My classmate’s chemical reply…

This is a true incident from my school days….

It was one of those Chemistry classes of 12th grade.The class was hypnotized by swirling equations of organic and inorganic Chemistry that my friends would doze off with just another word from our Chemistry teacher. Shinto, my school friend was no exception to the rest of my classmates. He found his place in a wooden desk which was a few desks from the very last . He was popular among us for his unique way of answering questions for which he had the least of knowledge.

Most of my friends were in a posture which meant would-you-please-stop-to-teach-some-in-the-next-class. They had their heads rested in their forearm and their drowsy eyes occasionally following the footsteps of our teacher. Our teacher had the habit of walking between the aisles to keep us focused.

In one such class we tested his patience. He just drew some equations on the board and started explaining them in his usual slow and sleep-inducing tone. Sure was a lullaby to many of my friends. I was luck enough to awake to tell this tale. The equation on the board involved the evolution of Hydrogen gas. Our teacher, just like any other would question the ones whom he knew weren’t paying attention and question them. For a moment he would be pleased to see his pupil open their mouth, but that feeling wouldn’t last longer as oftentimes it would be for yawning.

It was Shinto’s turn this time. “Shinto…” he pointed at my friend, which alarmed others from their limbo. Shinto stood up. One of the most appreciable traits of Shinto is that he gives you a good greeting smile even if you are gonna to slap him (of course he doesn’t smile after being hit).

Most of us gave silent giggles, when he stood up lethargically, when his name was called. We were expecting some answer from him.” Er yes Sir…” he said in his usual shaky voice after a pause. “Enna Shinto…thookamaa?” he said smirking. Shinto can hardly control his laughter when he is being questioned and instantly covers his clipped teeth with his left hand, pretending to be serious. “Sir … er… Sir” said his shaky voice with a controlled smile. These words were always expected of him when confronted by any teacher.

He looked at the board read out one of the chemical equation aloud before questioning him. In the mean time he turned back and gave silent laugh at almost everyone he could see before he completed reading the equation which had Hydrogen gas with an arrow pointed upwards, indicating it was being liberated in the equation. (Usually hydrogen was represented with H2, which is familiar with everyone of you). He turned back at him, this time with a serious look and asked him in a cold voice “Shinto where is hydrogen “. (He apparently meant the Hydrogen gas with an upward pointed arrow on the right side of the chemical equation which he had just finished reading). This was a pretty easy question, at least to those who are familiar with the symbols of chemical substances.

His fingers ran over his chin giving an impression that he was thinking hard. After a minute of waiting our teacher advanced from the last row toward him, probably expecting an answer. A shaky dull voice was heard, it was Shinto coming up with an answer. ”Sir… Hydrogen is in the periodic table Sir”. The class erupted with laughter the moment he completed his answer.

He was expected to say that hydrogen was on the right side of the equation (The periodic table is an arrangement of the chemical elements ordered by atomic number in columns and rows presented so as to emphasize their periodic properties). Hydrogen in periodic table was an obvious fact to everyone who studied chemistry. We knew he would come up with some reply, but never expected this.