I had a book shelf at the corner of my room. Dad bought it some 10 years ago,we used it as show case at that time. After few years,mom bought a bigger one and gave the previous one to me. I used to keep my books in that. The wood gradually started looking old and needed polish,the glasses became smoked. But,it was fine for keeping articles like books and stationary items. Finally,when I was in my PUC,one day my sister,aged 3 or 4 at that time, banged on the glass with a flower vase. One portion of the glass was completely shattered,the other part remained dangerously attached to the bottom. Mom came and asked me to remove the remaining portion,in case it causes accident! She told soon she will get that shelf repaired. I kept the broken square portion of glass in storeroom.
At that time,I was getting a specific problem. As I had taken science,I had lots of record works to do. Our teacher advised us to finish it at home. But I was not getting time. How shall I,anyway? Every morning I had to attend tuition classes,after coming back I had to rush to school. After School hours I had to go for tuition again from which I would come back home almost after 8pm. At that time,will I study or will I finish my record works? The work kept on getting piled up,causing much tension. There was no way out from this vicious circle. Other records I would somehow manage,but Biology? I felt nauseated whenever I would see the diagrams there...........all internal organs of animals in zoology,Yucks! It seems we had to draw them after observing in lab!No way,I will faint if I have to watch and draw!
Fortunately that year the supplier of guinea pig n other stuffs was not available. Teacher asked us to compare the diagrams in book and draw. I was in seventh heaven. But my happiness didn't remain for long time. That also means long time.........how I am going to finish? Then,suddenly an idea crossed my mind. Wow,why didn't I think of this before? I ran to the storeroom and took out that broken square of glass. I kept two chairs in such way that there was some space in between the seats. I placed the glass there and attached it with the chairs with tapes.Next,I placed my table lamp under the glass and switched it on. Wow,what a great tracing table it had become!
I got this idea seeing in our geography lab,a table was there on which students used to copy maps and other geographical structures. Now stop me if you can! I bunked school for two days and started tracing those diagrams on my record sheets. I was astonished to see how fast the diagrams were being copied. By the end of second day,all the record drawings were complete. The writing part took only one day to get over. For other diagrams also I followed the same method,and those got over in no time. The submission was next week,I had plenty of time before that.
The day I went to submit the records,I was somehow scared. It's cheating,my heart said. But when I saw the whole thing from a neutral angle,I found I had no option left. I could see my teacher was screaming at a poor girl,it seems she copied using a tracing paper and was caught! God! My heart was thumping badly,I submitted my record. Ma'am went through and was very happy with it. She signed and said, "Now that I call a record,so neat and beautifully drawn!" Lo! If she would know the secret behind the drawings,she would dance,I can say! I fled the scene as soon as the certification was over. Who can spare a chance in that situation?
I returned those chairs and glasses in their place. I never repeated this again in my life. I know what I did was not the correct way. But that day it saved my skin. Dear Msians,don't tell this story to your kids,I don't want anybody to follow my way,especially in this matter.
