Chapter 16 The Salespersons June 30, 2008

“Is it some opportunity provided to me by God to solve all of my problems?”

Whatever it may be, I took it. I started studying more sincerely. School-time was utilised in completing coaching homework. My new partner, Anurag, was good in mathematics. So, I started to learn a few things from him. (I was too weak in maths).

My new class teacher was Rao Sir, again a maths teacher too. Unlike Sinha Sir, he was quite sincere and somehow really took interest in teaching. But unfortunately again, he was Sinha Sir’s very good friend. Every now and then, Sinha Sir would come and disturb our class for rubbish chats with Rao Sir.

I got more closer to Palak. Now, we really were very good friends. She was my lab-partner too. So, I got some good time to spent with her. Life seemed to be balanced for a while.

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THE SALESPERSONS

Today Rao sir and Sinha sir had combined 12th A2 and A3 sections. I didn’t really know for what reason they did so. I just enjoyed sitting with Apurv after a long time.

Sinha Sir was sitting on bench at teacher’s stage, while Rao Sir was standing beside. When all of us settled quietly, he started:

“Today, we are here to discuss something important about your studies and about your future.”

He appeared serious and so were we.

“Sinha Sir and I have been observing some concerns for a long time and so we thought to have a talk about it with you people.”

He took a long pause then continued again.

“We have noticed most of you have joined some preparatory-classes for your IIT-JEE, AIEEE or other competitive exams along with this school. But still if I look towards the statistics, I find no one has performed upto the mark inspite of that.”

He reached the blackboard and wrote my name. I jumped out of my seat. Then he wrote some other names too. There were few things common among these people: they were 10th toppers, had joined some IIT coaching and had failed at least once in 11th.

He continued:

“So somehow, its clear that these extra preparations are hindering your way in both your school and competitive exams. The main problem here is no co-ordination between the two. So finally, Sinha Sir and I have figured out a solution for this.”

Then Sinha Sir stood up. In the next 15 minutes he told us about his new concept of combining school studies with IIT-JEE. Told us various examples and incidents and obviously everyone (except me) was impressed.

“So, if you join us, you’ll be benefited of what I’ve just told you.”

Now this was so cheap. He was advertising his ‘tuition classes’ in school! What a crap man..! I mean how someone could fall upto this extent, I haven’t just thought about it. Truly Sinha Sir and Rao Sir were appearing like ’salespersons’ to me.

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The advertisement did not have a great effect. Although, Sinha Sir was highly respected personality, still many students believed it was a cheap publicity tactic. Obviously, I was amongst them.

“Absolute Nonsense”, Anurag said. I nodded.

But there were still a very high percentage of people taking keen interest in this idea. Akshat appeared quite excited. I didn’t know about Palak, nor I wanted to discuss such a disputable thing with her.

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FIRST CRUSH WITH A BANG

Two days have passed and I was standing in a shop to purchase some rough notebooks when I saw Giya. She stopped her scooty near the shop and headed towards my side. One more girl was with her.

“Hie”, I said.

“Oh Hi! What a pleasant surprise!”, she exlaimed. It feels good to hear such things from a girl, especially when she’s your first crush.

Giya was in college now. She introduced her college-friend Sonal. A few moments later, I realised Sonal used to be my senior at school. Infact, I knew her very well. She was damn beautiful and I had heard some senior boys talking about her in my school-bus.

Giya went inside to purchase something, while Sonal and I were left to talk. She asked me about school, teachers and told that she really misses it. I told her everything about the school including Sinha Sir’s latest concept.

“What? So he bastard is doing these things now…..pleading students to join his tuitions!”, she howled angrily.

“Sorry, I didn’t get you.”, I asked.

“You know, once I also used to go his tuitions.”

While she was pursuing with her anger on Sinha Sir and convicting him with so many guilties, Giya called her.

“And once he personally told me that his married life is not satisfying.”

She said, waved a ‘good bye’ and left.

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This was a bang for me. Who on the earth talks about his married life with his student? Surely, something was wrong with this man. I had always doubted on him and now I started to feel I was right.

Obviously, it was nothing wrong for one to talk about his married life with a student, but I never wanted to think like that. I had already pictured him of guilty and I didn’t want to change this.

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TWO WEEKS LATER

Nine students found Sinha Sir’s idea fascinating enough to join him. Unfortunately, two of my friends ~ Palak and Akshat were amongst them.

{rest continued in next Chapter}

PS — Only one chapter left. The story is about to finish.

