Nobody walked past V B if they could help it. Nobody wanted to see the leering face of Gonu, the Gargantuan, if they could help it. Gonu was the Principa's son and was part of St. Antony's School for Boys purely because of this reason. Simply said, Gonu was a lump on the landscape that nobody dared to touch. Not even the teachers, no Sir!
Once, an overenthusiastic PT Master who had joined the school newly, had asked Gonu to run five rounds in the school playground. Obesity was a serious crime in the eyes of the PT Master and he was determined to discover the thin boy within Gonu's generous expanse. But Gonu stuck out his chin mutinously and said, "Can". It took the PT Master several minutes to understand that his order had just been refused. The PT Master was one of those fellows who did jumping jacks at four in the morning and woke the neighbours up with his aerobics. He could not fathom why this child was allowed to be fat.
The PT Maste's face turned lilac in rage (not purple, his yoga exercises helped him control his temper quite well). He informed Gonu that he’d have to come to school with his parent the next day if he was to be permitted in class. The parent would have to meet the Principal, the PT Master announced triumphantly. An appreciative titter went around the class. The PT Master assumed that it was for the 'immediate action' he'd taken and smiled with self-satisfaction. Gonu seemed strangely unaffected by this punishment, but the PT Master did not let that bother him. The next day, the PT Master pounced on Gonu just after the school assembly.
"Where is your mother?" he asked. "In office," said Gonu, without batting an eyelid. "So you did not tell her, eh? Think you are going to get away with this, are you? Come with me to the Principa-’s office!" declared the PT Master. Gonu did not protest. He slouched behind the PT Master who marched briskly (he was a big fan of March Past) to the Principal’s office.
Come in said a deep voice when the PT Master rapped on the door smartly.
"Good morning Ma'am!" said the PT Master with a big smile.
Get on with it!" said the Principal, glancing at Gonu for a second. The PT Master's smile faltered a little, but he mustered his courage again and said in one breath, "Ma'am, as you will doubtless agree with me, health is wealth for any person. Out of my concern for this young man’s welfare, I asked him to run five rounds in the playground yesterday to motivate him to lose some weight. He refused to follow my instructions and has not brought his parent with him as ordered. I leave it to you, Ma’am, to take necessary action." As you can see, the PT Master was a strong believer in ‘immediate action’.
