1st day of a camp for school kids that me and my friend Sim had organized. We both- young girls- were very new in this field. This was just my 3rd camp and sim’s 2nd as an organizer.
We had approached a “well known” nature related organization to take control of all the activities. This is an international organization- with funds pouring in from around the world! Still they charged us a hefty Rs. 100 per head for giving their services. We had 60 students- and both of us were damn tensed as to how we would manage so many kids. But the director had said he had once handled a crowd 3 times bigger than this, so I was at ease.
We reach the camp site with the students and I see the director standing at the dormitory with 2 more volunteers. I calculated- its going to be 5 against 60 students! Hope his men are experienced!
The director stood in front of my students and opened his mouth, “ helllllo shtudents!”
I thought I heard wrong.
“Me and you come here for this beautiful foresht. The next 3 days I take you in and out and up and down in this jungle and take you round and round till you know this place like the back of your hand!”
Sim looked at me with an exclamation on her head! Well! I was as confused as her. I had spoken just once with this guy before coming for the camp and the rest of the times I had corresponded via e-mails. The 1 time I had spoken to him he seemed extremely fluent in English and his e mails also were no indication to what we were in for.
“He is probably trying to make the students laugh!” I try to relax Sim with a pat on her back!
“ I don’t find this remotely funny!” she says with a stern look. “Are you sure….”
I stop her before she bombards her questions on me, because I don’t have any answers.
“Late me tell you firsht about the so many experiences I have got over the past 28 years in this profession!”
1 of the guy, a student standing at the back of the line, close to us whispers in his friend’s ear- “ I bet he’s hardly 30! Saala, hamko shendi lagata hai!”
Now, Sim has started twisting and crunching her shendi- an indication that she’s losing her patience! And I want to somehow go and shut his mouth!
“Once around 3 years back I get call on my this cell” – he shows his brand new Nokia cell! [The boy in the last row- “this model was not there 3 years back!”]
( Does this cost Rs. 6000/- ? my money that I paid him for his services? No! It looks costlier- this guy has to be a fraud! )
“Sir sir help help! That man says. There is a crocodile in my farm. It is hiding in the tank- please take it out- please!” the director says proudly- my students are listening intently now- and so are me and Sim!
“I say, it is 3 am in the morning, let it be there – we will take it out in the morning. But he says no sir- you are my last hope. The forest people are not even picking up the phone. You are the only man in this world I know who can do this Herculean task! So I get up , take 2 of my volunteers and go to the farm. The crocodile was big! it was 6 ft long. There was water in the tank and we couldn’t see it fully. So me and my 2 volunteers surround tank in 3 sides , slowly slowly without moving the water we got into the tank. I think the crocodile was sleeping at that time!”
( I want to cry- I want to die! Who the hell are we stuck here with? And my money? Oh my god? What will the parents say? They will say I ate their money!)
Director continues…….. “So you imagine we are in waist level water and no crocodile to be seen. Suddenly I realize something is moving between my 2 legs….”
“it’s your cock, you fool!” - boy in the last row.
It’s a good joke, but I and Sim look at each other unable to react- we are numb!
Director is totally involved in his story now…. “ and I know it is that croc!”
The big boys standing behind giggle- its d words- cock n croc which create d confusion.
He is now showing the action packed drama with movements - “Taking the right opportunity I sat on the back of the croc( he shows as if he’s sitting on a pulsar) - I caught its neck tightly and it tried to move around the tank but my hold is like that- strong- once I catch something I don’t let go off it that easily. That is how I did my job- just 10 minutes it took to catch a croc; it’s a joke for me now- what? Big big people also get scared- I don’t!”
He continues with his other stories, the boys at the back are bombarding with comments- enjoying themselves with jokes. I and Sim move back, and find a peaceful place in the woods where we cannot see and hear him.
After what seemed like a long silence, Sim somewhat recovered from the shock- “I watch crocodile hunters almost every day, I didn’t see even Steve Irwin do these stunts. You need minimum 3 to 4 people when you want to catch a croc, isnt it ?”
“Don’t ask me, please…..”
“ I can actually picture the whole thing- him, this kadi pehelwan on a 6 ft male adult croc, catching its neck and the croc taking him on a ride! It reminds me of that monkey and croc story- those 2 friends on the banks of the river…..”
“ Sim please! I know that story alright! Now tell me what to do?”
“Fire him!”
“What?”
“Well! I don’t know anything about him except that he is a good entertainer! Don’t you see? The kids love his stories!”
But I decided against it. I gave him a 2nd chance and a 3rd and a 4th. And Sim was wrong- the man wasn’t even a good entertainer. He was just a waste of our time and money. We fired him- and rescheduled the entire camp. The whole situation made me so sad, I cried! I like at least some degree of professionalism when dealing with kids and money. Or in any other business dealings actually. This situation turned into a mental block- a sort of a jinx on me, I decided I didn’t want to organize any camps anymore. The kids and their parents were furious on us of course, and the sad part was we both had started out with innocent intentions. We didn’t take any money- but lost a lot of money and confidence in the bargain!
Today, I just returned from another camp that I organized for a trust. My father took the whole responsibility and placed the kids under my guidance. The jinx was broken within hours of the camp. I am happy I could get over the mental block within just 1 year. Mistakes, bad experiences keep happening- the important part is bouncing back! Getting up after you fall. It takes time of course, but with a little bit of help from our loved ones-
Ain't no mountain high enough!Ain't no valley low.......Ain't no river wide enough!
To keep me from getting to you!
How many days has it been since i helped you open the blog? but u've done a great job!
ReplyDeleteVery funny... actually was thinking of putting it up myself but your version is better.
And somehow, the petname 'sim' seems lost on me. Call me Sharvani next time!