PS — This was the most boring chapter of the whole story.

PS — Today I officially became the third IITian of my colony. The coincidence is that all the three of us are in IIT Delhi Chemical Engineering branch.

PS — One of them has just passed out this year and other one is studying in his 3rd year.

PS — Movies I would like to watch – Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na.

PS — Special features by Boman Irani and Ritesh Deshmukh on IIFA Awards were marvelous.

PS — Adios.

Chapter 14: Part I June 13, 2008

Life’s schedule got changed after this disaster. Finally, there was a place for sincerity now. I avoided going to school to save myself from daily insults courtesy Sadhvi ma’am and Sinha Sir. The pressure of studies from the IIT coaching side was on the high and I’d started to study quite seriously again.

Everything was dull and boring. Meanwhile, it was Palak’s birthday. But she refused to celebrate it.

There was something about Palak, I’d still to got to understand. Although she used to look quite normal and charming, but there was a deep pain in her eyes. Something was unrevealed and untold. I’d never tried to ask her about this may be because I thought she would never like me getting too personal.

3 months had passed by and the results of 2nd Terminal Exams were declared. Finally, I managed to clear all my subjects with a considerable percentage. This time I’d just passed chemistry. But the tension was still not over.

I was struggling through my IIT-JEE studies. There is a special thing about these IIT preparations. One doesn’t know how much he has to study. One big question always haunts his mind: How much is enough??????

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THE QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS

Today it was the most feared final practical examination of chemistry. It included one activity, viva and qualitative analysis.

Now, for those who are lucky enough to be ignorant of this term, I tell you: Qualitative analysis is an activity in which one has given a sample of unknown salt. After performing several chemical experiments and reactions he has to predict its name.

Although there are some short-cuts and hacks to this damn difficult and boring procedure but they aren’t applicable to every sample.

One by one we took our packets containing sample and reached our places. We were divided into groups of 4. Unfortunately, Palak was not in my group this time. Fortunately, her group stood just next to ours.

Time started, and we opened our packets. Just like most of us, I had got a white coloured powder. I looked towards Palak and to my surprise, her salt was brown coloured. No one in our class had ever studied or practised about brown coloured salts. So, Palak was in real trouble.

Since, there were only 2 hours, so I decided to concentrate on my task only. I performed several preliminary experiments with my salt: heated it, cooled it and did everything I knew about this fucking thing, but nothing worked.

“Hey Himanshu……please help me?”, Palak whispered cautiously. She had moved from her place to mine and was looking really worried. I felt an inside thrust to help her, but I couldn’t. I had to perform well at least in chemistry.

“Ok…wait…let me finish mine.”, I howled. She silently departed.

Finally, I had figured out my salt. It was Zinc Carbonate. I checked my watch. It was still 30 minutes left. Now, I could comfortably write my observations in examination copy.

I took a deep breath to relax and look around. Palak was still standing idle. Her face was like crying.

“Should I help her?”

“But I know nothing about this damn brown salt?”

“No..no….I’ve still got to write my experiment.”

“Ohh…how selfish of me…she’s in trouble and I am thinking of mine??”

A million thoughts came across my mind. It was like ‘Heart’ Vs. ‘Brain’. Finally, as expected from a boy, heart won.

{rest continued in Part 2 of Chapter 14}

PS — I guess this was the most technical chapter of the whole story. Lolz…

PS — Going to Mumbai for IIT-JEE counseling.

PS — Sorry to mention it again but I hate rains.

PS — Exception: When you are with a girl, its the best season.

PS — Reso-Felicitation Party tomorrow. Hurrayyy…

PS — Song of the Day: All the things she said (Tatu)

PS — Adios.

Chapter 11 June 1, 2008

3 MONTHS LATER

A few worth mentioning things happened in these 3 months:

1. Board Exams got over. I promoted to 11th standard.

2. Results were out and I unexpectedly became school topper. I don’t know how it happened. I performed averagely. May be others under-performed in their studies. But still, this ‘undeserving’ success increased my reputation and confidence to a great extent in school.

3. Received a call from Naina stating that she’s shifting to her dad’s in Raipur and asked me to meet her for the last time. I really have met her if Karun hadn’t challenged my self-prestige.

4. Took Mathematics for 11th and decided to go for IIT-JEE. So, it was clear by now, that my coming two years will be really harsh and boring.

