12.12.2009

Had gone to our old, old college today.

To get my Caution Deposit refunded.

(Got it, okay, but don’t pounce upon me guys, the money’s gone as it came, to Dad.)

They’ve deducted 500 bucks. Told me it was for my coveted Alumni Association Membership. Like I care.

Nishana was there too, for the same purpose. By the way, she is now a lecturer (yeah, I too had some trouble coming into terms with that fact. J ) at the P. A. College of Engineering, Mangalore. That’s how tables turn, folks. Could you imagine her punishing a student of hers for bunking a class?

Mahesh and Kudu paid a little visit on our request too. They have told me to inform anyone who cares enough to ask that they are now WORKING for Ericsson (as in Sony Ericsson) as Operation and Maintenance Trainees (whatever that means) and that they are undertaking all the tower-related works of Airtel. Period. And they have ridiculed the many rumours that have been generated over it, like the one that they are asked to climb up mobile phone towers and all. And they have asserted that their work had to do with air conditioned rooms and all. And they also wanted to add, as a final note, that afterall, money is NOT everything. J

Hameed Sir’s gone, finally. (Well, I have got nothing against him to say that ‘finally’ there). But, yes, there wasn’t a farewell party this time, so it seems like its serious and he wont come back. Irshad Sir smiles and tells me he was getting too old to traverse a 100 km everyday. No, he’s definitely not quit his vocation, don’t even think about it. He’s shifted his operational base to a fresh pasture named Jyothi Engg. College.

I lingered enough in ECE block to hear the two most prominent theories that try to explain this move of his.

1. He had been wanting to move for some time, but he loved the 2005-’09 Batch too much that he thought he’d wait enough to render his services to them. God bless him for that.

2. He had been wanting to move for some time, but his son, who was studying at the college in question forbid this until he had passed out.

Weird theories, yeah, I know.

(So, Hameed Sir, if you happen to read this ((shudder!!)), just kidding, we did love your Control Systems class and all didn’t we? )

So Rajith Sir is the Head of the Department now. No, Acting HOD, that’s the designation. If that is meant literally, then according to me he is finding it a bit hard to act his part. Coz I hear that he retreats now and then from this big office and the much coveted revolving chair that had been Hameed Sir’s from time immemorial, to his little cabin in Digital Lab overlooking the Kuttippuram Bridge. How cute.

Being the HOD hasn’t stopped him from smiling his trademark smile out of the corner of his mouth. Plus, he doesn’t boss around, doesn’t give much of a damn about protocols and stuff AND he did a great help to me which in the long term contributes to me getting my job. Thank You Sir.

Met Ratheesh Sir, by the way, who had also chose the same day for popping in for a quick visit.

Felt glad to see that he was glad to see us.

He recognizes us instantly (God Bless Him for that), shakes my hand warmly and start talking. I remind myself that he’s not our Project Guide anymore, so there’s no need for me to act innocent or anything. He’s in a student’s shoe now, so he talked to us like an equal.

Very warm and all.

I fear if we have lost all of our old Ratheesh Sir-ish characteristics of his.

“Okay Sir, so which college are you in now?”

To which his expression brightens up, as he was waiting for me to pop up just this one question, clears throat, and raises decibel level just enough for any human being in a 5m radius to hear, and says,

“CET….. CET Trivandrum” purely in a “Bond….. James Bond” style.

Thank God, some remnants of the old Ratheesh Sir the Project Guide are still there.

Heard that his marriage has been fixed with , well, you-all-know-who (Gossip Courtesy : Sumi)

I hear our Aparna is doing her M Tech there as well too, and I hide a snort when I think of her and Ratheesh Sir planning to bunk a lecture because they think that the teacher is a bit of a show-off.

It was not just Hameed Sir, but I guess there had been a big brain drain from our department. Many were missing – Shafeek Sir, Azad Sir, Waheeda Miss’ husband, Jilna Miss etc.

We stood near our old notice board. Usual stuff – You know, ragging is a punishable offence (really?), so and so from Mechanical Department suspended, placement drive for students having aggregate >75% etc. Though one thing struck me a quite odd – there was an alarming decrease in the number of students in the attendance shortage report for all semesters. I worry about the future of our department. Mahesh attributed that to the proportionate increase in the number of beautiful teachers in the campus. Strange, I say.

Did I tell you that Nishana was working as a lecturer now? Yeah, so I must have told about how tables turn as well. It was weird, coz, you know, when we met teachers over there, after hearing that she is a sort-of-teacher now, they suddenly bond and talk professor-ish stuff. And give me the you-dumb-slacker glance. Not fair.

Met Meera too. I asked her if her course wasn’t over yet. How stupid of me. I should have remembered that she was studying architecture and they stayed as long as they wished.

Some juniors recognized me as Rajith Chettan’s friend. Having famous friends always helps.

Nishana told me that a company named Infosys Technologies were coming to college on the same day for a recruitment drive. Which explained the groups of excited final years in front of the auditorium and canteen when we were walking through the campus.

Multi called, and told me some one very important to Hafsal was attending the interview as well. Good Luck, I said.

They shortlisted only 4 out of the, say about 150 or so who attended the test, and selected only two.

Before we parted, we went to the old, old Famous Coolbar and Nishana insisted that she pay the bill. Finally, I reluctantly agreed – Of course, you know about my passion for paying bills for my friends.

We ordered something, and I tell you, the ice cream shakes are still as lip-smacking as they’d ever been.

We sip our drinks in silence, thinking about the good times in here, when a group of juniors entered. They make a lot of noise, drag chairs around, throw their bags into a heap, and settle down. They chatter, pull legs, have fun.

“Which assignment is to be submitted tomorrow?”

“Exam postponed?”

“Got output today?”

“Whose birthday is it next week?”

“Lime is not chilled enough”

“One honey shake, four straws”

…

…

“You sure about the exam dates?”

“Yes. Jan 13^th for sure."

"Vayya. Aliya, onnu kazhinju kittiyal mathiyayirunnu.”

At which Nishana and me looked at each other.

We smiled.

P.S. : Pun intended for fun only

- r a m z