The Rao's Part 2

this is a continuation of the Roa's Part 1 

.................................................

"Oh god please help him this time! I will fast now every saturday also if he gets the visa. I will walk all the way up the Tirupati hill for your darshan. I will also make sure this time Ramesh shaves his head for you. Oh god! Please help my son." kausalya prayed just like any other Indian mother. This time she had a long list of offerings and just a small request, the Visa.

They say when it comes to the Visa it's all pure luck. 

"After the terrorist attacks, I have heard they are rejecting Visas. I tell you it is very difficult to get one these days. You know my brother's neighbor's son, his Visa was rejected recently. I have heard he even had a 75% in his bachelors. By the way, how much did Ramesh get? Does he has distinction? kausalya... are you even listening to what I am saying?" Malini, kausalya's neighbor was trying to share her insights. 

But.. Kausalya.. she was lost in her prayers. Malini's words, though they reached her ears but they never made it to her mind. 

Kausalya knew only one thing. Each and everything is in the hands of the almighty. And she was determined to please him.

..........................................

"Maaaaaaaa..... I did it... I flying to the USA... MBA.... mom... your son is going to be an M.B.A," Ramesh screamed with joy and hugged Kausalya. At that moment kausalya forgot everything, herself, her god, all she knew that it was the happiest moment of her son's life and so as her's. 

Tears and Kausalya were close sisters. Kausalya expressed her every emotion with tears. She would cry if she was sad, she would cry even if she was happy and even in anger. 

"Your name should have been ganga instead of Kausalya," Srinivas would always remark.

But today they were the happy ones. 

The god of visa had indeed answered her prayers.

"I will have to pay four lakhs as first instalment to the college in a week," Ramesh declared.

"Yes yes. Don't worry. Your father will look after that," Kausalya said with a certain conviction although she didn't knew how her husband, an employee at a small private firm, could manage that.

"In one month I will be in California, USA. Mom do you even know how far is California from here? It takes almost a day even if you travel by the plane," Ramesh seemed all excited about his future.

And all kausalya could see was that her son would leave her and go to some far far land. Twenty two years and never ever was he away from her. Or was he?

She remembered, two years ago Ramesh had gone to a tour with his friends for a week. She remembered how she would call him day and night. She was so worried about his food. And about his safety, infact she never ever wanted to allow him to go so far to Goa all alone with his friends. But Ramesh would not listen to her.

"Will you call me everyday from California?" Asked kausalya with tears in her eyes.

"Of course I will Ma! Maaaaaa... Please don't cry not today at least. I am in such a happy mood," Ramesh tried to cheer her up. 

"Well I have lot of things to do. I need to do my shopping, by the way I need all new clothes I tell you. I will also have to buy a laptop and the most important thing I need to book the ticket as early as possible. There are lot of things. I better write them down," Ramesh was lost in his own world. Infact in his new world.

.........................................

DING DINGG!

"It must be your father. Open the door beta," Kausalya screamed from the Kitchen. 

"Oh mom! Please do it for yourself. I am busy on the internet," Ramesh replied.

Rubbing her face with her dough hands she made a dash to the door. She knew it, it was her husband. 

"Ramesh got the Visa!" kausalya cried out with ecxitment as soon as she saw Srinivas.

"He got the Visa today morning. Didn't I tell you my prayers would be answered." She repeated thinking Srinivas might not have listened to her properly.

Srinivas looked tired more than usual. 

He did hear the news, but there was no excitment, no happiness in his face. No reaction.

'What happened? Let me get you a glass of water first. I know you must be tired," kausalya rushed to fetch a glass of water. 

"So what do you think? Oh! I am sorry. Ramesh should tell you this by himself. let me call him," kausalya tried to call Ramesh but was interrupted by Srinivas.

"No. Not now. I am not in a good mood." 

"What happened? Is everything ok?" 

"Nothing. Just leave me alone for sometime."

"But tell me what happened!" Kausalya tried to ask.

"Nothing. I told you I am not in a good mood!" Srinivas screamed.

"What do you mean you are not in a good mood. Are you not happy for your son? Don't you wish that he should live a happy life? Now that today he has achieved something, isn't it your duty to share his happiness?" kausalya went on.

"It's not that. I am tired. We will talk tommorrow."

"Tommorrow? When do you have time for us? Always work work work. Why did you even marry me when you don't have time." Tears ran through her cheeks.

"There are so many things you should attend to. So many responsibilities. We have to pay the fees in a week. He has to book his flight ticket. Buy few things. It's only a month you know. We also have to go to Tirupati. So many things..... when do we have time to talk." 

