The Stage

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He narrowed his eyes as he starred at me behind his horn rimmed glasses. A typical devil like black face he had with a loud voice that was even fearful and big bushy moustache which swiveled everytime he spoke. My hands were sweating even in this chilled november morning. The foreceps were slipping from my hand because of sweat.
"Identify any muscle of the flexor compartment of upper limb." said Dr. Ghanshyam. I was standing in D Hall and it was the day of upper limb viva or the so called 'Stage'.
I saw two familiar spindles shaped bulk of muscle fibres arising near the shoulder and interveining together into a shiny fibrous tendon near the elbow to attach there. I held one of them with my foreceps.
"Sir, Biceps Brachii." I spoke with a heavy voice. My lungs were struggling to get air.
"Now tell me the origin, insertion, nerve supply and action of biceps." he said.
I have read that the last night. I tried to recall. And I felt like standing in a huge ground. There was emptyness and darkness as far as I could see. I was not able to recall the origin-insertion. I was literally blank. My Adrenal Medulla started releasing the epinephrine and nor epinephrine. The heart beat fastened. Trying to relax I thought 'I knew the nerve supply and action. Lets speak that first.'
"Sir, the nerve supply is muculocutaneous...".
"Tell me the origin first." he interrupted. I again tried to thought but not a single word came to my mind. I shook my head to say I don't know the answer.
"You don't even know about biceps. Who is your table teacher?" He barked.
"Dr. Rahul." I replied, shivering.
"Dr. Rahul, please come here."
"Sorry, sir." I said quickly.
"Sorry? Is this a Art college? Have you think it of Lal Nath Hindu college? That a sorry will pass you. I am gonna fail you."
Just then came Dr. Rahul.
"Dr. Rahul, he is not able to tell even about biceps. I am gonna fail him." Dr. Rahul stood there smiling as Dr. Ghamshyam wrote my marks in the list.
Disappointed I moved away. This was the first time I have been this nervous in any exam. Everyone else sitting there seemed like laughing on me. My inside were crushing, chest congested. I took a deep breath and thought 'I still had 3 more tables left, if I give my best there I could still pass.' Gathering courage I moved toward the next table of surface marking.
Dr. Poonam was sitting there. A short lady with swollen lips, so big it seems that she had once kissed a buffalo.
"What is a normal anatomical position?" It was the one and only question she asked. And when I left, she had a big smile on her face. It gave me some confidence.
Next was Dr. Vijay's table, a chubby and well tempered professor. He was asking the same question from everyone. "Describe the cubital fossa."
The viva finally ended with Dr. Veena's table. I was quite relieved in the end. But the only thing that worried me was Biceps. This had become the most hated word of my life.

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