As told by- The kitchen Shelf
Adam and Eve could not resist the temptation of the forbidden fruit, and they were all grown up. So one can imagine the plight of our young scientist, when told firmly, to stay away from a Bomb making scheme- code word BMS. Information [pictures] contained in all the chemistry books of his elder cousin Gassy and in his favorite section in the encyclopedia, did not help the stay away from BMS order either. In fact, Gassy’s constant bragging about what all he did in the chemistry lab only added fuel to fire.
“I can make a real bomb Its only because I don’t want to show off that I keep a low profile, but you know, everyone at my hostel consults me before trying out their hand at anything remotely explosive.” Gassy would say proudly. He was a bright student and knew it too.
“Please Gassy, teach me too. You know how much I love you. Here you can have my pebble collection.” Purja would plead constantly, offering bribes that Gassy would accept condescendingly after much cajoling. It was a question of one’s position in the cousinly hierarchy hence a certain show of attitude a must, he felt. He would then bring out some obscure book from his father’s library and read out what he considered appropriate bomb making instructions. God only knows how genuine these were. But for Purja who was still at ‘Ten sentences on cow’ stage in the language class, the pearls of bomb making wisdom read by his elder cousin Gassy were as if drops of elixir. Automatically, these got imprinted in his memory where most of the school wisdom could not even find a foothold.
Then a windfall happened. Luckily for him, a small amount of real sulfur powder somehow sneaked its way into his possession. The mind with brain as a partner went through every charted and uncharted territory, to find a perfect hiding place for this strictly banned item. The cupboards, the drawers, under or over the bed, the various shelves in the house and all the corners and like, were under surveillance following the curfew with ‘Thrash at sight’ order if caught with any BMS ingredients, after the infamous Fatom bomb explosion incidence. Sesa refused to keep it and he couldn’t trust Gassy or Gira not to make their own bomb with his sulfur, Goltu was too risky and little Pints would only eat it, he knew. Purja thought hard surveying the insides as well as the outsides of the house.
But we had a genius in our little friend, someone you could never under estimate. Only he could think of hiding it next to powdered turmeric, in the spice drawer to avoid detection. Sneaking quietly in the afternoon, he accomplished his mission. The sulfur was safely enclosed in a bottle behind the turmeric powder. He camouflaged it by discretely scattering few torn paper pieces on top. It would never be detected now. Or so he thought. This lethal powder was detected the moment the drawer was opened. Presence of torn paper pieces where there should be none was a dead give away. The kitchen became high surveillance area after that, under direct jurisdiction of his mother.
“
His mother was perplexed, but only for a moment when she saw an anemic looking yellow powder in a bottle, and the bottle covered with alien presence, namely paper, in her spice collection. She was sure that she had kept only one yellow powder, turmeric, and could not account for this second yellowy smelly stuff. But she had survived with her sanity intact, against all odds, by outsmarting our friend, her Purja. She knew instinctively and her instincts bulls eyed towards our muse. Her son had some answering to do. Meanwhile, unaware of the commotion, our friend was trying to find the method for making a sulfur bomb in Gassy’s chemistry book, the book he could hardly make sense of, hidden atop a neem tree. He was caught and produced before the jury, namely his mother. In his defense, he told a completely unbelievable story of scheming sulfur powder, falling into the hands of unsuspecting innocent little boy busy minding their own business. The mother was not impressed and Purja did time in his usual corner.” Kitchen shelf couldn’t have asked for better audience. They were falling over each other, holding their stomachs roaring in amusement.
“He couldn’t have bought the sulfur. I wonder how did he acquire it?” Wondered the book- case. Being most knowledgeable, it was always logical.
“All I know is that few days earlier he had pestered his father till he conceded to let him accompany him to the R&D section of his factory. I know for sure, they had a fully functional chemistry lab there. And an inquisitive Purja brimming with Gassy’s sulfurous bomb making theories could be very enterprising.” Clarified the Shelf.
The sulfur was impounded and the chemistry book and the encyclopedia taken. Our friend sat in his corner thinking of, the wonderful things he could have done with the sulfur powder. Life was not fair with so many missed opportunities especially when the goal was fairly with in reach. And Gassy went back to the hostel after the Diwali vacations, richer by five odd but unique collections acquired by imparting knowledge selflessly to lesser intelligent younger cousin. A cousin in need was cousin indeed was his motto. He had done his duty.
Adam and Eve could not resist the temptation of the forbidden fruit, and they were all grown up. So one can imagine the plight of our young scientist, when told firmly, to stay away from a Bomb making scheme- code word BMS. Information [pictures] contained in all the chemistry books of his elder cousin Gassy and in his favorite section in the encyclopedia, did not help the stay away from BMS order either. In fact, Gassy’s constant bragging about what all he did in the chemistry lab only added fuel to fire.
