We The Foursome

We, the foursome were bosom friends. All were in class five. As we were inseparable we came to be called the foursomes in our school. As we all were in the same section, in all the school activity we were together. During the games, we would play together. Hari, Shyam, Ravi and Anil were our names. As we were in the boarding school we shared the same dormitory. 

During the weekend we were bored. There were no study classes, nor there were any organised games conducted by our games teacher. So, we decided to play hide and seek. Some more batch mates joined our foursome group. We had a very enjoyable time for ourselves. Our school's campus was a very big one. We knew that our school was situated on a ten-acre ground. There were seven playing grounds beyond the ten acres. At the end of school campus quietly flowed the Gomti river. 

So when we played hide and seek the boy who was seeking the hidden ones had a very challenging task. Because everyone who hid used the big campus to his advantage. So this time during hide and seek game we had a different adventure ahead of us. We were definitely not prepared for it. 

At the far end of one side of the campus beyond our dining hall was the servant's quarters. We were not allowed to venture beyond the servant's quarters. It was treated out of bounds for us. Hiding at the last wall of the servant's quarters was a favourite for us. 

This time while hiding at the last wall we were surprised to see a new hut. This was a new construction and it was not a part of our school. Out of curiosity, we tried to look around the hut to try and find out anything about it. 

We felt something out of place. After our game got over we the four of us gathered near the hut. We promised to keep this under our observation. Because we felt that there was cause for suspicion. 

The next day when we were free, we came here loitering and seeking fresh information. Somehow we felt that there was something mysterious about this place. We were standing there and talking among ourselves when suddenly we saw a big, burly man with heavy moustaches come towards us. With a deep voice, he said, '' Do not loiter here or play here. You have a big campus, go and play elsewhere ''. We were taken aback by his words. But we became stubborn and asked amongst ourselves that who was he to warn or reprimand us. His warning made us more resolute to play there only. 

Very soon he saw us again there and he became furious. Seeing us, he was trembling with anger. ''Did I not warn you to stop playing here? I will report you to your principal for breaking the bounds. " He shouted out angrily. Technically, he was correct because we had just crossed the boundary and for doing this we could attract penalisation. 

But, somehow, we became adamant. We felt that we were on some hot trail. The third time we were caught. But before any action could be taken against us, we saw that the hut was having activity. The doors were open and someone was there inside. We peeked in to find that the inside of the hut was a godown and was full of cardboard boxes. There were white powder-like substances strewn on the floor everywhere inside. We were sneaking and peeping inside to get a better feel of the assets kept there. 

Before we could realise the thunder was upon us. That big bully crept up close and tried to catch hold of one of us. But scarcely did he know that we all were champion players in athletics and boxing. He had caught hold of Hari and had him in his clutches. But Shyam not to be deterred came from behind and gave the big man a powerful kick on his buttocks. Shyam used to play as a full back in our football team. So his technique came in handy. The big man groaned in pain and released Hari. But there were two other of his accomplices beside him. They also got into action. One tried to get hold of Ravi and the other faced me. Ravi, a champion boxer hit his opponent in his gut and overpowered him. By the time I faced up to my opponent, Hari had become free, so he couldn't do much to the two of us. 

Now we realised that we must get back to the campus in double quick time to avoid trouble. The big man was shouting out his lungs hoar. He was shouting that we had hit upon the wrong note and there would be soon trouble for us. 

Running at top speed we stopped only after we reached the safety of our dormitory. We were all flushed in our faces and blank in our heads. The activity needed to be reported and highlighted immediately. But if we went to the warden then the question of breaking the bounds would come up. 

We thought it best to depose in front of our games teacher. He was young and dynamic and had sometimes participated in our hide and seek game. True to our surmise, our games teacher told us not to fear and he would report the matter very soon. 

The next day we were surprised to get a summons from the Principal. We were told to report at his office. Fearfully and apprehensively we sauntered into his office. There we found that our Principal sir was seated in conversation with a gentleman and behind him was standing the same big man, our tormentor. 

The Principal sir looked visibly annoyed but didn't shower it on us. He reprimanded us for breaking the rules and crossing the boundary without permission. He scolded us more out of compulsion we thought than out of his own sense of duty. A letter would be on its way very soon, he said for our parents to come and have a reality check of their wards. We were then let off. 

Outside, our games sir was waiting. He updated from us the latest developments. From him, we learned that the gentleman in conversation with the Principal sir was a powerful local politician, a minister and also the relative of one of our governing body members. Now, we knew why our Principal sir was sounding so harsh whereas actually he wasn't so. 

One of our fellow student's father was a big honcho in the local Police force. Through that boy, our games sir went to meet his dad. We learnt it from that boy who was called Navin. 

Then one day we heard that the Police raided the hut beyond the servant's quarters and sealed it. Later on, further, we learnt that a big consignment of contraband, narcotics and drugs with some local intoxicants like ganja and charas was seized. 

We have a newspaper notice board in our school where the daily newspaper is displayed for us to read. Within a few days, we found a big photograph of the same gentleman who had been in conversation with our Principal sir. This time we read about him being arrested for crimes related to drugs. The big bully was also arrested whose photograph was also there. 

Then a notice was issued from the Principal's office that there would be an assembly and a photoshoot would be held as people from the press would come to our school.  There was a lot of excitement about the meet with the press amongst our schoolboys. On the day of the press meet surprisingly no classes were held. The press meet was held in the big auditorium. The press was there in full strength and some of the top faces from the police force were also there. 

The Principal sir adorned the dais along with the guests. The first speaker was our very own games sir. He recalled instances where the hapless and innocent children of our school were being used inadvertently as conduits to these drug peddlers. He used instances of selling of pani puris to these students where the food is laced with these deadly drugs. These pani puris are our favourite snacks and every day they are sold by dozens of vendors at our school gates. The Police had information about the work of some organised and powerful people behind such malicious jobs. But due to lack of evidence, the crime was continuing and the criminals roaming around in the society scot-free. 

Then the games sir proudly named us four and our courageous effort to help in booking these culprits. The Principal sir called us on the stage and we shared the screen space with the big shots. There was a lot of photo ops. The next day our photographs and names were boldly published in the newspapers as ''The Valiant Foursomes ''.