The swab and the swap

It was the beginning of the academic year at college, and classes were in full swing. The microbiology lab was bustling with activity that morning, wherein students of our class had lined up to collect the glass slab specimen from the professor. Our task for the day was to observe the given throat swab under the microscope and record all the findings. After collecting the slab, I found something smeared over it, and a strong urge from within made me clean that up.

A few moments later, I learned that the ‘smear’ that I had gotten rid of was actually the throat swab we were supposed to examine. How foolish of me not to have realised that! Silently cursing my borderline OCD tendencies, I headed back to the line with utmost embarrassment. However, after a short while, I was seized by a sense of relief because no one around had really noticed this mindless act of mine. Also, the professor was not acquainted with our new class, and it was highly unlikely that he would keep track of the students who had already taken the specimen from him. Above all, he was an old man with thick, dark spectacles.

In that event, there was no risk of getting caught, or so I thought. "You came again?" he said, looking at me with a deep frown. I was caught, and that, too, by surprise. "I... I washed it, sir," I confessed in haste, unable to hide any of it. "Here I am making these swabs, and you are just washing it off?" he questioned in disgust. "Sorry, sir," was all I could say for my blunder. I had downplayed the professor’s ability, probably because of his age. On the contrary, I figured out that years of experience with various students had made him shrewd.

Grabbing the specimen, I awkwardly hurried towards the observation table. While my mind and eyes were fully focused on the microscopic views, I faintly heard, "It’s you again?" in a familiar tone from a distance. The annoyed professor was addressing a friend of mine, who was as innocent as she was clueless.

Anyway, I was quick enough to unravel the given circumstance since it was not the first time that we were both mistaken for each other. Although there was no stark resemblance between the two of us as such, there had been some minor incidences of confusion earlier as well. This time, it was our shrewd professor. I had to rush to the spot to clear the air. The professor keenly glanced at the both of us and blurted out, "Phew." At that moment, his expression was indeed noteworthy. I couldn’t control my mischievous laughter while walking back to the table. In the process of experimenting with the swab and the swap, all the morning’s prior uneasiness eased out.