In Pursuit of Bacchanal (standard:other, 650 words)
Author: Juggernaut	Added: Nov 07 2010	Views/Reads: 2808/1987	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Description of a disfunctional department at a campus college.

In Pursuit of Bacchanal 

By 

Subba Rao 

Weather-wise, there are only two seasons in the island nation, dry and
wet season. When it comes to festivities, there are only two events, 
carnival and charismas. But bacchanal is a year around celebration, at 
work or elsewhere. 

“Jan, have you prepared the agar agar media?” asked Dr. Quitt. 

“I am sorry, I couldn't get around to do it,” replied Jan casually. 

Dr. Quitt was working on nitrogen fixing bacteria in micro biology
research laboratory where Jan was a full-time technician. 

“Would it possible you can make it this afternoon so it will be ready
for tomorrow after autoclaving tonight?” Dr. Quitt has lots of 
patience. 

“I am sorry, this afternoon I have an appointment with my doctor,”
replied Jan. 

This was a typical conversation with Jan when it comes to work. She
hardly worked in the lab. For the most part, she spent time at her desk 
writing letters to her parents back home in England or attending 
errands. She was her own boss. Other technicians in the lab treated her 
as such. Nobody has a clue, how she got the full time job doing 
nothing. Jan comes to work every day but not to work. This would be 
scandalous or a bacchanal anywhere but not on this island. 

“Lakhina, would you come with me to the greenhouse to collect soil
samples?” asked Dr. Dayal, a research scientist. 

“Not with you, alone.” 

“Why not?” 

I don't trust you,” replied Lakhina. 

You don't!” Dr. Dayal was furious. 

“No, you may try something funny with me.” Lakhina was adamant. 

Dr. Dayal, a married man with kids left the lab in a hurry to avoid
further embarrassment in front of several other lab techs. 

“Dr. Donohue, are you attending the seminar this evening?” asked Dr.
Persad. 

“No, I have a fete to attend this evening, and I need a chick to go
along, man,” 

“Any new finds?” 

“I am hitting on a woman from Tunapuna, I really want to get her,” Dr.
Donahue was casual in his talk. He never took his academic 
responsibilities seriously; it was just a financial support for his 
sport, chasing women. 

Bob, Ron and Ben were graduate students came from different parts of the
world to the Island. For years, graduate and teaching assistant jobs 
were tied up among them with no progress in research but whole lot of 
bacchanal to go around. 

As folklore goes, an eccentric Hindu mystic fed up with bacchanal during
carnival events, year after year, put a curse that people on the island 
shall fall victim to their bacchanalia and it is only way for them to 
attain salvation. Some Hindu theologians even went so far to equate 
bacchanal to karma, the God's way of punishing people for their 
behavior on the earth before attaining salvation. If a saint from 
heaven were to visit the island for a short visit, the saint will fall 
victim to a bacchanal either voluntarily or involuntarily 


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