It was another humid day. In Mumbai you can't expect a day to be starting with a cool breeze. Not in the month of April, mind you. I was sitting in my class, VI-A, right three rows away from the window. My bench was next to the shelves, in front of the door. A bead of sweat ran from my forehead. I wiped it with my hanky.

Kranti Ma'am glared at me. She was the strictest teacher our school could have. She held the Sanskrit textbook in her hand and started reading. A slight movement and she will send you out of the class.

But even she should understand that sitting in a room with forty six gloomy students is not a joke. That too when you know your P.T. lecture is cancelled.

The bell rang. Hurrah! I got up and waved at my best friend, Sonali. She was sitting four benches behind. We ate our lunch. Rather, my friends ate my lunch because I had brought dosas and chutney.

Sonali reminded the class that it was Bhagyashree Ma'am's lecture. We hurriedly settled down in the class. Bhagyashree Ma'am is very particular. If you are out of the bench and Bhagyashree Ma'am caught you then get prepared to become the outstanding student. Literally out-standing. For the whole year, out of the classroom. I saw my bench mate, Aadesh missing. I'm telling you this is the worst part of studying in a co-ed school.

I mean who even makes boys sit with girls? That too with Aadesh? I was glad that he was missing. Which means that for whole year he will be out of the class. At least for English class. What a relief! He is a total nuisance. He always irritates the whole row with his good-for-nothing talks.

After five minutes, Bhagyashree Ma'am entered. She is a long slender lady, who usually drapes saree. She had a set of deep and keen eyes, always finding a moment when we would talk and she would send us packing. She cleared her throat, seeking for attention.

She started, "Good Morning class."

We said, lazily, "Good Morning Ma'aaaam."

She said, "I hope you all know that we have English week."

We all nodded.

"You would be glad to know that a group from your class has been selected."

Everyone smiled like they were forced to. Actually they were jealous. I didn't know about the people from our class being selected because I was busy with my Scouts and Guides assignment.

"I have decided to let them show their skit to you now."

Everyone sat up straight. Did we all hear it correctly? She is letting them perform in her lecture? Sacrificing her own lecture? Impossible! But the group came in. A group of five boys from our class. Guess what? Aadesh was there in the group! Blow! My plans were ruined. Oh God!

Swapnil smiled at us. He was from USA, so people used to give him lot of respect for nothing. Don't get me wrong. He was Aadesh's best friend. All the five friends had same problem. They were best at irritating people. He said, adjusting his specs, "Welcome to the English Week. I am the leader of the group VI-A. My name is Swapnil Kadu. The name of our skit is 'Finding Drona'. I hope you will like it."

Swapnil and Aadesh stood near the teacher's table. Rest three of them went out of the class, peeping from the door. So the play started.

Swapnil : Aadesh being a director it is not easy to find the actor for our film.

Aadesh sighs.

Aadesh : Working as your assistant in not easy.

Swapnil : What?

Aadesh : Nothing... nothing.

Everyone starts giggling.

Swapnil : Call the first one for today.

Aadesh adjusts his specs frame and looks up at the writing pad. It had no paper! Of course they were acting but they should try to make it natural, isn't?

Raj walks in. Like a famous actor. Irony is that he is infamous for his pranks. While he was walking, he trips but he doesn't land on floor. Whether it was by accident or it was a part of play I don't know but it was pulled off well. Everyone starts laughing. But Ma'am says 'Silence class' and there is pin-drop silence. She never laughs. Actually she has smiled only once in the class from past one month. She doesn't even let us smile. Forget laugh.

Raj shakes his hand with Swapnil.

Aadesh : Sir this is Raj Doshi.

Swapnil : Raj Doshi! Such a big and talented actor, here! Unbelievable!

Raj : T-That i-is ok-kay s-s-sir.

Not again. Another Shah Rukh Khan mimic. Wait a minute. If he was a famous actor then why didn't Swapnil recognise at first? Strange skit...

