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gaping wounds on his face and all over the body. So did Luka. Their excuse was that they
fainted on the steps of Mannanam out of excessive heat and exhaustion. But the truth was
that they learned to bicycle the hard way, and tried some tricks down the steep stairs
leading from the Mannanam church, with dire consequences.

After a few years in Mannanam, Abraham decided that Chackochan should be admitted
to the boarding of the Sacred Heart Mount, where the headmaster was Fr. Thomas
Tharayil - a relative, an old student of Abraham, and soon to be elevated as the coadjutor
Bishop of Kottayam. Chackochan was in an elite group of young men. He immersed
himself fully in the activities of the boarding and the school. Again, Fr. Thomas had a
soft corner for the young man, but he would not brook uncontrolled mischief. Thus, for
example, when Chackochan broke a priced trophy of the school, he was asked to replace
it. Unbeknown to Abraham , Chackochan went to Alappuzha, met Mathaikuju Achachan,
his maternal uncle, and persuaded him to buy the trophy for the school. Chackochan
helped the school to compete in boat race, persuaded Podiparas- family friends- to lend
their boat, and won the race. Unfortunately, two days before the race, he was badly cut in
the head and could not partcipate in the race. But he made up for it when the school won
the race, by taking his boat-mates to celebrate and paint Kottayam town red!!

In September 1943 Chackochan, as was his wont during short and long holidays, came
home to Kalluvelil from Kottayam. His parents were always glad to see him. His siblings
were enthralled by his stories. On his return after the Dassara holidays, on an impulse, he
decided to visit the travelling military officer who was in Kottayam to recruit young men
to the Indian army. Second World War was raging all over , and India was contributing
men to the Allied cause. Joining the military was known as foolhardy and dangerous. But
Chackochan liked the challenge, lied about his age, was accepted for his personality,
recruited as the physical training instructor for the Royal Indian Air Force, sent to
Trivandrum, from there to Madras, then to Secunderabad, and Bangalore for further
training. It was only after he went to Trivandrum that Chackochan wrote to Kuttychettan
Elakattu to request him to break the news gently to his parents. His father was visibly
upset, but said not a word. As for his mother, she was devastated. They had put much
store in Chackochan’s education and future. All seemed to have been lost.

Chackochan, having experienced first hand military discipline , did not relish it very
much. War in Europe ended when Germany surrendered in 1944. Chackochan managed
to deliberately fail his training programs which would have elevated him to officer’s
rank. He obtained his discharge papers, which certified that P.A. Jacob was “unlikely to
become an efficient airman” and within a year of his leaving, returned home to the great
happiness of his mother. His short stint in the military was to be of fundamental
importance to the formation and outlook of the young man. He learned several languages,
felt comfortable with strangers. He travelled through India, saw life beyond the confines
of home, and was thankful to be back in the comfort and security of home.Chackochan
had grown to fullness physically. Tall, erect, attractive, and refined, he was to remain the
model of good bearing to his relatives and friends. He knew that his formal education
had come to a sudden end. But there was much to do in the expanding businesses of
Abraham. He joined the family activities with gusto.

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