Gerald D'Cunha

Pic.: Varsha Chitnis Junnarkar A s a young school and college boy, I dreaded whenever my parents were called to school for my poor performance or behavior in school… I, also, dreaded any kind of punishment at school – being called by the Principal or Vice-Principal, being thrown out of the class, being asked to write fifty or hundred times the answer. I, almost, wet my school shorts when, occasionally, an angry teacher caned me (Teachers got away with caning in those days!)… I, also, dreaded – and resented, as all young kids did – being compared to anyone in my class. How I wanted my teachers to correct me was: by teachers talking to me directly, by appealing to my conscience… my heart… Even as a young boy, I believed, that if my heart did not change… and if it did not change by choice, my behavior would never change… no matter whether I was caned, made to stand on my head or even sent to Andaman islands (Those days, they sent the hardened criminals there!)… Thus...