"It's not that! You don't understand!"

"What it is that I don't understand?" 

"I lost my job today!!!!" Srinivas screamed and silence followed.

................................................................

to be continued.....

p.s: I dedicate this story to my parents 

...................................................

Note: the characters and the incidents describes in the story are purely fictitious and bear no resemblance with anyone living or dead. Any resemblance is purely a coincidence.

The Voice

Splaaaaash!

I tried to wash my eyes so that I could wake up. I looked at the watch with my eyes half open half closed, still wanting to shut down and go to bed. 

The watch said half past two in the morning. 

I knew it was an odd time but "I have to do this!" I told myself. "Time is never an issue for a writer! And in fact the night is the best time to write, with so much silence!"

Suddenly....

"Oh for GOD sake switch off the light and go back to sleep you fool!!" someone screamed from somewhere. I looked around to find who it was.

"Hello Mr.! Where are you looking? I am speaking from inside you." The voice replied again.

"Inside me?? What the crap are you talking? Are you some kind of ghost or something?" I was terrified. 

"Aaah! You idiot haven't you seen those Indian movies where in the inner conscience reflects in the mirror and talks with the hero! Arey yaar I am your 'Antar-Atma'."

"What the crap are you talking! Why don't you show yourself!" I screamed with fear.

"Well sorry dude! We Antar-Atmas have not yet evolved so much that we can show up ourselves." The voice replied calmly.

I didn't know what to do at all. Fear, confusion, bewilderment, every strange emotion seems to haunt me. 

"How can I trust. I need proof!" I rambled something out of my mouth finally.

"Proof?? Well it's like asking yourself who are you! Well I won't mind your stupidity, go on." 

"Tell me my name..and.. my date of birth!" 

"Mythreya... a.k.a matty, maddy... born on 23rd feb 87 at Kurnool, a small city in Andhra Pradesh. Want more proof? Ask me!"

"My favourite color?"

"black and white. And you like these colours because your ex-girl friend Pooja loved them. And don't be stunned. I also know everything about Pooja. I know that you still love her somewhere deep in your heart, though you pretend as if you have forgotten her and moved on. So what more do you want to know? The first time you met her? The first time you held her hand? First kiss? About your first....."

"Enough! Shut up now! Why the hell are you out of my body suddenly! Let me work. I am a writer!" 

"Aaaaaaaah! Don't tell me this crap! Writer! Who the hell told you so?" 

"What..."

"Writer! Nice way to cover up your joblessness. The thing is your are worthless."

"Now if you don't shut up...."

"What can you do to me? Can you punch yourself? Can you kick yourself? Ha ha ha. Atleast someone is having fun!"

"I don't want to talk to you. Let me do my work. I am begging you, Please!"

"Aah! I hate it when you cry like a sissy. Well show me what are you writing."

"Huh?? I cannot show you anything now...."

"Then tell me your story........ I will tell you how is it."

"Ok.. wait..... well.. I was thinking to write a horror story."

"A horror story! Humm... go on... tell me what it is..."

"The story beings in a gloomy night... the door opens slowly....'keeeeeeeeeeeeekkkkkk'... the monstrous witch enters... her long poisonous teeth... her sharp nails.... her hair all messed up.... she is very very scary.... and aaaaaah.. yes... who is her victim...  a poor thin man. Yes this is it. This is it!!"

"Whaaaaaat! This does not sound like a horror story to me. This is every married man's story!"

"Oooh is it! I never thought of it that way.. humm... poor chaps! Well... how about romantic stories! Yes romance it is...."

"Humm.. well .. let us see.."

"Romance.. love.... humm.. love happens in college right! College stairs.... before the library.... a beautiful girl is walking with books in her hands... and opposite to her.. a handsome young boy.. is walking straight down towards her.... she is walking.... he is coming .... she is walking.. he is coming... and then suddenly......'DASSSHHH' they hit each other... the books fall down.... the girl bends down to pick up them... the boy helps her.... both of them see each other... eyes meet eyes... breathe meets breathe... and love takes birth... yes.. this is it....THIS IS IT!!!!"

"Hello oo Mr we are not living in the eighties... this is the twenty first century.... love does not happen like this.... today everything is online....online love.. online marriages.... and ...sometimes... even. online... ...honeymoon....."

"Honeymoon!!"

"yeah  yeah.. saw it in some site..."

"Oh! Humm... how about an action thriller?"

"Just shut up haan! You lack everything. Have you read the book "how to write fiction" by Dick Harry? Or his "1001 fiction plots"?"

