MY CHILD HOOD - X

In between my games and trist with Nature , I had other tropical appointments wih malaria and diarrhaea . In those days of living and growing in Rural Bengal and not suffering from malaria would be almost an anti-sicial attitude and every one accepted it almost like a natural social phenomenon. I have yet the full memory of D-GUPTA'S Mixture and quinine tabs that used to come from outside(Calcutta) and I knew when and how to take either. I even knew the regularity of the fever with chill would come every third day or fourth day and also I knew when inbetween I would be without fever and be ready to be with my marbles ,tops or other games ,mostly, with nature like fishing or climbing small trees specially during the time of grren mangoes with slicing shell in my pocket and enough salt. My clever time , as I thought then, when any time a few oranges was brought from the market and by good luck, my malaria visited me. Sometimes during fever with chill I would pretend delirium to draw attention of my mother who was ever busy in the kitchen or otherwise with four five unruley children. when my delirium was unusual and foolishly out side the pattern, my mother would leave the kitchen, come by my side hiding an orange and after feeling my fore-head for the range of temperature and then place the orange by my side and leave. And at once my delirium would stop even before she reached the kitchen I would ,then and though think ,iI was quite clever.