Swapnil : Listen Mr.Raj, you need to say; O Arjuna! Lift the bow(lifts an imaginary bow from the table), shoot the arrow from the bow, directly into the eye of the bird(pointing on the wall). Understand?

Raj : W-what director? I have to tell Arjun? I am not going to do this film. Find some other actor.

Raj walks out.

Big stars and their tantrums! Wait a minute... he stammered only once... was it the part of the skit or he forgot to stammer? ...

Rohit Krishnan walks in. He is a tall lanky fellow. But he has got terrific brains. He walks like a normal person till he comes near Swapnil. Within a fraction of second he is down, near Swapnil's legs. We all were shocked.

Rohit : Sir please give me this role. I desperately need this role to start my acting career.

A struggling actor... Mumbai is famous for stories of struggling actors for Bollywood and television, I smiled.

Swapnil patted Rohit. He smiled and nodded his head.

Swapnil : Listen Mr.Struggler, you need to say; O Arjuna! Lift the bow, shoot the arrow from the bow, directly into the eye of the bird. Understand?

Rohit wiped his tear.

Was the tear real one or did he use glycerine?

Rohit : Yes Sir...... O Arjuna! Lift what?

Aadesh : The bow

Rohit : Ah yes! Lift the bow... shoot... shoot... shoot... the arrow... from where?

Aadesh : (sighs) The bow... do you have any problem with the bow?

Rohit : Who me? (points at himself) No problem with the bow.

Aadesh : (trying to control his anger) Then why don't you remember 'the bow'?

Rohit smiles and shrugs. Swapnil tries to suppress his anger by smiling.

Rohit : O Arjuna! Lift the... the bow! Shoot the arrow from the... the bow! Directly into the... the what?

Aadesh : (takes deep breathes) DIRECTLY INTO THE EYE OF THE BIRD... do you understand bird? B-I-R-D?

Rohit : (gulps) y-yes.

Swapnil : No stammering.

Rohit nods his head.

Rohit : O Arjuna... Lift the bow... Shoot the arrow... from the bow... Directly into the... eye of the bird

Swapnil : Now I want you to tell it with reducing the number of pauses. Clear?

Rohit:OArjunaliftthebowshootthearrowfrothebowdirectlyintotheeyeofthebird.

Hehe what a fool! He told the sentence in a go... that was hard to follow...

Swapnil slaps his forehead. Aadesh looks at Swapnil.

Rohit : What happened Sir?

Swapnil : (in a cold tone) Get out.

Rohit : Am I not getting the role?

Aadesh closes his eyes. Swapnil curls his fist.

Rohit : Sir am I not getting the role?

Swapnil : GET OUT! I SAID GET OUT.

Rohit walks out. Everyone in the class are clapping their hands and laughing, holding their stomachs.

Swapnil : I don't understand Aadesh. It is so simple dialogue. Still people are not able to...

Yash comes in with his chest puffed with pride. He stops when he is few inches away from Swapnil. He looks at him for few seconds and bends down.

Yash : Sahab bakshish

Bakshish? Bakshish... Ah! Meaning bonus...

Swapnil : Bakshish? For what?

Yash : Sir Diwali is coming... I need bakshish.

I heard my friend, Alisha whispering to Aditya, her bench mate. Oh! So he is playing the role of a watchman... I wonder how Alisha came to know... even she was there with me in Scouts and Guides...

Swapnil : Aadesh why don't we try him for the role?

Aadesh : Sir are you serious?

Swapnil : (with a stern face) Have I ever joked?

Aadesh : Hmmmmm no (shakes his head)

Swapnil : Yash! Listen to me. I will tell you a dialogue. You need to repeat it.

Yash : What will I get Sahab?

Aadesh : You will get your bakshish.

Yash : Really Sahab? You are great. What is the dialogue?

Swapnil : O Arjuna! Lift the bow, shoot the arrow from the bow, directly into the eye of the bird. Understand?

