'Glass Bits'

When I was idling after my studies and all my good friends had already been employed and were at other places I often found myself in the company of certain unruly characters in my village. They were very basic in their approach to life and were totally linked to the desires of the flesh. We had studied together at school and were all known to one another.

It was not a posh school and children from every conceivable back ground came to get educated in it. It was the democratic period of our educational theory and practice. Every one was provided with the same educational opportunities and it was up to the students to do whatever with it.

Well we of course did much better at school than others from the lower strata of society. We went to study further and as most of my friends did by that time, went on to become employed. I was too lazy to sit for competitive exams and was thus was left behind by my friends. I never wanted to be employed in my life.

I was all for the adventure of doing nothing and my father felt rather strongly about it. There was some friction at home over it and so I had to escape into the open before my father warms up to the subject every day. I would slink out through the back door early in the morning and would spend wherever I chose till sundown.

I had light years of time at my disposal and no deserving friends to share it with. I did not know what to do with it. All the time they were there, those that the people call losers and I was drawn to their company out of boredom.

Nothing great could have come out of those friendships, but being ever the unwise character I went along with it. Perhaps I had some thoughts of getting a closer look into the lives of those below me in the social scale. Any way other than receiving a few rude shocks about what happens at that level I was not provided with deep insights into human nature by it.

We almost always visited toddy shops in the neighboring villages. (Toddy is a week alcoholic beverage made out of taping coconut palms and culturing it in giant earthen or wooden pots. I don’t know how the culturing process take place, but I have drunk a lot of toddy in those times. )

Going to the neighboring villages was for my sake. I was the son of the manor and can not be seen drinking lowly toddy at my village. At one such place my companions played a prank on a poor black smith. It was about noon and we were alone in the toady shop having a good time. The toddy is very week and you would not get high on it even if you drink gallons of it. It would come in small earthen pots and it makes a lovely bubbling noise when it is place before you.

The black smith came in just then. He was probably out to relax after toiling hard at the smithy all morning. Immediately he was seated and was served my companions winked at me and went out.

Now the toady shops are little thatched huts. There would be a row of benches and desks on the two close to the walls. The walls are made of bamboo mats or thatches. You can hear what goes on at the other side of the thatched walls like you are hearing it face to face.

The black smith had sat on the opposite side away from us. My friends moved to a position on the other side of the thatched wall directly behind him and began conversing in the slurry tones of the drunk.

“I don’t believe you” One said.

“I can prove it to you” The other said hotly.

“No way, that can’t be possible” The first one was adamant.

“I say to you that it is true”

“No way”

“It is made of iron I tell you”

“No no that can’t be possible”

Now our black smith was unperturbed until he heard the mention of iron. Even then he took it bravely.

The conversation progressed. I did not have the full dope on the situation and was as curious as he was I must say, and was eagerly waiting further developments.

“Ok let us check it out” One said.

The other agreed hotly.

“Let us”

“What if he is not wearing iron underwear?”

The first one demanded.

The black smith choked and spat out the toddy he was drinking and started coughing. He was becoming alarmed and was looking behind him wildly.

“Then I will do what you say” The other said.

They were both making noises as if they were going to come in through the door for the examination. Now absolute panic struck the guy and the moment my companions moved away from the place behind him he went on all fours and burst out of the shed through the thatched wall and ran for his life.

I could not help laughing. The poor guy’s face was absolutely going to weird places!
My companions came in laughing their head out. They had run after him a little distance.

Well these were one of the minor pranks of those irrepressible characters.
Of course the barman was not amused, but he only remonstrated.

“You are hitting me on my tummy” He said morosely. He did not even demand money for the spilled toddy

These companions of mine were known as ‘glass bits’ in our locality. A piece of glass lying in your way (we don’t normally wear shoes in the village) would cut you up every time. If you try to pick them up to chuck them somewhere there is a chance of getting a cut on your hands. In short you avoid having any contact with such “glass bits”

Well really, what is wrong with being cut up now and then?