"Dick harry? Who is he? Is he a famous writer? Has he written any famous stories?"

"Oh no! He is not into fiction. He just helps people write fiction!"

"Oh!"

"Well you see there should be planning, you should have a format on how to write a story.... make a plan... choose the plot.... choose the characters... mix some emotions.... add some masala to the climax... and we have a perfect story!" 

"ooh... doesn't it look like cooking a dish!"

"Well story writing is in fact cooking..... that's why they say...'cooking up a story!'"

"Humm..."

"What the hell are you talking to yourself at five in the morning! Didn't you sleep?" My mom suddenly came from the behind.

"Woooh! Mom.. you scared me! I was cooking....err...writing a story!"

"oh! So you got a story? No.... i figured out I don't have the right ingredients!"

"Huh? Humm.. this boy is really crazy!"

................................................................................

p.s: people say when you are confused listen to your inner-conscience. I did it and I got this!

 

The Rao's Part 1

"kausalya! Kausalya! Where is my shirt? You know I am getting late to office, I told you yesterday night I have a meeting with my Director today!" screamed Srinivas running out the bathroom with a towel covering his 'vital' parts and water dripping all over the floor.

"Coming coming!" Kausalya ran from the kitchen to help her husband. She slipped on the wet floor but caught hold of the door and saved herself from a fall.

"How many times have I told you to dry up yourself in the bathroom itself! What if I had slipped and fell on floor. Had I factured my leg you would have had to shell out some ten grand for the doctor's bill! And who would have cooked for you? Your mother?" Kausalya replied back to her husband sharply.  She was relieved that she had escaped the fall but she was sad that now she had to clean up the floor all by herself. 

"Atleast eat your breakfast!" kausalya squawked from the back.

"No no! I have to run or I will miss the bus!" Srinivas defended. 

Srinivas dashed towards the exit.

Almost an hour later in the nearby room someone was trying to still sleep even as the sungod trying to wake him himself. 

"Beta! Wake up! Its ten in the morning." kausalya shouted in her usual tone.

"Mom! I slept at two in the morning. Let me have some sleep." Ramesh replied in a sleepy mood.

But he knew it, it was the end of his lovely dream in which he was laying almost naked with three girls on a beach and doing things which are unmentionable in a country like India and unthinkable in a family like the Roa's!

While Ramesh was having his breakfast, kausalya asked, "so what are your plans today? Are you going out? should i cook lunch for you?"

Ramesh paused for a whole minute and thought about things he was supposed to do or might do. When nothing came to his mind, he promptly called Rahul. 

"Hi dude? What! still in bed you idiot! Wake up man..... Hey by the way, how about a movie?.....

 the afternoon show? ... what! we already saw all the movies? nothing left out? .... hey wait a minute.... we didn't see 'Ratoon ki rani' ... oh its not worth! ...nothing ..no scenes kya? ... oh God!   then what shall we do man!! .... do one thing.. just come to my place we will decide.. i am hanging up.... balance low... bye!" Ramesh wondered what he would today. 

"Why don't you go the sidhivinayaka temple today and pray for your MBA result! God's grace is a must in such matters! I am even fasting for you every thursday!" kausalya justified. 

"Mom! Please don't get started now! I am very busy. And anyway, I am sure God has lot to do than to listen to my prayers." Ramesh stated stolidly.

"I tell you its waste arguing with you!" kausalya tried to convince but she knew it was waste. 

"By the way? What is Rahul doing these days? Is he also joining MBA this time?" She enquired. 

She thought it was her parental duty to know about her son's friends. A person's character is judged by the kind of friend's he has. She had read this somewhere.

Kausalya has always wanted Ramesh to do his MBA because one of her distant relatives son had also done his MBA and was now residing in the US of A. 

Though Kausalya never even dreamt of a life without Ramesh, but still she felt her son's life would be secured in the United States of America than the Andhra state of India. She even heard Srinivas telling "the competition in India is too high. All because of population. And the government is so biased. Reservations even in higher education! And we suffer because we were born in a forward caste! This is so injustice!" 

Kausalya had always wished a better life for her son. 

.................................................................

 

Kausalya woke up early that day. It was the judgement day. It was the day her future would be decided. Appa had decided to marry off her if she again failed this time. Her mother was silent as usual and played no significant role rather than cooking and keeping the house clean, so Kausalya couldn't expect any help from her. 

Ramu, he little brother bought her the newspaper. She trembled as she flipped through the pages. '

What if she passed, will appa agree to send her to Madras to study? After all there was no college in her village. How can she stay without appa and amma?' Her mind dwindled around these thoughts. But fate had something else for her.