Yash : O Arjuna Sahab! Lift the bow... Sahab where is the bow?

Aadesh : Here, on the table... don't tell Arjun Sahab... tell Arjun

Yash : Ok... O Arjuna Sahab! Lift the bow, shoot the arrow from the bow... Sahab where is the arrow?

Aadesh : (sighs) It is on the table, next to the bow... tell Arjun

Yash : Ok Sahab.... O Arjuna Sahab! Lift the bow, shoot the arrow from the bow, directly into the eye of the bird... where is the bird? Is it also kept on the table (with innocence) ?

Aadesh slaps his forehead. Swapnil signals him to cool down.

Aadesh : It is on a tree. Where was attention when Sir (pointing to Swapnil) was enacting the scene?

Yash smiles. He actually does this whenever any teacher scolded him. Don't think that he was excused. He was sent out of the class for being outstanding student.

Yash : On a tree? Where is the tree, Sahab?

Aadesh : You will have to imagine a tree.

Yash : Ok Sahab... where is the bird?

Aadesh : The bird is ON THE TREE, ON A BRANCH.

Yash : Ok Sahab... where is the branch?
Aadesh : Huh? It is on the tree.

Yash : No no Sahab... you didn't understand is it sitting on the lower branches or the upper branches? I have to point it to Arjun Sahab carefully.

Swapnil : GET OUT!

Yash : Sahab I will go out... will you give me bonus?

Swapnil : GET OUT I SAID!

Yash : Sahab I please tell me will I get bakshish or not?

Swapnil walks to him and holds his collar. He glares at him.

Swapnil : After such a pathetic acting, you want bonus? Bakshish? Get out of here before I kick you.

Aadesh : Sir please leave him.

Swapnil leaves Yash's collar. Yash runs out of the class. Swapnil turns towards Aadesh. He was about to say when Aadesh told him to keep quiet.

Aadesh : Sir please be quiet. This was the four hundred and fiftieth audition for the role of Drona. We couldn't find him. I mean what is the big deal in it?

Aadesh points towards the table and says, "O Arjuna! Lift the bow" he shifts his hand towards the left, "Shoot the arrow from the bow" and points towards the wall. "Directly into the eye of the bird."

Aadesh was still looking at the wall. Swapnil went near him with teary eyes. Swapnil said, "Aadesh I am such a big fool to audition four hundred and fifty people. I found my Drona!"

Aadesh : Who? (looks around)

Swapnil : YOU!!

Aadesh : WHAT?

Swapnil starts running behind Aadesh. We all started laughing loudly. The tiles on the floor were slippery. Not really hard to guess what would have happened. Swapnil was few inches away from Aadesh when, while Aadesh was running; he tripped and fell down. Swapnil tried to stop but he fell on Aadesh.

Let me tell you one thing Aadesh is a short lanky fellow and Swapnil is a stout person. Now do you understand Aadesh's condition? We saw few glass pieces. Aadesh specs had broken. Swapnil got up slowly. Aadesh held Swapnil by his collar. Lata, a friend of mine, started clapping. She thought the skit was still going on. No wonder people call her 'tube light'. Everyone looked at Lata. She stopped clapping.

In between this we didn't notice when Bhagyashree Ma'am went near those boys and separated them. The other three boys came in and Ma'am gave them a lecture. We later came to know that the substitution lecture for P.T. had gone to her. So they got good lecture.

There was tension among the five friends. After two days was the English Week where nine skits were put up. This time no one fell. After all the skits the prizes were announced. Our class got third position. So you see our class didn't win the competition but many unexpected things happened.

Aadesh bought a new specs. I would also like to mention that how had he irritated the whole row with his sky heavens praises of his new specs. Swapnil was happy and was boasting that the skit was his brainchild. Raj, Rohit and Yash were able to reduce the tension between Aadesh and Swapnil. Slowly they became the friends again. They became the group - 'Pandavs'; they were fondly called. They won in a different way. Their friendship had won.