Episode 1: Genesis

It was a quiet day. There weren't any thunderstorms and there certainly was no big bright heavenly star hanging from the sky when I came into this world on the 8th of March 1976 in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh. It happened one night! And it could have happened any other night.

When I was four years old I could accurately reproduce the Telugu alphabet and this was not by any means an ordinary achievement. I was hailed as the Einstein of Modern times. People used to remark, "Venu could reproduce all letters of the Telugu alphabet and you know, he is only four years old. He will definitely become a scientist one day."

That, my dear readers, is the only notable achievement in my life. I didn't become a scientist and am not even a relative of Einstein.

Speaking of alphabets brings to mind a funny situation. I was four years old and was in pre-school. The teacher, a very pleasant lady indeed, wanted me to write "a aa i ee". (అఆఇఈ)

I started quite confidently. "a" was easy. "aa" was even more easy. "i" was a little difficult and "ee" was surprisingly difficult. Now was the turn of “u"...

"u"?? How the hell should I write "u"?

It was in the middle of December and I was sweating like a pig. The teacher’s pleasantness vanished all of a sudden. In fact she disappeared into thin air and Maha Kali replaced her.

I was trembling.. I couldn't write "u"... Oh God! What should I do now?

I heard a voice then… a booming voice it was. It told me what to do in situations like that. And when I followed those heavenly instructions, I was little aware that I wouldn’t be able to pull off such a courageous act again in my life.

I ran. Wind in my hair and certainly no sand but just concrete at my feet, I ran like a Cheetah – out of the classroom leaving the bewildered Maha Kali and the envious classmates behind – through the Gate of Destiny, our school gate – into the Free World, the cramped street.

I ran like an Olympic Runner – The rewards of which I would bear later. My mind preset and my body taken hostage by the subconscious.

I ran like there was no tomorrow into the afternoon Sun much to the shock of the onlookers. I ran with little respect to the traffic on the street. I cared a hoot for the unfortunate vehicles plying on that route. My mind was blank. My post was home. And I reached it in ten minutes. Quite a spectacular touchdown it was, considering I was only four years old then.

I entered the house.. Gasping and drenched in sweat. My mother was taken aback.

Within five minutes of my grand entry into 1032, Pogathota, Nellore – My elder brother – a class five student of the same school - rushed in totally thrilled and definitely not concerned. Maha Kali dispatched him duly to check on me after my unprecedented sprint from the school.

What did I do?

Nothing.

Why did I run home?

Because I didn't feel like staying at school.

Spank Spank..

Waaaa!! Sorry! I'd never again do that

.

Nope! I know the roads are dangerous. I won't repeat it

.

Spank Spank!..

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA...

My dear reader, that was exactly how I started my schooling. Education in my case was inseparably bundled with schooling. Mark Twain wouldn’t approve of it. But that was how I got educated! By going to a school and memorizing the answers to previous years’ question papers.

To be continued…