"The girl cooks very well and also knows stitching. She also sings very well." Amma spoke to a fat lady with hope in her eyes. But nothing seem to convince the fat lady. 

"kausalya please sing the sitarama kalyanam song." Amma asked her.

Kausalya was very nervous. All eyes were fixed on her. Amma had strictly ordered her to not even look up and answer only when asked. 

But admist all these, kausalya quickly glanced from the corner of her eye to have a look at the prospectus groom. He was not at all like she had imagined. He didn't wear the tight bell bottoms, nor did he had the stylish ring the south indian heroes had. She was disappointed.

A week after a letter arrived stating that the fat lady was pleased to accept Kausalya as her daughter-in-law but she had also sent a list of things they wanted and the probable date of marriage. But no one asked what kausalya wanted.   

............................................................

Twenty eight years later, cleaning the shelf, kausalya looked at her wedding photo and thought for a second, was this the life she wanted? Srinivas was a good man. He earned a decent salary. He came home early from work. Never said anything to his wife. What else was needed? 

Suddenly she found something. It was a small Vinayaka Idol. Srinivas had gifted it to her on their first anniversary. She smiled looking at it.

She wondered sometimes if Srinivas now remembered  their anniversary or as a matter of fact even her birthday!

'When was the last time Srinivas took her to a movie or to a restaraunt...' she barely remembered any such incident. 

It was years when they last made love.

All their life they had worked hard so that they could afford this thousand square feet apartment and could save for Ramesh's higher studies. 

They never bothered about themselves. 

Srinivas would proudly say "My assest is my son! What more do I need?".

Queitly dusting the books kausalya wondered how they would be able to live when their son leaves for the USA. But what will he eat there? Will he get the same food? She had even heard that the people in the US of A eat cow's meat! 

She was worried how will her vegetarian Brahmin son survive in that country! 

"I will have to pack him atleast five jars of pickels. My poor son!" She tried to console herself.

The Talk

[conversation overheard]

"Hey hey look girls!! Shahid is looking so cute...... wow! I wonder why kareena dumped him?" 

"No i think saif looks matured! Shahid looks like a kid!"

"whatever... move to the next pic!"

"Woooooh! Who is he??????"

"Oooooooh i really don't know where that came from!!! Sorry girls but he... err... he...."

"Just tell us who is he??"

"He is just a friend nothing else! Trsut me!!"

"Are you sure??? I doubt! Bol kab se chal raha hai? God! You didn't even tell us!! Thats bad Pooja, thats bad!!"

"No no nothing like that....please girls ....try to understand me. He is just a friend!"

"Ok enough of crap Poo! Tell us the whole story!"

"Well... ok ok ok!! it was like.. i met him and he is comepletly mad at me!! Right from the first day! he has proposed me and I wanted to ask your help."

"Humm!! Not bad girl! Well he is ok, not bad!"

"Are you nuts! Look at his pot belly!! He is soo fat!!!"

"And god! He has no sense of dressing! Look what he is wearing! Not even branded!!"

"And look at his face yaar! So dull, boring! Not even a smile!!!"

"Common yaar! Just don't decide by the looks!!Pooja I feel he is not that bad"

"Shut up! what the hell do you know about boys?? You never even had a real boy-friend in your life!! I had four of them! I know lot girls! Trust me!!"

"Pooja, tell are you serious about him?? Don't tell me you are dating THIS GUY!!!"

"No no!! He is just a friend! I have not said him yes till now!!"

"That's good! Well lets look at the other prospects! So which car does he own?"

"What!!! He doesn't even own a bike!!!"

"GODDD what are you doing girl!!! he is such a loser!"

"Nevermind! What does he do? Has he got a job or something? Settled??"

"What!!! Jobless!!!"

"Don't tell me about the Recession and all those stupid things!!"

"Look at you! You will get a lot better guys! You have a job. You own a car yourself! Why the hell do you even look at this guy!"

"Please girls! Stop it! Pooja I think what important is the character!!"

"Stop it Priya!! You and your character go to hell. You don't know anything so just shut up! Pooja baby listen to me. Ok lets forget about all the things! he is not rich, he is not settled, but baby what about the looks!! Don't you want six-packs??? Just like john, hrithik, srk!! Common baby there are so many out there. All my boy friends had six packs!! They knew what i want!"

"And hey look closer he even has pimples!!! Ewwwwwww"

"God! So clumsy!"

"How do you bear him even!!"

"By the way.... tell me did you do anything??"

"GOSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

.....................

