I have always believed that human heart is NOT on the left side but in the centre, thanks to my school teacher. The theory was like this:

Heart is actually in the centre, just under the sternum (chest bone). It’s orientation is not with the vertical; it is somewhat tilted. This pushes the auricles towards the upper right side and the ventricles to the lower left side. Now, since major pumping activity, all that expanding and contracting, takes place in the ventricles, we feel the heartbeat on the left side.

I took infinite pride in my knowledge about this. The satisfaction you feel when someone (well, everyone) you meet doesn’t know the facts and is ready to challenge you that his/her version of facts is the correct one. You begin looking down at such creatures. It’s as if they don’t have their hearts in the right place!

So was my state. Till a few days ago. I met a med student whose eyes almost popped out in disbelief on hearing my theory. The fact that I was so confident about it eliminated the possibility of a joke.

“Bullshit” she said.

“Let me explain.” I said coolly, as it was not the first time I was meeting someone who had been kept in dark.

But here I was talking to someone who has seen more hearts than I have ever (have I?). She said, rather plainly, that heart is on the left side.

And that marked the end of my privileged knowledge days!