“I can make a real bomb Its only because I don’t want to show off that I keep a low profile, but you know, everyone at my hostel consults me before trying out their hand at anything remotely explosive.” Gassy would say proudly. He was a bright student and knew it too.
“Please Gassy, teach me too. You know how much I love you. Here you can have my pebble collection.” Purja would plead constantly, offering bribes that Gassy would accept condescendingly after much cajoling. It was a question of one’s position in the cousinly hierarchy hence a certain show of attitude a must, he felt. He would then bring out some obscure book from his father’s library and read out what he considered appropriate bomb making instructions. God only knows how genuine these were. But for Purja who was still at ‘Ten sentences on cow’ stage in the language class, the pearls of bomb making wisdom read by his elder cousin Gassy were as if drops of elixir. Automatically, these got imprinted in his memory where most of the school wisdom could not even find a foothold.
Then a windfall happened. Luckily for him, a small amount of real sulfur powder somehow sneaked its way into his possession. The mind with brain as a partner went through every charted and uncharted territory, to find a perfect hiding place for this strictly banned item. The cupboards, the drawers, under or over the bed, the various shelves in the house and all the corners and like, were under surveillance following the curfew with ‘Thrash at sight’ order if caught with any BMS ingredients, after the infamous Fatom bomb explosion incidence. Sesa refused to keep it and he couldn’t trust Gassy or Gira not to make their own bomb with his sulfur, Goltu was too risky and little Pints would only eat it, he knew. Purja thought hard surveying the insides as well as the outsides of the house.
But we had a genius in our little friend, someone you could never under estimate. Only he could think of hiding it next to powdered turmeric, in the spice drawer to avoid detection. Sneaking quietly in the afternoon, he accomplished his mission. The sulfur was safely enclosed in a bottle behind the turmeric powder. He camouflaged it by discretely scattering few torn paper pieces on top. It would never be detected now. Or so he thought. This lethal powder was detected the moment the drawer was opened. Presence of torn paper pieces where there should be none was a dead give away. The kitchen became high surveillance area after that, under direct jurisdiction of his mother.
“
His mother was perplexed, but only for a moment when she saw an anemic looking yellow powder in a bottle, and the bottle covered with alien presence, namely paper, in her spice collection. She was sure that she had kept only one yellow powder, turmeric, and could not account for this second yellowy smelly stuff. But she had survived with her sanity intact, against all odds, by outsmarting our friend, her Purja. She knew instinctively and her instincts bulls eyed towards our muse. Her son had some answering to do. Meanwhile, unaware of the commotion, our friend was trying to find the method for making a sulfur bomb in Gassy’s chemistry book, the book he could hardly make sense of, hidden atop a neem tree. He was caught and produced before the jury, namely his mother. In his defense, he told a completely unbelievable story of scheming sulfur powder, falling into the hands of unsuspecting innocent little boy busy minding their own business. The mother was not impressed and Purja did time in his usual corner.” Kitchen shelf couldn’t have asked for better audience. They were falling over each other, holding their stomachs roaring in amusement.“He couldn’t have bought the sulfur. I wonder how did he acquire it?” Wondered the book- case. Being most knowledgeable, it was always logical.
“All I know is that few days earlier he had pestered his father till he conceded to let him accompany him to the R&D section of his factory. I know for sure, they had a fully functional chemistry lab there. And an inquisitive Purja brimming with Gassy’s sulfurous bomb making theories could be very enterprising.” Clarified the Shelf.
The sulfur was impounded and the chemistry book and the encyclopedia taken. Our friend sat in his corner thinking of, the wonderful things he could have done with the sulfur powder. Life was not fair with so many missed opportunities especially when the goal was fairly with in reach. And Gassy went back to the hostel after the Diwali vacations, richer by five odd but unique collections acquired by imparting knowledge selflessly to lesser intelligent younger cousin. A cousin in need was cousin indeed was his motto. He had done his duty.
Hahahaha...
ReplyDeleteWho does not remember getting a standing "ovation" from mothers delivered in sternest tones and often accompanied by single handed claps (politically correct way to say slaps?) for doing things that were always judged to be on other side of mothers invisible side?
I love Gauri's illustration. Purja is looking so cute standing with hands behind the back (hiding something still?) and "looking up" to his mother.
Keep the flow.
Misfortune struck Purja & got caught but here's how Colored smoke bombs are prepared. Mixtue of Potassium nitrate, Sulphur , Charcoal & saw dust (concentration & ingredients %age are with-held for the benefit of unaware parents whom kids may be hitting this posts as well !! )
ReplyDeleteThese chemicals may not be readily available unless u have access to a chemistry lab or factory from where Purja sourced his material.
The ingredients are sifted together & ignited to produce the smoke.
Sometimes we force others to change because we want them to be how we want them to be.... Saras, Keep scratching the HGs as they sure know lots more !! Wishes....