Saturday, July 9, 2011

THE CLASS

The commotion in the class was unbearable. The discussion on the Newton’s third law of motion had turned volatile, with students being broadly being divided into two groups and each group putting forth its opinion. The teacher had permitted the discussion to continue since she believed in free exchange of ideas, and rarely intervened in such discussions, unless and until it threatened to go out of hand.

From the corner of her eye she saw Raul sitting glum faced. As per his previous performances in the class, he never ever uttered a word in the class. Nobody in the class had ever heard his voice on any academic issue. The teacher, inexplicably turned towards Raul and said, “Yes, Raul, you want to say something?”

Raul looked flummoxed on this indiscretion from the teacher. He smiled sheepishly, “No maa’m, I am fine.”

The teacher was puzzled, for she had not enquired about his well being, but had wanted him to join in the discussion. For how was he to learn if he did not participate in any discussion. But Raul would have none of it. This had been the trend ever since Raul was admitted into the college. He would never open his mouth, except to eat Lasagna and Pizzas in the college canteen. Italian food was Raul’s weakness. The only time Raul had participated in anything when he had excitedly jumped up from amongst the audience in a quiz contest to name the Italian Prime Minister. Everybody thought that he had some spiritual attachment towards Italy.

But Raul was no ordinary student. His mother, Sonja was the Managing Director of the Trust which owned the college. Actually, the college, The Youngistan College was not owned by anybody, but there were a group of influential group of people in the city who said that the college was owned by their Trust, and they behaved accordingly. The Principal of the college, Dr. Mindless had been hand picked by Sonja to become the Principal of the college. Initially the Trust wanted Sonja to become the Principal of the college, but because she had never taken any responsibility in her life, she declined. Sonja had created a dictum of her own which she narrated to Raul before sending him to sleep, “No responsibility, no accountability, only power, makes Raul a strong boy.” She also firmly believed in her dictum.

Dr. Mindless, lived true to his name. He would only take directions from Sonja, and implement them come what may. He had been a ‘perfect choice’, Sonja would think occasionally. He would never ever ask Raul to submit his assignments. Not that the teacher would ask for it from Raul, anyway. Raul was the 'crown prince' of the college.

Raul would therefore sit in the class glum faced, surrounded by his friends. Oh Yes, friends he had in plenty. Not because of any exceptional friendly quality, but because he was Raul, the son of Sonja, who had the support of the Trust. These friends would surround him day and night, and praise him to the skies. “Raul is so good looking”, “Raul is so intelligent”, “Raul is this college’s only hope”, they would say. Hope for what? Nobody could answer that.


Raul would smile at them indulgently on hearing this. He would also smile when Sonja would come in the class and sit infront of him, facing the teacher. Her grim look would make the teachers shiver. But Raul would keep smiling all the time his mother sat in the class.Uncannily, she would also always remain silent.

But there was a group of students which opposed the activities of the Trust and therefore inter alia, Sonja and Raul. “Why don’t you ask Raul to provide a mechanical example of Newton’s third law of motion of every action having an equal and opposite reaction” one of them said that day. He was joined in by some others. Raul started sweating on hearing this clamour and looked towards Sonja, who raised her eyebrow towards the teacher. “Class over” the teacher said, as if she had received the cue. “We meet tomorrow, the same time” she said. But these students would have none of it, “let him first answer the question”, they shouted.

“What is going on?” Dr. Mindless had entered the class, “is this a Parliament or what?” he queried.

The rowdy students would have none of it, “Don’t try to again save Raul, sir” they said, “let him answer the question.”

“Class dismissed!” Dr. Mindless would have none of it. He also looked at the teacher in disapproval for not being able to control this uncomfortable situation. How could anybody ask Raul to speak in the class?

Relieved, Raul walked away with his friends. The friends, in reality, were aware of the inadequacies of Raul, but kept him in good humour to placate the Trust and therefore earn freebies for themselves. After all, it pays to be in the good books of powers that be.

Raul had this uncanny ability of talking once he got out of class. Once he gotten into a train to travel some distance. This was the first time he had traveled in a train. “What an experience” he said after getting down alongwith his friends. “What did you find unique about this experience”, one of his friends enquired after getting down. The rest of the friends literally jumped on the enquirer for having the temerity to ask this question. For them, if Raul said ‘unique’, ‘unique’ it had to be.

“No, no”, Raul said condescendingly, “let him ask” he went on, “I will tell you. The unique experience was getting onto and getting down the train.”

The friends were perplexed at this answer. But being used to praising Raul, they went on, “Wow, what an answer” one of them said, “this is the greatness of this boy” another said. The enquirer did not have the nerve to ask another question as to the uniqueness of this, for millions of people followed this practice on a daily basis.

Not that the group of students opposed to Raul were any mugs either. They were an intelligent lot and quite vociferous too. But they were a disunited lot. They spoke in too many voices and were at times enticed by the Trust with goodies. Raul could therefore continue with his silence in class and his words of wisdom outside.

“There is so much to learn from the farmer” once Raul said on a visit to the rural side, “you cannot learn all this in the class.”

The friends accompanying him wore that puzzled look again, for Raul had kept silent during a class debate on the “WAYS SCIENCE COULD CONTRIBUTE TO ANOTHER GREEN REVOLUTION”. But being used to sycophancy they only nodded in approval.

But the enquirer had still not learnt his lesson, “What do you learn from the farmer boss?” The friends were again stunned. “Does he always have to ask these questions?” they thought, “now we will get to hear another nonsensical answer.”

“So much, my friend” Raul replied, “look at the way they build their bare huts, how they survive on so few amenities, how he simply borrows from money lenders at exorbitant rate, all without flinching. That is not all, there is no power for days at stretch, yet he manages to irrigate the fields.”

“But what about improvement in agriculture? How can that be improved?” The enquirer’s curiosity could not be quenched. “What improvement?” Now it was Raul’s turn to be puzzled, “don’t you see the green fields and vast lands?” he clarified.

“But that will always be there in the fields,” the enquirer said, “but how do improve agricultural output?”

“ Improve what? I talked of learning outside the classes” Raul replied “not teaching, my dear friend. That is for the teachers and Principals like Dr. Mindless to do. For us, we have to care about the Trust and see that the Teachers stay in line. In the meanwhile my learning outside the class will continue”

“So shall we expect you to start speaking in class so that teachers stay in line or new ideas are formulated?”The enquirer thought that finally Raul might start speaking in class.

“Tch…Tch..speak in class, why do it, when you can stay silent and top in the class”, was Raul’s reply.


IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO STAY SILENT AND LET PEOPLE THINK, RATHER THAN OPEN YOUR MOUTH AND CONFIRM THAT YOU ARE A FOOL.