Today I had a popsicle  after nearly two decades. It brought back a flood of memories of my school days. I was addicted to popsicles when I was in school.I was in Year 4 whenI was rid of my addiction.

When we were in Year 4 recess was something that I looked forward to even before school started. As soon as the recess bell sounded Megha, my best friend , and I would race to a secluded place at the end of our school ground. Somehow there were very few students around there and we loved it because of its seclusion. When no one was looking we’d climbed over the school wall and run across the road to buy popsicles. We know it was against the school rules and that we’d get into deep trouble if we were caught but our popsicle addiction was too strong to resist.

Everything went well for usand nobody ever seemed to suspect anything and then the school broke up for the winter vacations.

When we returned from our winter break we rushed to our spot as soon as the recess bell sounded

” Come on Megha, Hurry up !” I said

” I hurt my foot while playing football and won’t be able to climb today”Megha said limping along as fast as she could. I’d not even noticed her limp in my excitement.

” Well, don’t worry, I’ll go and get popsicles for both of us. Do you want the usual orange flavoured one?” I said

” Yes , please”

I jumped over the wall and landed on something wet and soft. I’d landed straight into a very muddy sewer.The council had  apparently dug a 3 feet deep sewer right along our school wall during our month long winter break.My clothes were soaking wet and covered with filth. A group of people rushed from across the street to help me up . As soon as I climbed out of the sewer I climbed over the school wall  into the school grounds.

Megha was horrified to see my conditon.” What happened? ” she asked

” I jumped down without looking and fell straight into the sewer that’s been dug  there during our winter break” I replied

” What are we going to do now? You can’t go back to class like this. ” Megha said

I’d been thinking the same thing. Suddenly I had an idea,” I know, I’ll go down to the ayah and see if she has a spare set of clothes. They usually keep a couple of spare ones.” I said

” That’s a good idea. I’ll come with you” Megha replied

When we went to the ‘ayah’ we found that they just happened to have a spare shirt and pant. Ours was a co-ed school and so they had a spare uniform for boys’ I was starting to shiver in the wet clothes and  since I really didn’t have a choice I decided to take it. I changed into the shirt and pant and when I emerged from the bathroom Megha burst out into loud giggles. I looked a sight. The pants were a little short for me and came up to my ankles and the shirt was way too big for me

Just then the bell sounded again.” Come on, we’ll have to go to class” Megha said

” But how can I go like this ?”

” We have no choice. You have to come to class”

” Guess you are right. I wonder what Mrs Sharma ill say “

When my classmates saw me they all burst out laughing, Everybody wanted to know what ha happened but we couldn’t tell anyone because we knew what we’d been doing was against the rules.

When Mrs Sharma saw me she was amazed. She sent me off to the Principal because I wouldn’t tell her what had happened. She didn’t know I couldn’t tell her what had happened

I spent the rest of the day standing outside the Principal’s office, punished because I’d not told her what had happened and why I was dressed so ridiculously.

All the teachers and students who passed the office were surprised to see me and they all laughed at the way I looked. My hear broke when Risabh passed by the office and had a good laugh on seeing me. I was so ver embarassed.He was my first crush and I knew I’d never be able to face him again. It ended my dream of ‘happily ever after’with him.Thus ended my popicle addiction .