Ok folks! I guess the conversation was getting a bit personal so i had to cut down the audio!

Well yeah you guessed it right! 

The guy being talked is of course RAHUL!

just kidding rahul...

its not you. It was me!! 

I have to accept it. It's tough. 

And they tell me it's a "man' s world ou there". 

Wooh!!

P.S: No offence to ladies out there. And yeah even RAHUL doesn't have six pack abs! 

It happened to Me

The scene is set in a dark room with two big monstrous looking guys and a woman who looks even dangerous. They are waiting happily to rip apart me and cut me into small pieces. The typical torture room. I look into the lady's eyes. Red with blood. Suddenly her teeth grows longer and sharper, she bares her claws, the men take out their horrendous weapons. I want to run but GODDD they have chained me...

Everything suddenly goes dark... I feel unconscious. 

SPLASHHHH!!

They throw water upon my face and focus light right into my eyes...

and finally break the silence...

"Draw me the NAND gate using op-amps! Whaat you don't know!!

 What's the amplitude difference between GSM and CDMA?

 Oh! So you are a lousy engineer? Now I know why your marks are so low!"

Yes!

You almost guessed it right. It was one of my B-School interviews!

Trust me i could only give you a verbal description of the torture. It was hell.

...........................................................................................................................................

You know it all starts happily just like a bollywood movie. Happy family, the kids are all smiling, the wife is all smiling. Ok ok I wont go into the movie details now!

It was the same for me too.

i wrote the entrance exams. Fared well.

"Congratulations Mythreya! We are happy to inform you that you have been selected for our next round of selection i.e GD/PI" 

The monitor flashes this "feel good" message. And yeah I am happy, my mom dad.. and not to forget suddenly my girl friend, who thought till yesterday that i was really good for nothing, showers extra loveeeee upon me, pampering me, even the romance is all time high. 

'Wowww! Not bad man' That's what I say to myself.

And then the whole process begins.

PUNE - SIBM interview: the first of the season!

"I love travelling! Yeah trust me. In a way I feel travelling and going to new places helps you discover yourself. I feel like I am so close to nature."

OK! This crap was purely for the interview. 

I land in pune a day earlier so that I could be comfortable with the city and all.

As soon as I enter the streets of Pune looking for a Lodge, my eyes run a 100 miles per sec speed checking out hundreds of girls. BEAUTIFUL GIRLS!! 

Woow! CHICK HEAVEN!

(Really no offence to ladies. I am a nature lover and an admirer of beauty!!! TRUST ME!)

After a nice opening I settle in my room. Wander here and there. look at some more "EYE CANDIES" and then have some nice Maharastrian food. 

The night was long....

We roll in the bed together, clinging together tightly, then a scream.....

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah"

You dirty minds....what were you thinking!!

it was me screaming and "We" meant THE BED BUGS AND THE MOSQUITO'S which gave me company for the whole night crawling up my body, sucking my sweet blood and yeah thankfully I didn't even close my eyes once the whole night.

THE D-Day : 

Gooosh! It was 10!!! I rushed to look at my call letter. 12 noon reporting time. 2 hours left. Ample time. The calender read "FRIDAY the THIRTEEN". What a day to kick off my first interview of the season!

By 12 I am at their campus. 

IT's one of the Best Campuses in India! 280 acres in a hill top. 2850 feet above the ground. Rather a hill station to put it technically. And a splendid infrastructure. With even a cricket ground!!!

Woow!!

All good things come to an end. And so did the happy scene. 
I was somewhat shocked to see 239 more students along with me. 

Later I realized that this was just a sample, there were several batches like this summing up the total candidates called for the process to be "2400" and try to guess the number of seats...

yeah do it fast...

1000?? No.... Err 750 something....what...no.....hummm common.. atleast 500!!

Well my dear friends... here is the first twist..

Just 180 seats out of which

15% reserved for Management Quota.

25% reserved for SC/ST

10% for OBC 

2% for sports, PH, etc etc

5% for kashmiri migrants and what not...

Pheewww

so the total seats for an OPEN CATEGORY guy like me ended up to be just 80-90!!!!

Now if you are really good at maths calculate the competition.

THIS IS INDIA my friends. THIS is when I am reminded of my country's BILLION PLUS population!!

Now the process..

Unlike other B-Schools, SIBM has an additional round. No not the torture chamber though.

Its called the "Group Task". 

Of course they need some "TOOL" to eliminate so many students!

We went in to a conference room. I socialized with my fellow groupmates or rather to say my fellow "Victims". We became quick friends.

I was the 3rd in the group of 14. 

After waiting patiently for 4 hours they give us food coupons.

