The Lilliputian Story

We all experienced interesting days during our years at Prempeh College. Days that we can all recall with much laughter, sadness, and joy. Of all our memories, the ones that are inspired by classroom experiences with different teachers, hold much more laughter than others. Many nicknames have their source in our classmates mispronouncing difficult words (a la jawbreakers); and of course, who can ignore those nicknames inspired by dining hall dishes. In the same vein, who can leave out those food names which were inspired by the handles of our classmates. No one, for instance, seems to know how "bgadam" came to be favorite champion of the great "isobad" bread. Rumour has it, "bgadam" resulted from an old student whose last name happened to be "Bgadam-askele-makpanu-agonu." God help us if this man holds a U.S social security number today, for the Lord only knows how many computers have crashed trying to convert this man's name into bits.

It was one fateful Thursday in 1979, during 5M physics class, when I got my first "physical" introduction to a Lilliputian. Rho, our favorite Physics teacher strode into an afternoon class, and decided to work out a sample problem in elevation and angles. The question was this: "How tall is a man gazing at the top of a 50-foot tree, if the angle of elevation is 45 degrees?" With a swiftness only surpassed by Physics greats like Einstein, Rho completed the problem and circled his answer on the blackboard. Gracefully, he strutted across the physics lab like a turkey in heat, cofidently exclaiming "there is your answer!" There was the answer indeed, until "Papa rash" held his hand up for a question. Problem. Big problem! Quietly, we began to wonder what would become of this little affair. Some folks took cover, while others visibly panicked. When "Papa rash" asked a question, the teacher better have an answer, else we all risked missing dining hall. Sir, how can a man, looking up a 50-foot tree, at an angle of 45, be 1.87 inches tall?" he asked. Now that is a mystery. To our amazement, Rho answered "Maybe the man is in a hole." The sight of an obviously unsatisfied "Papa rash" and the possibility of losing our food, jolted us all in agreeing with Rho that, indeed the man could be a Lilliputian.

Though, I may never see one in my lifetime, I do know how tall a Lilliputian is thanks to Rho.

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