Glass Of Water

As a student, few decades ago, our group of seven to eight kinds used to walk about 1 km to our home. We used to carry our water bottles filled in the morning with the tap water from home. Sitting in school for over five hours we used to finish drinking that water within the first few hours and then used to run to the drinking water facility in school, where there were about five to six faucets lined up that dispensed drinking water. No, we did not have the fancy water fountains when I was a student. The taps were attached to a wall and there was a four feet receptor to hold and drain the water from the faucets. We used to hold our palms and drink water during recess. And fill our water bottles as well.
After school, somehow, we would end up with empty water bottles and were always thirsty. yes, hungry too, but we knew our mothers had our meals ready and waiting for us.
To quench our thirst, we would usually stop at an ice factory. we used to push open its rusty gates and rush in and the workers there used to bring us students tall, chilled glasses of water. Wow, that used to be our treat. Our parents, specially my mother did not allow me to have any cold drinks. This glass of water was a luxury, indulging in some innocent guilty pleasures of life...
Our last stop to quench our thirst was a restaurant. We kinds used to just reach the cash counter and the owner would order his waiters to get us all a glass of water each...
This last stop was more to spend time with the group than to quench our thirst. Because, once we all reached home, we were asked to eat our lunch, take a nap, followed by homework and if time permitted, staying outdoors for less than an hour before bedtime.
That was our childhood, sweet, innocent and totally oblivious and protected except for stealing some guilty pleasure like drinking a chilled glass of water...

Ranga Rajah
July 31 2013

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