Telling Times..

I must have been seven years old then. Whenever someone would ask me to read the clock and tell the time, I would say something like 'Long hand is at 3 and short one is at 7' (ದೊಡ್ಮುಳ್ಳು ಮೂರಕ್ಕೆ ಸಣ್ಮುಳ್ಳು ಏಳಕ್ಕೆ). It looked good at the beginning as I was young. But as I grew up, it was embarrassing. So, Shankranna decided to teach me how to tell the time.

He came up with some drawings, charts, sticks and so on - as though he is planning Robot movie. He tested my multiplication skills, especially multiplication table of 5. I passed the test. He randomly asked the multiples of table 5. Though I fumbled in some places, I was okay. The training went on for a couple of days - on papers, on sand and so on.

It was the last day of my training. He tested me with different time cases. I answered the most. He just wanted to treat me - as a token of appreciation for completing the training. He bought a Parle-G biscuit pack and took to me to the Inspection Bungalow (IB) on a walk in the evening. We both munched all the biscuits and returned home by dusk.

He just wanted to showcase my talent. More than that, he wanted to display his training abilities in front all our family members. Everyone was sitting in varandah. Shankranna proudly asked me in front of all 'Harsha, what's the time now? Go and see'. Everyone was looking as if a miracle is about to happen. The miracle did happen. The clock was in the hall room. I ran to the hall room and returned in a jiffy. Without the smallest hesitation, I announced "'Long hand is at 3 and short one is at 7' (ದೊಡ್ಮುಳ್ಳು ಮೂರಕ್ಕೆ ಸಣ್ಮುಳ್ಳು ಏಳಕ್ಕೆ).