Our college chemistry lab was huge . Every table had at least two set of chemicals required for performing different kinds of tests and other chemicals they keep at another corner of the  table for common use. Every one of had lockers which we shared with 2 people from different classes and each one has his own key. We use to store our glassware and other instruments in those lockers. This sharing also sometimes lead to fights between locker partners and common reason use to be not maintaining all glasswares carefully. 

          Chemistry labs never had tables to sit . It's really hard to perform for more than 4 hours without sitting anywhere but we had our own ways to rest. Even though 7 am to 11 am standing practicals drains us but we never let any chance of having fun. Distance away from professors table equal to amount of fun you have is universal equation of laboratory happiness. 

            It was second year. We were allotted tables according to roll numbers. Me and my best friend were  to next to each other. This year  we were introduced to sodium metal test. Sodium metal is always kept in kerosene. So we use to wrap 1mm length cubes in blotting paper dry those with it and use it immediately.

            At beginning, we use to really carefully with sodium. After some sessions we became use to it. Asbestos sheets were like shield for avoiding any explosion. Thoroughly drying those pieces was another task and sometimes we used to forget that metal is their in blotting paper and habitually keep those papers in lab coat pockets  

          One day, after practicals my friend used blotting papers to wipe out table before leaving the lab.  She  brought extra sodium and she forgot to return those. One blotting paper went to basin of the table while wiping by mistake. Unfortunately it was one which contained remaining sodium and after coming into contact with cool water it explored. We started hearing cracking noise and few spark came out of basin. Of course blotting paper caught fire. Only 3 of us were their. Eventually it cooled down without our intervention. My friend was shaking after coming out of the lab. What would have happened if those sparks went  into chemical bottles laying on the racks near basin? 

           No one ever came to know about this incident. After few days, I saw her intentionally putting sodium metal in basin and watching small flame of it with crackling noise. Now those became her sodium metal crackers. 

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