My take on Chalks.

When we read 'chalk', the first thing that generally strikes our mind is a blackboard inside a classroom. A teacher wearing teacher-like saree and a big-framed pair of spectacles. A bunch of students sitting on their benches, looking towards the blackboard -- at the movement of the piece of chalk held by the teacher.

BUT. To me, the first thing that strikes my mind is -- 'yummy!'. No kidding. Have you ever eaten a chalk in your childhood days? I have. And I loved the way it tasted. I still remember that taste, and it surely was addictive. Those who have tasted it, I'm sure they'll agree to what i just said. It gives you pleasure when you keep a piece in your mouth. Your mouth starts watering. The taste is Divine.

I still get the urge at times, to eat it. But unfortunately, my brain has developed. It now knows much more than what it knew when i was a kid. Now my developed brain has given me the sense and reason of not tasting the 'yumness' anymore.

See, it's chalk. There can be two perspectives: (All this might not make sense to those of you who know TOO much. But I'm sure there will be people like me reading this.)

• We know our chemistry. Chalk is nothing but Calcium Carbonate. We've also learnt that calcium is good for our body. So eating a chalk means increasing the calcium content of our body. Which means chalk is good for our health.



• As chalk is Calcium Carbonate, we also know that Calcium Carbonate is also known as limestone. So chalk is lime-stone. Chalk is STONE! So this gives the fear of developing kidney-stones at a later stage. Which means chalk is NOT good for our health. (I wasn't a Biology student, mind you.)

These points are contradictory. So even if chalk increases the calcium content of our body, the fear of develping kidney stones is more than the contentment of having plenty of calcium, somehow.

So everytime I look at chalk now, I TRY to think about a teacher, a classroom and a bunch of students.