Somehow, I have managed to get a B tech degree certificate. What next? Haven't decided on that. Still, when I got the interview call from MICA(
Mudra institute of communication, Ahmedabad), I didn't have to think twice. Being a travel enthusiast, a trip to Ahmedabad sounded really nice. So I set out, on 5th night. The interview was on 8th.
***
Off to Mumbai, by a night train with an RAC ticket. The Gujrati gentleman, who shared the side lower birth with me, kept talking to me, about the unique features of the exhaust fans that the company he was working for, manufactured. I had no choice but to pretend to be listening. He also told me that the full form of RAC is nothing other than 'Ro aur chillao' for the night. Later on, he offered me the whole birth, told that he would sleep on the floor.
There was a beautiful girl in the next seat, but of course, with her boyfriend/husband. She was in the upper birth for the night, her bf/huby in the opposite upper birth.
***
Late night. Myself in deep sleep. Suddenly, something fell on me and I jumped up. Whoa! none other than the beauty. May be she was trying to get down from her birth.
"Sorry" . She said.
(No problems, girl. You could fall on me like that a hundred times, and I wouldn't complain. I should've known that you were going to fall. I would not have slept, in that case. )
"It's ok."
Her bf/huby was up by that time, and offering a helping hand would have been a disastrous idea. I swirled back on my birth.
***
Mumbai! I love this city. From there, to Ahmedabad. 6th night. This time, dad is with me, and nobody fell on me at night. While I was waiting for the train at Mumbai central, I kept fidgeting with the number lock of my suitcase, opening and closing it several times.
***
In the hotel room at Ahmedabad. 7th afternoon. I tried to open my suitcase, in which I had kept all my certificates and the dress for the interview, and got astounded, finding that the number had changed, while I was playing with it, the previous day. Three digits, 1000 possibilities. Took a deep breath, started to try out each. Started from 999 and tried backwards. Came up to 600. Then, started from 000, and eventually, found that the number was 070. great! A self pat on the back, for that perseverance shown. Didn't have a choice also.
***
At MICA campus on 8th morning. First, they had the registration process. After that, a short essay writing for fifteen minutes. A business case was given and we had to suggest a solution. I wrote, the most sensible things that I could think of, didn't know how sensible it was, according to the general standards.
***
Then, there was this group exercise. We were divided into groups of 8, and had to perform the given task. They called out the names of my group members. Damn!! seven girls.
"I take a lot of time to fit into a group. Now, that's a group of girls. Makes things worse"
Before I could say something to my group members, there started the GE. (They were all familiar with each other, since all the girls had sat together for the registration.) "Design a garden which promotes harmony and good health." Girls were calling out each others names and were having furious discussions. "Heck!! Why such shit happens to me all the time?"
I tried to give suggestions, but who listens? There went everyone, around the table. There wasn't enough space for all of us to stand. I went and squeezed myself between two of them. wow.. that wasn't bad ;)The girl standing on my right was wearing a sari.
I took a sketch pen in my hand. Didn't have any idea about what to draw. Heard someone talking about a jogging track. So, I started drawing a jogging track, which was nothing other than two parallel lines, along the boundary of the chart paper. I pretended that I was doing something really important. Tried to spend maximum time, drawing it.
"ok, time up" said the professor. There was some kind of a mess on our table.
It was very obvious that I was the odd one out. Straight away, the prof asked me "So Sudeep, please explain what was happening. And also explain how this garden will promote harmony and good health"
Garden.. er.. oh.. this thing on the table. I was sandwiched between two good looking girls all this time. And the prof thinks that I could keep a track of all that happened. Fuck. No way.
I started the explanation, and before I could finish, prof knew that I didn't have much of a clue. He told me to stop.
So, the GE was pathetic. I knew that I didn't stand a chance of selection.
***
I had lost all hope of getting a selection. So just wandered around the campus, alone.
Interview was pretty much ordinary for me. Panel consisted of 3 people, one lady and two gentlemen. The first question was to tell a good thing and a bad thing about Kerala. I said "Kerala is a beautiful place, but people are too conservative." Then, B tech project, tell us about urself, hobbies and some usual questions like that.
Before concluding it, the lady in the panel said. "ok, I'll give you a chance. Ask me a question, and try to make an impression."
I couldn't think of anything impressive. Had a prepared question in my mind, asked that.
"I can look at the emblem of your college in 3 different ways. It can be one triangle placed over another, It can be an 'M' which stands for Mudra, or even it can be an arrow directed in the left - down direction. So what does it actually represent?" (Have a look at the emblem
here)
She explained some complicated things with the help of some huge words, and I didn't understand anything, as usual. Kept shaking my head, and pretended that I was really interested in what she was saying.
That concluded the interview.
***
All the candidates were asked to sit in a hall, for the announcement of the results. There was a girl with curly - curly spring like hair, wearing a green top and black pants. My attention was fully on her. Her parents were with her, but I had managed to talk to her once during the day, and so I knew her name. I was listening if her name was there, while the merit list was being announced. There goes my name in between, but I didn't hear it. "Dude you are through" The guy next to me pushed me with his elbow.
"Er.. I am through! Seriously, I don't know why they selected me. ain't a big deal since this doesn't conform the admission. It just enhances the chances of selection"
***
Flashback.. A few days before I started the journey.
"Dad, get me a flight ticket back from Ahmedabad."
"No way.. travel by a train"
"I want to be in a flight. I've never seen the inside of a flight except in movies. at least once. pleeease"
"start earning by yourself and travel. You know, when I was of your age.."
"Stop that dad. Ok.. fine.. I am a worthless idiot and all. But still, can I travel by a plane?"
"Why are you pleading? Earn your own money and do whatever you want"
"Oh come on.. ok.. now let us assume that the speech about growing up independently is all done. now, will you get me a flight ticket?"
(silence)
"Yay!! Em gonna fly!!"
And in the end, I got a ticket, from Mumbai to Bangalore.
***
Inside of Kingfisher Mumbai - Bangalore flight. I was sitting in a window seat. Excited, but tried to act cool, just to make others feel that this is just day today affair for me. I looked around, ensured that no one is looking at me, and clicked a picture of another plane, through the window.
Few more minutes for take off. "Oh my god! who is walking in? Ain't that
Konkona sen sharma?. It is..She is not that gorgeous and all, but of course, I like her. Why am I having this feeling that she is looking straight at me?"
My jaw dropped. 'Close your mouth, idiot' I reminded myself
She walked straight up to me and asked "My seat is a few rows behind. will you please go to that seat so that I can sit here?"
"Oh yea.. why not?"
I walked to her seat.
During the flight, I tried to yawn in between to show that I was bored. I even told the gentleman in the next seat
"When will this flight reach Bangalore? I am too bored. I am traveling too much these days"
***
Back at Bangalore. Back to the routine of eating, sleeping and writing meaningless things like this! Hah!