5. Visited Palak’s home. Her mom makes excellent coffee and pakode.

6. Seema took biology and went to other section. So no more hugs expected from her side now.

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“A straight line is a curve.”, Sinha sir’s philosphy continued. I raised my hand for a possible query.

“But sir you how can a straight thing be a curve??”, I asked trying to sound intelligent and serious. Although, I was not.

“Hey..why you always have to disturb the class with your nonsense questions??”, Sinha sir shouted angrily at me.

I kept quite.

So he spoke again, “Don’t you dare to think that you are the school topper, so I would allow your nastiness here. I am certainly not like other teachers.”

“What makes you think like that sir??”, I spoke in rage. I noticed Apurv pulling my shirt to make me sit down and remain silent.

I sat down. But Sinha Sir’s rage continued for the next 10 min. after which he went outside the class. It was his daily habit, to step out of the class for no reason. None of us ever found out where he goes. A few possible locations we’d guessed were the toilet, the canteen or Kriti Madam’s class.

I had always doubted Sinha sir’s interest in teaching. He fancied talking big things instead of making us learn mathematics. But against expected, he was damn popular amongst students, especially girls.

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“Chill out yaar….Why do you take things seriously.”, Palak said. She still used to sit on the bench parallel to me.

“Lets go for the practicals. Here’s your practical file.”, I said by returning the file which I had taken from her yesterday. I used to borrow her files, notebooks etc very often. May be just for an excuse to stay in touch with her.

“Thanks”, I said again. She smiled and took the file with pleasure.

In these 3 months, I had figured out that my first and only love was Palak, not Naina. God was making the things work for me.Despite of that, I too tried several things from my side.

In library, I always used to take seat in front of her. In laboratory, I used to try to make me join her. Other things included, lingering around and talking to her for the whole day, impressing her best friend Isha by solving her few physics problems. I used to try whatever I can just to remain a bit closer to her.

But may be she didn’t ever notice or pay a heed to what I was upto. And I too never revealed anyone the same.

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SINHA SIR Vs. ME

Everything used to go just about perfect for me except when Sinha Sir was out there.

“Now who will tell me the homogenous equation of a pair of straight lines??”, Sinha Sir asked. A few hands raised up. Then he pointed his finger to me.

I stood up.

“Sir, I think its ax2 + 2hxy + by2 = zero.”, I replied. I wasn’t sure about the answer.

“Are you sure??”

“No sir.”

“Then why did you answer?”

“Because this was all I knew.”

“And what do you think, have you got it right?”

“I don’t know sir.”

“I need you to write this formula a 100 times in your notebook. I’ll see it tomorrow.”, he shouted angrily. Now this was absolutely rubbish. I am not a child of 1st standard who will write the same thing a 100 times.

“Sorry sir, I can’t.”

“What? What did you say.”

“Sir, I won’t write it. I don’t have that much time. I have my IIT coachings and a lot of other things to do.”

By this time, Sinha sir’s anger reached the sky. If not sky then at least the top floor of our school building.

“How dare you over-rule me like that?”

“No, I didn’t sir. I am just asking you for what reason are you punishing me??”

“Now you will tell me how should I teach and punish my students.”

I realised, things are out of my control now. And when one is in deep shit, he should keep his mouth shut.

“Get out of the class.” he shrieked. I thanked god for it. I didn’t want to stay in his class any more.

“No….! Wait….I am leaving this class. I don’t want to teach filthy, unmannered students like you.” he spoke again.

“Sure sir, its your wish.” I said. Oopps… I don’t know how it came to me. But I was sure that this sentence is gonna cause me a lot of troubles.

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Sinha sir left and the whole class started to look me like I am some extra-terrestrial animal appeared suddenly among them. I realised, I had betrayed their most favourite teacher. Suddenly, my ‘heroish’ image twisted into a ‘villainish’ one.

“You go to hell. Don’t talk to me ever again.”, someone said to me. I looked towards my left and realised she was none other than Palak…..

{rest continued in Chapter 12}

PS — Long time for this post. I think I have become too lazy.;)

PS — Now I am supporting Rajasthan Royals. Sorry Mumbai vaalon.

PS — IIT MS Chemistry or BITS Pilani CS?? This the question of the Day.

PS — Arushi Murder Case is getting a great footage from media. While news of 40000 people in Myanmar and 30000 people in China dying recently of calamities have been completely ignored. Shame on such media.

PS — Song of the Day : Jeene Ke Ishaare frm Fir Milenge (S-E-L)

PS — Adios.