As usual none of us ate anything much in the morning. So we dived upon the food.

AND wooh... all we get is a small piece of SANDWICH and they tell us its going to be a loooooong day so plz help yourself with the food!!

As soon as I put my little piece of bread in my gigantic mouth, i get a call..

"K Mythreya! Who is Mythreya here! Quick! Stuff ur food into you mouth and run! It's your turn for the interview!!"

I start running without even cleaning my mouth.

As soon as I enter the Big room I find a lady with two men.

"Please come in Mr.Mythreya!"

I walk in, close the door behind me. And I pull the chair..

KEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!

the chair makes a weary sound! I flash a wried smile on my face.

The lady signals me that i have bread pieces stuck on my lips... 

WHAT A START!!!!!!

And then starts the RAPID FIRE ROUND...

"So you are from ELECTRONICS and COMMUNICATIONS engineering."

after they realize that I am BIG ZERO in Technical background and all I have done is timepass in my engineering they venture into other fields.

"What is MUTUAL FUNDS? STOCK EXCHANGE? CRR? FISCAL POLICY? INFLATION?
  Who is the RBI head?"

I bang my head to answer these questions. Few I succeed and few go to the drain.

Then the usual "OK Mythreya tell us why do you want to do your MBA?"

"Ma'am as you know I am into theatre and stuff... I want to open a production company. So I want to do my MBA!"

"What!! Production company? My dear friend then why didn't you tell us before. We were wasting our and your time! You are in the wrong place man! Why have you come to SIBM!

Go to the National School of Drama or the Film Institute of India. Why MBA???"

Time to defend...

"No ma'am... blah blah"

"See Mythreya you seem to be pretty confused in your life? Think first what you want! You are interested in theatre, drama, why waste your life yaar! This MBA thing is all crap man! Do you think once you step in SIBM money will flow to your feet. Companies will beg you to join. And all the girls run behind you to marry?? please don't be in such a dream! Wake up it's recession time! We are all hit badly!"

All I could do was SHUT MY MOUTH and wonder what the hell happened!!!

"OOh you got a job! No two!!! Pretty good man! Wonderful companies! I say go work for two years and come back! See they are offering you 3 lakhs man.....You know how much I got when I started my career? 1.2 lakh.. and look at you 3! that's pretty good! Just go and do your job man! SIBM is not the place for you!"

Thank You!

And I am kicked out of the interview!!

Again wait for all the 14 guys to finish their interviews! 

I don't know what went wrong... everyone came out smiling out of that dark room except MEEE!!!

Crap man! Crap!

Next was the GT or the GROUP TASK.

A student came in and commanded us..

"Stand in the line according to your numbers! Hey you number 3! Stop chit-chatting! You are here for some purpose!" He screamed at me. 

"Now try to put this fact into your head that you are going in for the GT! It's not an individual task so try to do as a group! Use your head! Bend your ass! Get the task done!"

For a time being I thought I was in some army camp! 

As we entered the room, i saw a small circle and some 7-8 feet away from it was a line beyond which was a hanky!

I was just wondering what the hell is this trap..just then..

"I guess most of you have made out what is the task by seeing it! So go ahead with the task!"

Me, "But ma'am what do we have to do?"

"What! So you haven't browsed through the PagalGuy. So you have not done your homework!"

Mocked again...Damn.. 

The task that lie ahead was not simple. It was clearly impossible!!

14 members into he circle, and we had to make a guy jump from the inside of the circle and make him touch the hanky which was lying some 7-8 feet away and bring him back.

NOTE: he should not touch the ground, none of us should cross the boundary of the circle.

So it implied we had to make him jump in the air. Of course we were also given ropes, bricks, clothes, threads, and two footballs. I wonder what footballs were doing there.

Anyway it was clear now, I was certainly into an army camp doing a TARZAN jump. The good thing was I was not chosen to do the suicidal jump!

And guess what...we were given TWO FULL MINUTES to complete the task!

GREAT!

And yeah just as you thought. We made a fool out of oursleves by just clearing 1 feet and not 7-8 feet. The three panelists though had a good time laughing at us making a fool out of ourselves.

So I even got a group which failed as a group!

Woow!!

After the great GT we were rushed to the GD room.

I didn't know what happened, maybe it's just that I am a mere human. AFter waiting for whole 6 hours and without food and such low on confidence and still entering into a GD room..

I couldn't have felt more luckier!!

As we entered the GD room, it was all set. Two more panleists. 
We were given a case study and we were directed to think as a manager!

