Reaction

On Monday we will start looking at 'Chemical reactions' announced our teacher as he closed the reference book. Two or more substances interact to transform from one form to the other he said. Just then it was time to leave for home. We left the class noisily and went straight to the playground. For a while the thought about 'Chemical reactions' was out of my mind. But as I sat in the school bus I was mesmerized by what the teacher had described.

As I reached home I was envisioning our table transform into chairs, the chairs transforming into a tree and the tree transforming into a rabbit. What would be my fate if I was turned into a different object? The thought terrified me. But the teacher had said that it required two or more substances for the transformation. Secretly I decided to carry out some experiments of my own.

I collected a bunch of dried leaves. I then got a glass of water. Carefully I poured a few drops of water on one leaf and then in desperation emptied the entire glass. I had just got a wet leaf. I then took a few drops of milk and poured it on the leaf. I was hoping that the leaf would transform into a green leaf. But to my disappointment nothing had happened. I spent the next few hours experimenting without much success.

In the evening we were hosting a few guests. I had greeted them hastily and then sneaked into the kitchen to continue my experiment. There was a tetsubin filled with tea. I was looking for the magic second substance when my eyes fell on tamarind. What would happen I wondered? The thought instilled a thrill in me. Carefully I took a piece of tamarind and put into the tea and started mixing it. And voila there it was the transformation I was so eager to see.

Every one was laughing at the mishap. I was sitting quietly embarrassed at my lack of thought. Then tea and snacks were served again and I had joined all in the laughter.