Machlu - hostel mascot

Initiating the debate, I said, “I should say that the discipline of our school has gone down.”

Machlu growled out an immediate protest, “No sir, I am sorry to say that you are completely wrong. In fact the boys are becoming more and more law-abiding. What makes you accuse the Loyola boys?”

Sensing that Machlu was irked and perturbed, I fell back on the defensive. I stuttered, “You see the general feeling is that...”

Machlu immediately cut me short. He said, “The general feeling is always wrong and it is wrong now too. Only Machlu is always right.”

I nodded, “So, you are right. But would you please put forward some solid facts to support your statement? You see, while solving maths problems one has to give reasons.”

Bro. Bonello

He continued, “Are you ever attentive in the assembly? Don’t you notice how the boys are always engross in deep conversation or fast asleep?”

I murmured a meek protest, “The students are not supposed to confer or sleep in the assembly.”

This evoked a protest from Machlu, who was now smoking a cigar which he had picked up from

The somewhere, “You can hardly blame the students. After all, the speeches lull them to sleep quite naturally and against their will.”

Enlightened, I nodded. Machlu continued, “Another point, the Scouts have hardly any first-aid work to do in their den any more. The average number of broken heads, cracked jaws and fractured limbs has fallen drastically to only about a dozen cases a week. Don’t you think this is very telling?”

Quite at a loss for words, I could do nothing but agree with the ingenious arguments of my friend.

“Do you see any stones thrown about under the Greenwood Tree these days? My friend, I have seen more days than you.

I protested, “But there is no reason to throw stones; it’s not the mango season. This tree was stoned bare of mangoes months ago.”

Machlu snorted. He was about to give a scorching reply when a large stone plopped right on his stubby.nose. He ran away for dear life, cursing his disciplined Loyola friends.