Free from School

d a train ticket, since like most kids my age I had only travelled with my parents or relatives and they made all the decisions. I had no exp

I should begin by learning to manage on my own within Goa itself. It was also the rai

f my father's. I must tell you about Ashok. He is no ordinary businessman: keeping fish is a passion with him. He is far more interested in chatting w

ies, fairly simple types of fish to breed. However, it was a matter of great excitement for me at that time to be successful in my experiments and Ashok was generous enough to even buy back from me the baby fish I

, speeding on my bicycle to be on time. I would stay there until

about twenty fish tanks on display with a variety of fish that Ashok purchases mainly from Mumbai. Each tank stores a particular species of fish. Ashok's shop is located away from the m

e the dead fish and do some other small jobs. I also fed the fish and treated the wounded and diseased fish. S

be done. The man sent his car for us. At his house we discussed the location of the tank, lighting arrangements, the water filters, the kind and quantity of fish he would like to have, and

d to fix a picture as a backdrop for the tank. On such visits I watched care fully what Ashok did and soo

such as fish dying in numbers, or if a client wished to add more fish to his collection. I was sent to collect overdue payments or simply to enquire the aquariu

walked coolly into the competitor's shop and gradually began to ask the prices of fish and fish food. After I had found out what was needed I bought a pair of cheap B

etting practical experience from the places we visited. Secondly, I had been reading the fish books that my father bought for me as a gift for getting a distinction in my SSC exam. The bo

oing through a slack period, he would teach me how to make fish tanks. I had to start from basics which meant purchasing glass

s done wrongly. In fact, I had been sent often to the glass shop for small purchases so I was fairly familiar with the owner and the procedures. Ashok had even taught me

er I should get a rickshaw for the purpose but was a little hesitant since I hadn't checked what it would cost for the trip, short though it would be. While I was trying t

I doubted the wisdom of my actions for I was tired and my arms ached but I dared not put down the glass simply because it was glass. When I finally reached the shop I heaved a sigh of relief that the glass was intact. Ashok was horrified at

, and which feels like rubber when it hardens. Silicone does not dissolve in water. The tricky part is being able to apply the silicone only to the edges of the glass and not letting your sticky fingers touch any other portions of the glass. Otherwise, the glass will look dirty, for the silicone m

ce by mistake I stuck the glass upside down. "There's something fishy about the looks of this

premises. The fish were dying, he said. The owner of the hotel was a very good customer of Ashok's and so Ashok was keen to solve the problem. However as he could not go himself that day and did not wish to delay matters, he decided to send me instead. He

e a very experienced fish doctor. I went and met the manager. He told me which fish had died. I searched for symptoms of disease but found none. I then realised that the problem was very simple and one that is very co

ng them some fish medicines which they could keep as standby and made a bill for them on the bill book that Ashok had given me. They seemed satisfied with

down and I needed to go to Panjim to get spares. I tried to persuade my mother to get them for me from Panjim since she went there often. She refused, saying that I sh

t restaurant to eat as I was hungry. I was amazed at how much it cost me to fill my stomach outside home! After that, I searched for a shop from where I could purchase silicone (Ashok's errand). Aft

ometime I decided to go to Something Fishy which was just around the corner. At Something Fishy, I was disappointed at first sight to see very few fish. The shop assistant told me that as they were expecting fish the following weekend almost all their tanks were empty. But what I saw remaining in the display

at Ashok's shop I gained a lo

feel like telling him that I had no idea of how to go about doing this. Instead I asked for directions to the bank and set out.

speeding away on my bicycle to Ashok's shop because I had woken up late that morning. Or I had to push my lunch hour till later because I had not completed

nterests since for the first time in my life I was on my own and f

y to Ashok's shop, and pick up something to read during my free time. My favourite books were the Hardy Boys an

ught about starting to learn the guitar but my parents advised against starting guitar lessons immediately as I had plans to travel out of Goa in the coming months. Letter writing is not one of my favourite things. However, I was forced to reply to the people who sent me letters and cash priz

or which I used to get five rupees from my dad. I was also the main errand boy at home an

ng at Ashok's was

Work

e Has a

is a school teacher. Our families occasionally go on outings together. On one of these picnics during my SSC year Juliet

ined, in Ashok's shop, with nobody attending to it. Juliet had reminded me on several occasions about the tank but there was little I could

her big tanks. I was relieved to see it still in one piece. Ashok and I then removed the broken bottom glass. We took the measurements and boug

which was not enough to cover even the base of the tank. I explained to her all the essential items needed and she gave me a freehand to purchase material and decorations for the tank. On my next visit, I took a fe

iet's two young daughters, who kept offering opinions or help here and there. After about two hours, everything was ready. Only the fish and aquatic plants remained to be put in the aquarium. The task of selecting the fish for the tank was not part of my assignment as Julie said that s

r them. As a present I decided to take five pairs of guppies from my garden tank. Imagine my shock when I found that the tank was just as I had left it, with no fish at all to inhabit the

d air filters bubbling away in a corner. Juliet soon joined us and thanked me warmly and to my utter surprise slipped a 50 rupee note into my pocket

I also earned pocket money! Avdoot and Rekha Munj in Mapusa have a lovely big tank which I helped set up for their daughter; Alvito

thony's at Monte Guirim), which I had maintained during my school days. I continued to