The Displaced Jaw

The incident that I am to present before you my reader, took place a few decades back, in fact, all most half a century before. Times were different then.

Exams were pretty tough, way much tougher than there are today. Those days as I often hear my elders say, only a handful of brainy ones would at least have it in them, to clear the final exams.

The majority of the students most likely failed and put a screeching halt in their education, which I daresay, some of them longed to.

Parents, particularly the mothers, would sit up till late night, with their children, to keep an eye on them as they studied.

One such night, an enthusiastic mother, and her son were awake, each pretty busy on their own; the latter, studying earnestly for the exams that were to be conducted the very next day,

and the former, watching him in uncanny delight.

For a long time the complacent mother, tried hard to keep herself awake, sometimes dreaming her son achieving dizzying heights, and other times trying to decipher,

her son's neat scribbling on the book. She felt herself, swell with pride, indeed, it was a matter to have pride in.

After a while, she found herself to wake up with a sudden jerk, only to find her son, making use of his books in the most preposterous manner- sleeping on it! A pinch would do the trick.

Her son would be up in a minute, once again, set hard on his herculean task, decoding his notes.

No matter how hard she tried, she would always find her head lolling silently sideways and then wake up with a start from a very peaceful sleep.

The situation was too tempting; a cold, joyful night, with a gentle and soft, caressing breeze, an extinguishing kerosene lamp, and the sweet music of the whistling schoolboy.

The dim yellow light in the lap of the deepest dark was astonishingly hypnotizing. She rested her tired elbows on the rickety table and supported her sleep head with them.

Never was there such a best time to sleep. Her eyelids closed, but she forced them open. Yet again they shut, but this time they resisted opening. Yes, she was almost dozing off.

But then she yawned, her elbow slipped. All at once, she was wide awake; her healthy frame shook. She knew not what had happened; she only felt a stinging pain.

Her son stole a glance at his mother, just to see if she was asleep.

Only for a moment, did he gaze at his dear mother, but it was more than enough to drain his plump face of its color; his mother's face was monstrously distorted, literally....

The son called, nay, shrieked for his father. He came, at last, vexed at being roused abruptly from a deep slumber. "What's the matter with you, lad?" he groaned. "Look..... Mother..

" the son stammered.

"What are you blabbering about?" shouted he and turned to look at his wife, only to find her in unbearable pain; her lower jaw to one side and the entire face to the other.

Her jaw was displaced!!!

The neighbor, who also happened to be the driver was called for, the vehicle brought, and in a moment, the little party was before the physician.

The doctor analyzed his unfortunate patient, and muttered to himself, "Strange... A very strange case indeed."

He walked to his table, rummaged the drawers, and conjured up from the mess, a small hammer, which was to be his tool. Hammer in hand, he strolled slowly towards the patient.

"Fear not," he said, playing with the tool "Just a little tap. That's all you need. I assure you it won't hurt." His assurance made the woman terrified, she was not so much before.

Her eyes bulged out, seeing the doctor with the hammer. He then asked the considerate husband and the helpless son to hold her. She shook her head.

But the doctor came up, in front of her and then, "TAP" His tap made her jaw pop right back into place. All was well.

"Case solved. But be careful next time." Said the doctor with a smile, "YAWNING CAN BE INJURIOUS TO HEALTH..."