addition, bags would be filled to the core at the small space provided for speakers. Some of which, which didn’t fit in there, would be placed near the starter, due to which the person at left would have some minor difficulty. Plus, there would be lunch bags near the foot of the back – seaters. Most of the on – lookers would curse the driver and our parents for not taking care of us, but then, they didn’t matter. It was the thrill, the joy that accounted.

          There were crazy nicknames for some people. One guy, who wanted the corner seat forever, made his mom speak with the driver. From then on, he was known as Piles, courtesy his inability to sit in the middle. The Piles Meme and one – liners became very famous in our school as his classmates began calling him with this new name. It went to such an extent that our Physical Education teacher warned me of suspension if I called him Piles. There were at least one soda putti in every auto, indicating the spectacled ones. In the course of time, that name became extinct as almost everyone started wearing glasses.

          There was another guy, who would always get the help of his uncle to place his bags inside, even after coming to the higher secondary classes. His uncle, unfortunately, didn’t get married, and there was a gossip that he didn’t want a lady to disturb his affection towards this guy. So, this chap was rightly named Chithapa (father’s younger bro). I was called Iyer, as I didn’t give room for any nicknames. I had to see that mom and dad didn’t seem to be too careful and loving towards me, at least in front of my auto mates.

          And, the last day of a particular class was fun – filled. I have muddled my last subject of annual examination mostly due to my imaginations and plan for the decoration of auto. There was this superiority in glossing the vehicle, which had carried us for the whole year, with balloons, ribbons, color papers and stickers. This would always result in a quarrel on which hero’s stickers had to be stuck in front. As inking others’ shirts and mock fights were strictly banned, we had to make sure that our secret equipments were hidden comfortably in order to escape the eagle’s view of the staff assigned with this duty. Moreover, this was the egoistic clash among the drivers, where prestige would be at stake. Some cautious drivers would not take their wards to the beach and they would become the centre of mockery that day by the other drivers and also students. And, the drivers got us hot bhajjis, yummy ice – creams, potato chips and so on. That one day eliminated the societal barrier between a driver and a student. We all came together as a single entity.

          Yesterday, after getting in conversation with the staff that shaped me, I went to the auto stand of the school in search of my beloved auto. I wanted to sit there at the front at least for a few minutes, blow that green horn that have out the ultrasonic baam – baam noise. Disappointed on not finding my auto, I didn’t wish to make my desires satisfied in some other vehicle. Surrogate mother won’t become mother at any cost, eh? I stood there simply for some time, noticing the happy students ready to enjoy the weekend climbing in. Drivers, however harsh they may be, are pure, poor souls that play the mediators between home and school. They are one of the responsibilities of students to come out with flying colors. They are stagnant for this noble cause while we go different places. Each time I wear my khaki for laboratory, I recollect that bald man with long, majestic mush, scolding me to get in soon so that it doesn’t get late to school.