Uniform... what do you remember?

When was the last time you wore a uniform? In 10^th or 12^th, right? I am asked to wear now. How odd. I’m old for school and to be an MBA student. Its summer at its peak now, imagine walking 2kms wearing a full shirt, tie and a blazer (Yes, I do walk to college). Above all this, I have to sit from 9 to 4 listening to some stuff you know that you won’t understand. This is the biggest punishment I’ve ever received.

Last time I was in uniform was in my school – Navodaya. Those were the days, when I used to wash my clothes myself. So, wearing uniforms was a relief – you had fewer clothes to wash. For most part of the day, we would be in our uniforms. Those pants… they were treasure troves. What not did they contain! Tumblers always occupied one part. There were Aishwarya’s photos cut from the library newspapers. Papers, geometry boxes… you ask for it, you get it. We had study hours too. The only way I could get through it was from ‘timepass kadlekai’. How did I bring them? Pockets! Of course, there were tennis balls; we used to sneak past our PE teacher. Cricket was banned, but still we played. There were guys you used to study all the time. They carried text books. Kannada and Hindi text books were so small… they fitted in. You would say “yuk” when I tell you that we washed these once in a week. But, such was our condition. My school was in the heart of Western Ghats. You wound not call that rain. It would take the whole week to dry with the incessant downpour.

This is what I retrieve when I see the new uniform hanging in my wardrobe. I don’t know how I would be now. Anyway, I need not wash my clothes myself anymore. It would be done with a press of a button. So, don’t worry.