Three Mistakes of My Life-1

Allow me to start this blog with a disclaimer. The title of this blog has nothing to do with the recent novel of Chetan Bagath. It's solely intended to pull the crowd to read this. However my blog narrates about the mischief for which I got caught by our warden Rudri. Enjoy the post.

“Warden Sir is calling you,” said the hostel watchmen. I checked my watch. It was 3 PM, which means that I had slept an hour extra bunking my FM lab. I leaned to the wall lazily and said, “What is it regarding Achari, had his wife eloped with some one?” “No Sir looks like you have messed up some thing”. “He is waiting in the office” he said and left the place.

I pulled on my rugged jeans, wore my bathroom slippers and left for the office in the adjacent building thinking what has made Rudrappa to call me. I have done many mischiefs of late, but was wondering for which one I am going to get convicted now. He was our maths lecturer cum warden. A stone faced, pig eyed, six-foot tall personality . Also the most feared creature in hostel as well as in the college. So messing up with him was indeed a costlier and a risky affair.

“Good Afternoon Sir” I said keeping an innocent smile. He lifted his head from the book and looked at me pushing his specticles closer to his eyes. “What makes you feel that you are very naughty?” he asked me with a cruel smile. “Naughty??” “Oh you mean smart sir”? I asked him knowing his appetite to speak English. In this process he actually assassinates the language. Ignoring my effort to correct his language he gave an angry stare and said, “Tell me what ever mistakes you have done and I will let you go off”. “Do I look like a dumb ass to you Rudri?” I thought.

“Sir you know me well. I am not involved in ragging (I initiate it and lead it), or playing cricket in hostel rooms (I actually play Foot Ball) or watching movies in the system (Happens 24X7)”.

“You know what this is?” he pushed an open notebook towards me. It came sliding on the glass table and I stopped the book to avoid it falling off the table. I looked at the long note. It had columns like name, in time and reason for coming late. “Now I know why I am here” I thought and said “ this is a late night entry book”. These days I was coming very late to the hostel owing to the combined study in my friend’s room that ended up watching a movie in Galaxy theatre that is near by our campus. By the time I reach the hostel it used to be 2 AM, and I had to climb up and jump the 10-foot high compound gate. I was able to get in but could never escape from the eyes of the security gaurd. He religiously used to take my signatures and then let me go off. It wasn’t just me who did this but there were few others who followed this elevated path.

“Read those lines that are marked in red in every page,” he commanded. I saw the register. It was maintained date wise.

There was no other go but to read it loud.“22nd (3 AM)” I read the name “Salman Khan”. Since the in time for hostel is 11PM, to maintain my identity disguised, I had entered these names in the register. “Read the “reason for coming late”” he barked at me. “Meeting Aishwarya Rai” I said without lifting my head to avoid making an eye contact with him. “Next” he said as I turned the page. “25th (2AM) Azaruddin” . “Meeting who???” he said and stopped to recollect “…aaa Sonali Bendre!!” is it? “No Sir” I said lowering my voice “It’s Sangeetha Bizlani”. “Shut up” He snapped a news paper on table “What’s next?” “Sir” I said with a worried tone “ 29th August 3 AM” he raised his hand and gestured me to stop. “haaa…” he said remembering ”under the column name it’s written Anil Kumble” and the reason for coming late is “Match Fixing” is that right?” he asked me with a winning smile. I did not want to mess up the situation by correcting him again for naming my favorite cricketer Anil Kumble instead of Vinod Kambli, which I had written there. I agreed to it with a nod. He continued “There are many names like this including our late Prime Minister Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru , who came late after meeting Lady Mountbatten and Mr. Clinton who came late after meeting Lewinsky. He looked at me expecting an explanation for this.

I can still bluff and get away from the situation, since the security guy was an illiterate. But next time when I will I get caught, I would get screwed up royally. I looked at him apologetically and said, “I know, it’s very tough to commit a mistake and escape from an intelligent person like you.” His chest doubled and the eyes shined when I told him Intelligent. He immediately reverted back to his original angry dog face trying to hide his feelings of being pleased. “I accept that I have done it and as your student whatever punishment you give I would accept it”. “No it’s a naughty mistake” he said with a light smile. “I know that I am a good actor” I thought and said, “I am sorry Sir, I would not repeat it again” giving a tensed smile. Gazing his reaction I asked “Shall I go now Sir” I turned.

“Not before you admit your second mistake” I heard the cold voice of Rudri from back.
(To be continued)