Famous Five

Once upon a time...

I wasn't a famous girl in fifth grade. We had a half hour dedicated every week to ‘library period’. It was one of those days when my friend handed me a Enid Blyton’s Famous Five.

I was hooked on to it immediately. I can’t recall now what I read before I read the Five. It opened a dream land for me where I could walk in anytime I desired. I could experience someone else’s life, so widely different from mine. I was a very silent girl in school. My teachers first noticed me after grading the unit test copies and seeing good scores.

So I read the first book and then I read them all. All the books I could get my hands on in the library. We got one book allotted each week. I finished mine quickly and started trading with my classmates. My count was 2-3 books a week. I found company in a couple of my crazy friends. I remember we were at a point when we hid the unread editions behind certain sections in cupboards. We use to hide them in sections which we considered boring classic literature, hoping no one would find it there. It seems so foolish now. It was such an innocent childhood act at that time. I finished my homework with more enthusiasm than before, only to get spare time to read the Five. In a way I was having my own adventures.

Our day to day schooling didn't offer much scope for diversion from studies. We woke up, went to school, came back, and then studied. We took breaks but we mostly studied. There would be electricity cut-offs but we would complete homework under a lamp. It is hard to imagine right now how much we studied. Not that there is anything wrong with it! It was so natural at that time. So in such a busy study life, it was really an adventure to steal the reads. Yes! that’s what I literally did. I was a sincere student, but when I had a Famous Five in hand, it took priority over many other things.

I woke up early to study. But when I was ‘Famous Fiving’, I use to hide it under my Science book and read it. I would be in my school bus and read it. I use to take it to bathroom and read it. It is only obvious that my mother ended up knocking the door often wondering what a little girl is doing in bathroom for more than 30-45 minutes. I convinced myself that I would finish ‘this one book I’m reading’ and then not touch another one for the next week. Ah! promises.

Another interesting episode is what happened one fine day. I was exchanging angry notes in a classroom over a dispute with my friend in our spare time. I wrote 'stupid' and passed it to her. What happened next was far from my comprehension. Now this girl blackmailed me over that tiny note for a very long time. She said she would hand it over to the teacher. I must have been very conscious of my reputation and so I listened to her for some time. But then I was tired. And guess what? Some of my good friends and I ended up forming a ‘Famous Five’ gang. We brainstormed a plan. During recess the girls would somehow keep the girl busy. The boys would snoop in at that time and search her school bag. Well, I’m all smiles now as I’m sharing this story. But this is one of the most daring things I attempted in my school time.

The gang couldn't locate the paper. How our gang finally dissolved fails my memory. That girl left the school that summer. And time went by.

Today..

A story of past is best complimented with a seasoning of present. I still read. I don’t have to steal reads any more, in fact I have to force myself to read now. It is still a busy life now, just that work and family take precedence over everything else. It is a simple reality of life that time simply tip toes without any stories often. Not that there is anything wrong with it. It is natural. But if you are one of those who like adventures, I’ll just say this, go - have one!