I hate case studies man! Common if you could think like a manager then why the hell were you trying to do your MBA!!

Well it was a page long case and I had not even finished reading, they said "START" and two-three people started screaming. In a minute almost 6-7 people started talking. No one was listening to anyone. They were just vomiting sentences. All the charming and nice guys and girls who were with me togther and whom I had imagined to be my future peer group at SIBM had suddenly transformed to some monsters! Everyone yelling at everyone. And I had the GREAT BLACKOUT!

I was blank! I didn't understand what was going on. My throat went dry. 

Into the 5th minute, I thought it's now or never. Then suddenly my dear friend No.2 kicks my leg and signals me 'OPEN YOUR STUPID MOUTH!'

I enter the GD finally... BUT.... suddenly everyone stops and they look at me. Pin drop Silence. 

I stare for a full  second at them and then suddnely i shout some crap which is completly irrelevent to the topic and I am again silent.

I do the same shit twice more and shut down for the rest of the GD.

Finally after 12 mins of hell the GD is done with. The panel starts asking few guys to summurize. They were poor souls who couldnt open their mouth just like me.

I am pretty good at summrizing. This is finally my chance.

And wooooooooooh!!

I am NOT asked!!!

They ask to leave....leave just like that...

My last chance to make an impression also went down the drain.

And as I leave the room... Only one thought came to my mind...

"FUCKKKKKKKKKKKK! WHAT THE HELL DID I DO!!!"

The day finally ended...or atleast I thought so.....

GOD had some more things in store for me...

It was alredy 8:30 when i reached PUNE bus-stand. I went in hoping to find a good bus so that I can go and just book my ticket and then eat my dinner and sleep.

Guess what happens!!

SHIT!!

"It's friday dude!!" Thats what the travels guy tells me.

All the poeple of PUNE suddenly felt the strong urge to go to Hyderabad on a friday night!

Crap!!!

"Dekh bhai last bus 9 ko hai! Woh bhi I can arrange for you cabin!"

"Cabin? woh kya hota hai?" I wonder

"Arey cabin yaar! Driver ke baju mein!"

BESIDE THE DRIVER!!!

GREAT.... I am having a hell of a day!!!!

Finally NO FOOD NO SLEEP and the worst day!

I wonder what OPTIMISTS would still find good in this...

So folks... this was my just one story...trust me.

I had 3 more like this...

SCMHRD, PUNE - deja vu

IMT nagpur -  why did i attend even!!

GIM - thrown out blissfully. 

XIM, bhuvaneswar

IIT kgp

SIBM Bangalore

IIT kanpur

IIT Madras

Wellingkar 

these are in the pipeline of hell..

It should be March - the month of hell...

And yeah None of them except XIM are in Hyderabad.

So if you feel I would still love travelling, shifting to 5 cities in one month buring thoudsands and thousands of money..that too all alone..then GOD help you!

No sorry... it must be GOD HELP ME!!

Love :

What does this four lettered word really mean to you?

[Voices]
"Love is beautiful! Love is life."
"Pyar dosti hai!!"
"Humm... define love? Humm... Love..... errrrr.......humm...."
"Love is crap i tell you. This is all shit. There is nothing more to it than physical attraction!"
"Love to me is preeti! I love preeti!" "Awwwwwww!!! I love you too darling".
"I really really love rahul. He is rich. He's got an awesome car. He is got this huge bungalow. Man! I just love his money... err ...i mean i really love him!!"
"Love? How has time for all this crap?"
"Love........... humm.... yeah I remember.. i fell in love too at my college... magar. haan ab itne saaloon ke baad yeh sab.... kya yaar tum bhi kya sawaal poochte rehte ho!"
"Sorry yaar.. I am busy. Will tell you later pakka!!"

And I thought I was the only one who didn't knew the definition.
Confused Times!!
.................................................................................................

Have you ever wondered how long a minute is? Lately I just realized its reallly long!!
And the minute I am talking about is not just a minute, it's the one when you suddenly forget words. Suddenly taken over by silence. And all this with the girl before you whom you thought was everything once!
Like going to a movie alone.....
Suddenly you even start hating the food...
And finally wondering was it just me who was feeling so or was she feeling the same...
And when you think twice to ask...... I guess it's BIG TIME....

"Maybe you will get someone better. Someone more beautiful and sensible. Someone whom your parents will accept!!" These are the words my girl friend finally speaks after a looong silence.
I am sorry I don't know if I still can use the word "girlfriend" legally...
"You are caring enough maddy! No... I don't find that security .. that feeling of.. i just don't feel like that anymore! I cannot trust you!!" Another missile. I guess all the missles left untested were fired at me randomly.

