| The word scientific temper has been permanently | | | | the lab than, horror of horrors, the instructor |
| etched into my memory. In my school days, we | | | | materialized from nowhere. For a few |
| believed that the scientific temper would take us | | | | moments-that seemed to mean eternity-he |
| far. | | | | stared blankly. "What makes you limp so badly," |
| Scientific temper does not belong to laboratories | | | | he asked. "Sir... sir," I stammered, "my knee |
| and classrooms alone, it should also penetrate our | | | | struck against the heavy lock on the almirah." I |
| drawing rooms, dining rooms and even our | | | | recovered my sang-froid in the nick of time. |
| bedrooms. I discussed my inchoate musings with | | | | "Well... well." He made a dismissive gesture and let |
| friends, who helped me put together an action | | | | me go. |
| plan. We decided to surreptitiously remove one or | | | | This was how we created a lab whose end |
| two things from the stock allotted to each of us | | | | proved to be as anti-climactic as its beginning was |
| in the school laboratory, and thus create a small | | | | exciting. After a brief harangue that barely lasted |
| lab in my backyard. | | | | one short minute, I cut a red rag with blunt piece |
| We squeezed amounts of the different salts for | | | | of rusted blade and declared the new temple of |
| our lab into our pockets, rolled in old newspapers. | | | | learning open, the demonstration followed soon |
| Next on the scale of difficulty came concentrated | | | | enough. I held a small bottle of acid in one hand |
| acids. They were kept in the small bottles hidden | | | | and tried to open it with other, but its tin cap had |
| between the cover of the books. The bulge of | | | | rusted and stuck adamantly in place, while I tried |
| the books was concealed behind the folded wrist | | | | to unscrew the cap, it flew off and the liquid |
| and forearm. Lastly, on the scale of difficulty, | | | | spurted out splattering all and sundry. Amidst the |
| came the burette. Those who have seen this | | | | ensuing din and chaos, little did I realize that our |
| long, slender, fragile, graduated glass tube may | | | | expensive woolens had been ruined by the acid; |
| well imagine the problem of logistics involved in | | | | besides, many of us suffered minor acid burns, |
| carrying it out of the lab, in broad daylight, and | | | | while I suffered a major one on my neck. |
| without the instructor noticing it! This unenviable | | | | Half lying on the floor with the shards of broken |
| task was entrusted to (or rather, thrust upon) | | | | acid bottle strewn around me, I heard the |
| me, because no one else volunteered. Their | | | | stomping of feet draw near, and felt a chill run |
| argument ran: Since the lab was to be created at | | | | through my spine. I knew only too well that my |
| my house, I would benefit from it the most. | | | | mother was zeroing in on me, and sensing the |
| The fateful day finally arrived. My heart was | | | | impending doom, closed my eyes for the |
| pounding wildly against my chest, but somehow I | | | | inevitable. |
| was able to slip the burette into my pants from | | | | (I now realize that any unauthorized and |
| inside of the waist band. Its upper end touched | | | | unsupervised use of harmful chemicals can lead to |
| my right armpit, while the lower end came slightly | | | | unintended consequences and can prove |
| above my knee. Now, I had to keep myself | | | | hazardous in the experienced hands. We were |
| ramrod straight, so that the bulge would not | | | | lucky to escape with minor and superficial burns. |
| show at breast pocket, and yet limp along | | | | However, a faded white spot on my neck still |
| keeping my right leg straight, to keep the stuff | | | | reminds of my youthful folly. |
| intact. But scarcely did I cross the doorstep of | | | | |