These are the kind of stories that it just kills Loren “Papi” that he is not at Prakash to experience. Nupi loves to rub it in a little too. Just imagine what all those girls sounded like! Well, who ever said life in India was not exciting. We have no idea if the snake was poisonous or not, but look carefully at the picture of it wound around the stick—big enough to make me shutter. Here is Nupi’s account of the events of the day.
“Hey, Papi after what you did to the monkeys one time, we now have other visitors coming to RGI. But these are much more terrifying. I was sitting in my office and Pushpa, one of our tailoring students, came to me running during the recess. She was so terrified she could barely speak, “Madam, there is a snake in the toilet.” I went to see hoping to see it somewhere on the floor but to my amazement, it was down in the toilet in the water. It could be clearly seen. I called for help!!!
The boys in the computer class were scared to kill it and the question was how to kill it? I called for my best available PBI staff. I called Moses and he came running along with two boys.
He tried to kill it but since the space was so less the snake went inside. Then came Ramesh and Premdas they thought of looking for it in the chambers (septic tank) behind. It needed to be killed for sure. But they could not find it. One person was watching in the other toilets in the row and others were watching the opened chambers. It was seen in one of the chambers, but again slipped away.
As this waiting was long, some boys were going to use the toilet on their side and I simply said, “Boys keep a watch and be careful when you go in. I don’t want any snakebites.” To my utter amazement a boy came out running, “Madam the snake is trying to come out from the drain on the floor below the sink.” The team came to kill it and again the snake slipped away. The hide and seek game was on and our team was determined to kill it. They poured phenyl, hot water, and kerosene in the toilets, both on the boys and girls sides. Watching for it to come out from the chambers.
How proud our team was. By now it was 1:15pm. At one o’clock we said to the boys and staff, “Leave it, you need to go for lunch.” BUT they said, “No, today first the snake and then lunch.” Anyway this was a thrilling story and I know it is going to sadden Papi that he missed the thrill. Two days later a small snake was seen in the office toilet, but it went away. Ramesh tried to look for it but it could not be found. I praise God for his protection, for us, and all the students at RGI. Praise be His name.”
“Looks like Papi will have a new project when he goes to Prakash again.”