Fianlly I gathered strength and spoke up..
"Look... I know I am not perfect but...."
"Perfect!!!!! I am just begging you to be a human. You are not a kid and I am certainly not your mom!!" she cried out from her lungs.
"Please for godsake. Please lets not start all over again...." I begged..
"There is nothing more to talk maddy! If have to decide. To commit or not! I dont understand why you guys are so afraid to commit!!!!"
No I didn't say anything in reply. I just couldn't dare to..........
"Anyway I never loved you seriosuly.... It's just that you always were so after me... for a moment maybe i would have got distracted. You are just a good friend and we will be friends forever." She said finally breaking the silence...
"It's not that pooja........... I just......." I really didn't know what to say... I am an asshole!!!!!!

"Just one final word maddy. If you happen a meet a girl and you feel that you are in love. Please confirm about all the things. Think twice maybe thrice before even you........"
And she walked off.... leaving me behind.......
................................................................................................

P.S :Ooops....I am really sorry.. I started off thinking of to define love and I got lost in the memories of my .... I-dont-know-what-to-call...
Maybe sometime latter i will try to define the four letter thing......
And yeah.. Its good to blog after almost an year!

The Solitary Reaper...

Alone he cuts and binds the grain...
And sings a melancholy strain.
Will no one tell me what he sings?
Perhaps the plaintive numbers flow..
For old, unhappy, far-off things...
or about the love lost..
and about the infinite emptiness....
................


POOOOOOOOOOMMPP!!
The siren of the factory blew... it was my alarm clock...
it told me.. "Oh old man.. its seven thirty in the morning.. get up!!"
Early in the morning... the radio told me today's headlines..
rape, murders, deaths, accidents,
how the ministers made new promises..
But.. how.. the farmers killed themselves...
How we were finally.. "DEVELOPING".
Well.. I finally got up.. as the radio signaled me that it was time to take my bath.

DINGG DONG!!
I opened the door very excitedly..
The sight of a human being still thrilled me...
Maybe.. some relative.. some friend from my distant past..

"Your Lunch Sir!" The Dabawallah handed me my lunch carriage.

I saw Pinku walk past me...
"Hello Grandpa.. I am going to school.. Bye bye!!"
"Bye Bye Dear son! Read well!!" I smiled for the first time in the day...
"And will you come to play with me in the evening?" I asked him..
"No.. You don't have a TV in your house... " He said sadly..
It was true..
An old man.. couldn't afford a colour TV with his pension.
I saw him ride his cycle till the end of the street..


Suddenly.. my eyes fell on a old photo album which fell down from the shelf..
It was my marriage album!

I looked at the date...
Thirtieth march 1968...
I suddenly realized.. it was today...

"Sulbha... Sulbha... it's our wedding anniversary...
I still remember the night when we got married... I had not even seen you properly...

Do you remember the day.. when I got my first promotion...
You made that day my happiest day of my life.. by telling me the good news of your pregnancy.
We were soo happy..
How we thought.. we would.. name our son 'Vinay' and if its a daughter 'Nimmi' or.. was it 'Simmi'..
Sorry dear... my memory is really at a loss these days...
Thank God I atleast remember you...
And.. ya..How.. we dreamed... how you would take him to the school..
then.. high school.. college...
How we would see him as an engineer!
But....
fate had something else for us..."
.........


Bhiwandi, 1970
the dreadful year...
We were all happy.. until one day..
I don't know what happened....
They screamed all over the Radio and newspapers "RIOTS! RIOTS!"
I had no idea until...
My own house was burned down...
My shop was tore apart..
I fled somehow..

But..

My Seven Month pregnant wife..couldn't escape!
She was burnt alive...

And I was left to die for the rest of my life....
these forty years I spent my life like a dead man...
With no reason to live.... No reason to survive...

This house..
I feel so.....
I scream ... no one hears...
I cry.. no one sees...
I wonder.. If I die..then.. my body would dispose here itself...
...................


I wrote my 'Will' today..
You might think what this old man has to give...
Well..
My dear friends..
there is soo much..
I wrote off my eyes to a blind boy...
I wrote off my kidneys to a needy young man...
I wrote off...

And ya..
This small home of mine...
will be the home for children...

I had no life till now..
But NO MORE!
My eyes will see through some else.. they will enjoy the beauty..
My home will once again be filled with laughter of the kids..
They will be my legacy...
My heir...

........


PS: Thanks to William Wordsworth for allowing to use his poem.

This post is dedicated to the WORLD THEATER DAY, March 27th