The year - 1971.
The place - a small village in a developing country.
The main characters - Albert, a nine-year-old boy, his eight-year-old sister Mary, their tutor and her brother, a vendor in a small shop.
Albert was bored as the class was beginning to end. The last period of the day was Mathematics and he hated that class. The teacher who taught it did not know how to teach it, well...that was his firm opinion to which all his classmates agreed but strongly disagreed by his parents, and he wondered why she cannot make it interesting like the teacher who teaches his native language. In fact, he could easily remember each and everything by heart in his language textbook and he gets full marks every time for it in the examinations, errr...without any help. He looked around discreetly and found most of the students also bored just like him. But he was the topper in the class. He achieved this because of the help he received from his teachers during examinations and also of the fact that his fellow students came from poor backgrounds. The school was mediocre. His parents had arranged a tutor, a craft teacher in the same school who used to accompany him and his sister on the way back from school to give them private tutoring. His sister was also studying in the same school one grade below him. This tutor used to help him with difficult questions during examinations at school.
They were before in a better school in the northern part of the state. He always missed that school. It was a very good school and they were given excellent coaching there. There he did not need any help from anyone in the examinations and there no one will help out of the way. He stood first in all the subjects in that school. But their parents got transferred to this village that was close to their native place. Parents did not want to live long in the faraway place. So he was forced to study in this small school.
He was relieved when the last bell rang and they all stood up for the national anthem. The moment it finished the children rushed out of the classes. Albert collected his aluminum school box and packed the books inside. He was one of the lucky ones carrying such good school boxes and water bottles to that school. Other children were from poor families who were depending on the free school meals to satisfy hunger. Many boys just did not have money even to get a nice pair of school uniforms. Some did not even bother to stitch a button but just tied the waist ends of their shorts together and sometimes the whole thing will fall down especially when they play in the school ground after lunch. lol! There were many school dropouts too.
“Did you forget something today, Albert ?”
His tutor approached him already picking his sister from her class. Some days he forgets his lunch box at school and they one day had to return to school to collect it midway. Thereafter she will make sure the children have everything safely inside their boxes before starting their long walk to home. There was no school bus. Other vehicles were also a rarity at that time.
The trip to and from school was something they enjoyed very much. Their parents did not want them to get lost or do mischievous things so they arranged the tutor to accompany them to the home where she will tutor them for some time. Both the parents had to work for a better living.
“I feel thirsty...”
His sister whispered to him. He understood what that meant and they both smiled.
On the way back to home at the junction where they leave the main road and enter a steep side road, there was a shop owned by the tutor's brother. It was a wooden cabin, thatched with coconut leaves. The cabin actually stood on four wooden legs. There was a wooden table in front of the shop on top of which many glass jars were placed containing different varieties of sweets with different colors. One of which requires a special mention here. This candy was shaped like a small lemon peel and was in much demand by adults as well as children. Some peanut candies were also there. On one side table, there were many fizzing soda bottles. These bottles were made of very thick glass unlike the small glass bottles that we see nowadays and a rounded blue glass bead inside will prevent the gas from escaping. The vendor will press hard using his middle finger on the blue glass bead and whzzzzzzzz..... the fizzy drink is ready. Possessing a blue glass bead was considered something great by children because it was harder than ordinary glass beads; they used to play with it.
Albert and his sister
will become 'thirsty' every time they pass this small shop.
“Teacher...teacher...we are thirsty”.
Albert finally blurted out persuaded by his sister. His sister was very tactful never initiating the request by herself but will encourage Albert to request. In case of some reprimand from the tutor or parents, she will slip away not wanting to take the blame.
“No...not today...just three days ago only I bought you the drinks, remember? Your dad will scold me if I buy all the time such drinks for you.”
The tutor was a soft-hearted lady. When their “thirst” problem has become a regular thing everyday evening the matter somehow reached parents' ears. Kids along with the tutor were questioned. Then only they realized they were being given free drinks by her nice brother. Finally, dad forced this shop vendor to accept some money. He also instructed them not to entertain kids daily like this but only with his permission, that too may be once a week or so on the condition that the vendor must accept money for the same.
Albert was actually feeling very much bored because of the last period of Maths. Moreover, it was a hot day and they were sweating. He was determined to get a drink that day. He dropped his school box on the road in front of the shop and sat on it.
“Teacher...teacher...I am soooooo... tired...I can't walk...my legs are aching”.
“Me too...”, his sister announced her support, both looking at the shopkeeper pleading.
Their tutor helplessly stood there. The shopkeeper and some of his customers who were chewing betel pan were smiling watching the drama that was going on in front of them.
“Ha...ha...ha...Come on....come on...”
He invited them and within seconds both of them ran to the front of the shop sneaking under the thatched front extension enjoying the coolness. Poor tutor collected their boxes and followed them to the shop. She placed the load on a bench nearby and sat on it. They began chitchatting some family matter while the vendor began making the magic drinks.
First, he took three tall and big glasses and washed them thoroughly. Three big lemons were cut and each half placed in a wooden squeezer and squeezed vigorously into the glasses. One big tablespoon full of sugar was added to each glass. Then he placed a big ice chunk on his palm and crushed it into several pieces by thrashing it with a big spoon. He put the ice pieces into the glasses. Children watched all this action enjoying very much the routine.
Now the time they enjoy most has arrived! He has taken three light blue soda bottles.
Tudttt........
He opened one by thrusting his middle finger hard on the blue bead....😊
While stirring fast the mixture using a big spoon he poured soda into the glasses little by little.Children watched with awe gas bubbles rising with a hzzz.....ahhhhhh...one drink is ready and Albert grabbed it quickly.
His tutor helped him hold the big glass tightly.
He began drinking it swiftly amidst the cracking of the second soda bottle. The drink was very sweet and fizzy. He enjoyed the cool wave passing down through his chest. It was really coooooll...............!
His sister was facing him with her drink. The tutor was supporting her glass helping her drink. She was repeatedly telling them to drink slowly and not just downing it. However, they drank as fast as they can enjoying the thrill of the fizzy drink. Finally, the empty glasses were handed over to the vendor and their tutor took her glass and began drinking. Kids wiped off their mouths with the back of their hands, Albert liberating a loud burp. They both giggled.
“Ok...let's go...”
Tutor pushed them out handing over their boxes to them while saying goodbye to the vendor.
The rest of the return journey was pleasant with all the 'tiredness' and 'thirst' fully gone. How they wished every day like this enjoying the fizzy drink always!
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