Thank God, Chemistry Labs have Emergency Exit..

EMERGENCY EXIT of chemistry labs ...huhh...do they ever come in use...I mean, I never saw them being used..may be because hardly any such accident takes place in chemistry labs that one may need to vacate lab through emergency exits.. Usually all sorts of chemicals which can be dangerous are put out in lawns, outside labs when they are meant to be used..like Benzoyl chloride which can cause serious damage to eyes..hydrogen disulphide..though not very harmful, but it smells really bad.

Well, the EE (that's how I'm gonna abbreviate emergency exit now in this post) did come in use ...but one should know how and when to use these doors...

It was in January this year( I was in 2nd year then), when we were all supposed to attend a 3 hours Chemisrty Practical class with our Chemistry HOD, as planned by chemistry department teachers.

The class was supposed to start at 8:40 a.m for which I need to take 8 a.m bus from outside my house.
It was already 8 in the clock. I was still at home and I was late (as usual).
"First finish your milk"papa said.
"No Papa, I don't wanna miss the bus again... next bus is very late"
"You never listen to us, do whatever you want" said Maa, taking the glass of milk back in the kitchen..
"Sorry Maa, Maa but I promise, I will drink two glasses in the evening ...promise..bye.."
"Okay, bye, take care...and don't forget to eat something in college even if you need to miss some lectures.." ( yeah, I know..my maa is cool ;) )

I crossed the road outside my house almost running.. to reach to the stop..
but the bus left in front of my eyes..
"Oh...what the hell...I would have never missed that bus if only Maa and Pa would not have argued..."
"Next bus is after 15 minutes..I am definitely late.."
There was no auto rickshaw to be seen, so the only option left was to wait for the next bus.

Our chemistry HOD is a 60+ old man. I had heard people saying things about him...like he is very rude and shrewd but he likes to get the attention of all the girls...so he hate the boys who are talked about in the class... or who are quite famous among girls..

"What will I do now...I can't reach on time..what if he really doesn't allow me to attend the class..Oh my God, then he'll not give me marks (internal assessment marks)...is it any use waiting for bus now.. should I go for others classes only..", kept ringing in my mind.

The next bus came exactly on time, at 8:15..I boarded it...and as usual it was jam-packed.
While in bus I received a SMS from Richa (one of my friends in college and also my chemistry locker partner) - "krt, whr r u?? hod is abt to come..hv you missd d bus again? you knw na..he wont allw u 2 entr..this is nt r regulr clss wid r regulr Tchrs."
I replied to Richa "yaar, m late. rght nw in bus"

I reached college at 8:55...I rushed towards the chemistry lab.
And as expected HOD was there..people were doing salt mixture analysis (finding the 3 cations and 3 anions present in the salt mixture). HOD was also asking questions from the students about this qualitative analysis, calling them one by one. This was all that I could see through the last window (the one farthest from the teacher's table and also the nearest one to the EE) of chemistry lab. I was still outside the lab.

I went one window closer towards the teacher's table. There I could see many students, Rahul was nearest.
Rahul, a very good friend of mine, the only boy in our class who helps almost everybody in every matter, be it studies or break ups...patch ups (which are actually break ups for the others).

I called him from the window,"Rahul, Rahul, ... what all is going on? Is HOD in good mood?
Rahul...come here, near the window"
He came near the window and replied, "What?? Don't you know, he doesn't like the boys which get the attention of girls. I don't wanna lose marks. ". And he went away and continued with what he was doing. "Such a coward you are."

I went back to the last window and there I saw Richa pouring something in a test tube.
"Hey Richa...here ...at the window...come here,please."
"Oh, Kriti...What are you doing here?? Go from here, he won't allow you to enter...go before he sees you.." said Richa as she approaced the window.
"Hey yaar, should I take a chance and try to make some excuse?"
"Don't even think of it, he's BUDHA (this is how some of my classmates call our chemistry HOD) and not our regular teacher. "Now go." said Richa and went away.

"I am already not getting any marks for attendance as I am not regular in chemistry practical classes, and now no marks for internal assessment..."

Well, I was very upset and was cursing myself that why do I always get late when people who come from so far are always on time.
Suddenly I got an idea. As I was outside EE now, I thought of entering the lab through it, though it's not meant for this purpose.

"No one ever comes here...and HOD is busy asking questions.. It's quite dirty here near the EE..What's the use of making the EE so far from the working tables..In some emergency, I bet no one will even think of using EE ..everybody's gonna run towards the main door (the one that is nearest to the teacher's table)...Oh..now I get it...the door (main) is closest to teacher's table so that at least the teacher can escape comfortably...Ohho...what am I thinking...I have to get in somehow...."

Well, I did it...I wore my lab coat and sneaked into the lab through the EE... without anybody knowing it...not even other students...ok..ok..except a few ;)
I reached my table, brought the salt mixture which I was supposed to analyse, from a corner table.

Later I realized that I could have been caught had the HOD or the lab assistant seen me near the corner table taking the salt mixture, because all the students had already taken their salt mixtures.
I did the salt analysis well..got all the 3 cations and 3 anions...and later answered almost all the questions asked by HOD during my turn.

This is how I made a use of EE of chemistry lab. And I have been using them since then (proudly). And I sincerely hope to continue to do the same in 3rd year as well. B)

Hey, why don't Physics and Biology labs have EE too??

What if someday machines or rather instruments, as simple as Vernier Calliper start ruling mankind...we will surely need a EE in physics labs also then.

And what if during the dissection class in biology labs, the anesthesised rats and frogs suddenly revive and start shouting from the dissection tray,"We are now going to take our revenge, we'll cut you ..chop pieces out of you...and study your nervous system, circulatory system.., as you have been doing with us...".
We will need a EE in this case for biology labs too. :)

PLEASE NOTE: Through this blog, I in no way mean to offend anybody, specially our Chemistry HOD. I have full respect for my teachers and elders. But..ya....Richa and Rahul...they can feel offended :)