Have you heard of 'coin recess"

All of us quite familiar with tea breaks and lunch recess.But Orissa assembly had a 'coin recess' yesterday.To count coins amounting to 60,000 was the ostensible reason. Before you wonder if there has been a change in profile of legislators, let me assure you that it is not;not yet atleast.The provocation was when speaker fined three of its members 20,000 rupees each for damaging the audio system in the assembly.While it is heartening that legislators do respect the institution of which they are major players,their methodology was unique.Speaker of course condemned them for this act;though he did not impose another fine for this act!Though i can't say the same of school authorities during my school days.Any act of slightest disobedience gave them a good chance to levy fine and fatten their purses.
Remember RBI and the coins that used to be deposited with them.They never counted coins but used to weigh them.The massive doors of RBI will open at 9.45 am and there will be a steady stream of visitors with heavy bags filled with coins;of course there used to be another group with soiled notes wanting to exchange the same. The system used to be quite elaborate,filling out some challans and standing in queue.I was a coin note examiner in those days and used to watch these lengthy queues and the tellers weighing these coins with lots of amusement.
The good fun about this job was, we could get off by 2.30 of so everyday, and we were a gang of more than 10 of us, just out of college and with coins jingling in our pockets and time on our hands, made the most of it. Engage in endless quizzes and mind games and speed reading of latest novels. Of course ice cream parties in the suburban station stalls was a bonus.
Coin recess, yes, then and now!