C3 The Meeting

The conference room of Vivekananda Public School was filled with all the teaching and administrative staff. The mood was grim and a sense of apprehension pervaded in waves among the staff that were present. They fidgeted as the emergency meeting in the early hours of the day was unusual.

“Do you know what this is about?” one of the teachers asked his neighbour.

“No, idea. But I have a feeling it has something to do about the government.”

“Then it must be really serious indeed if the principal had to call us early today.”

“What has happened?”

“Is he getting sacked?”

“Hush! We will get our answers. Why speculate and give rise to wild rumours?”

The room fell silent as a 54 year old man entered and took the seat at the head of the horse-shoe shaped conference table. At 5’4 he was short for a man but that hid his tremendous ability as an administrator and a trouble shooter. He was the go-to man during a crisis. He chanted a small prayer quickly.

“Dear staff, Good morning.”

“Good morning,sir.” The staff murmered in response. “You remember the circular that was sent to you 3 years ago?” he looked at the blank faces. “Perhaps it is a bit too much to ask you to remember something that happened three years ago. But, this was not just a circular but THE CIRCULAR.” There was an instant recognition on the faces of the teachers. The Vice-Principal spoke on their behalf expressing their thoughts.

“Sir, are you referring to the circular mandating a partition between boys and girls in the class with separate entrances for boy and girls?” that had been a bizarre law imposed by the secular government taking the idea from a certain religious law imposed by a terrorist group in the 22nd century.

“Yes, I am referring to that.” He paused wiping his glasses. “I have done everything I can to put it off using every possible technicality and excuse I could come up with. It is no longer possible to evade implementing that rule.” He took a deep breath. “It has been my greatest good fortune to be blessed with such a dedicated, passionate, hardworking team like you. It is a memory I will cherish for the rest of my life.” The teachers were alarmed. Were their worst fears coming true?

“Without me you will be very vulnerable; especially, the lady staff. I have done everything in my power to protect every one of you.” He looked at his diary for a while making everyone tense with anxiety. Though no one spoke it was obvious a great misfortune was about to fall on them.

“I have been transferred to Mandooka Province.

“Noooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!” there was an instant uproar. This was not a misfortune, it was a disaster! Mandooka Provice was the least developed province in the whole empire. It was the most ignored area in the empire and got the least funds. How the people survived there was anybody’s guess. Posting in that province was considered a punishment.

“Yes. You are right.” He said guessing their thoughts. “I was prepared for every eventuality when I decided not to implement a barbarian law. I have always been considered a trouble shooter. And this is another chance for me to improve the conditions of the less fortunate.”

“Sir, we never knew it was so hard for you.” There were guilty faces all around. “We would have done everything possible to help you.” A smile crept onto his face. Everyone knew well that there was absolutely nothing a teacher could do to override a decision taken at the headquarters.

“Thank you. But the reason I called this meeting was to tell you that there might be a complete reshuffle of the staff in this school.” This again caused the teachers to look at each other. This was news

“Please be prepared to be transferred at any moment. I have tried my best to make sure it would be a normal transfer and not a punishment transfer.” The staff tried to push down the rising fear. It must have been terrible if the higher-ups were considering punishment transfer for all the staff. A chill went down their spine.

“I take this opportunity to thank you all. Mr. Hameed...” a 6 feet tall man rose up. He was the Vice-Principal. “I will hand over the charge after this meeting. Take care of things till the new principal arrives. Please.”

“Sir, that doesn’t even give us time to give you a proper farewell!”

“I need every minute of my time if I am to reach Mandooka Province in time. I might be areested for treason if I don’t report on time.” There was a stunned silence that was so thick one could cut it with a knife.

**************

Sri Latha was standing in line for the morning assembly. She was already part of the school choir. She had been told that she was the youngest girl to be in the prayer team. She already had learnt the school prayer, the national anthem, the national song, the pledge and the commands given by the school captain. She had an eidetic memory.

The Vice Principal Hameed sir was conducting the morning assembly. The teachers were very serious and appeared dazed. Some had been very irritable that day. Even her favourite teacher had scolded her unnecessarily. No one seemed the least interested in the prayer and seemed to be going through the motions mechanically. Something big was happening. And no one said anything. She didn’t think anyone had an idea of what was happening.

The usual calming and reassuring presence of the principal was missing which sent a chill of apprehension down her spine. Had he died? Only when someone died did the staff behave so seriously. But even then they did not scold anyone. What was happening? Her heart full of fears, she prayed even more fervently that eventful morning that had turned everything upside down.

Hameed sir had taken the mike to drop a heavy nuclear bomb in the assembly that devastated them beyond belief.

“Good Morning Children. Please welcome your new principal, Mr........” the name had been such a tongue twister that they had started calling him ABCD sir. What had happened to their own principal?

They had not even been able to bid farewell to their most beloved principal. They had been too stunned to to respond to the new principal’s words. The only thing that had seeped into their minds was that the school had been closed for a week to carry out extraordinary emergency upgrades to the school building. They all had left that day unaware that their world was going to change forever.