As school exams approached, an unsuspecting French teacher fell victim to a mischievous prank. What was it? Find out in this story by Saeed, exclusively for Different Truths.

As school exams approach, I am reminded of a naughty prank played by one of the senior school boys on an unsuspecting teacher. In the days when a large number of educational institutions in India were still run by European missionaries, our all-boys school was managed by a group of dedicated Jesuit priests, most of whom were from Spain, but we also had a sprinkling of Jesuits from other European countries.

Our tenth-grade teacher for French was an elderly father and a native of Belgium. Bespectacled and portly, he was jolly and good-natured but slightly naïve – an easy target for a bit of leg-pulling by the boys. 

On the eve of the final exams, one of the boys in his class advised him that it would be a good idea to wish the students luck for success in the upcoming exams to gain favour and popularity among them.  The gesture would be better appreciated if he could wish the boys in the local language rather than in either English or French. 

Encouraged by his teacher’s enthusiasm and willingness to learn the greeting in the local language, the boy began to tutor him in one of the choicest swear words, which, for the sake of propriety, I refrain from repeating; but leave to your imagination.

The next day, as the boys were lined up in the morning assembly, the father, who had been practising all night to get the correct intonation, proceeded to enthusiastically shake each boy’s hand and pronounce what he believed to be his good luck greeting. This, of course, only had the effect of producing guffaws and loud howls of laughter.

One of the other teachers noticed the commotion and rushed up to the French teacher, stopping him in his tracks. Taking him aside, he explained the true implication of his well-intended greeting. Red-faced, the poor father left the assembly, embarrassed at how he had so easily been misguided and tricked.  

Needless to say, the culprit was severely reprimanded and punished for his profanity.

Picture design by Anumita Roy

Saeed Ibrahim

Bangalore-based writer, Saeed Ibrahim, is the author of two books – “Twin Tales from Kutcch,” a family saga set in Colonial India, and “The Missing Tile and Other Stories.” Saeed was educated at St. Mary’s High School and St. Xavier’s College in Mumbai and, later, at the University of the Sorbonne in Paris. His other writings include newspaper articles, travel essays, several book reviews and two essays for the Museum of Material Memory.