Part 1: 'THE PHONE CALL'
It was somewhere around July 25, 2014. I had got admission in B.Tech at JUIT, not Satisfied, but relieved that finally I'd got into a college after a weary and ho-hum period of counselling and entrances. I was drained and sinking, my whole life seemed to have stopped. 3 months of nothing but drama and events that you don't want in your life. You have nowhere to go but wait till your parents pack your bags and send you away. Nothing can get more horrifying than this. Yes, I am dramatizing things a bit but yeah it was a hard period.
I remember doing all the packing the night before. The next morning, my whole family - my mom, dad, sister and I started on our way to JUIT. As usual we were late, that's like our family tradition. In our journey from Bilaspur to Wakhnaghat, I was thinking a lot, about my days in Bilaspur, how 14 years of school life flew and passed unnoticed. It was a mental drill to get ready for things to come. Suddenly, dad stopped the car and when inquired, he wanted some repairs in car much to our disgust as we were already late. I got some more time to spend with my mom. Oh yes, I am a mama's boy. I don't remember any moment when she's not got emotional while talking to me. But there are always two sides to a woman, one is an emotional weak side and other is brave as a lion. The way she has handled two maniacs like me and my father is truly an act of bravery. We three sat on somewhere on side of road with freezing cold water flowing all along it. As I was enjoying the frosty water with my feet immersed in, I received a call. It was a long number, an STD code followed by landline number. 'Hi' A mellow voice was on phone, informed "Deepansh Gupta. You have been selected in IICPT, Thanjavur under B.tech Food Processing&Technology programme". I had mixed emotions, I had taken the decision to go to JUIT, after a lot of cogitation and dubiety. Finally, when I decided and on my way there, I get another thing to mull upon. As soon as, I told my parents about it, they were brimming with happiness and excitement. Now, they had already manifested my career and my Job. Why were they so excited? My father never wanted me to go to JUIT and this young prospect of IICPT was beguiling. My mother usually gets excited at everything, So this wasn't something new. From JUIT, Hostel to B.tech, every topic shifted to South India. Father kept on lauding the South Indians for knowledge and discipline. Infact, It is true but my situation was miserable. I was again caught in b/w a situation. But, like any other middle class family, they didn't risk it and kept following path to Wakhna leaving me in a thought.' I cursed that call, why it had to come now only.' I was livid with them and cursed every filthy shit I knew on them' on the other hand I was genuinely thinking too.
It was somewhere around July 25, 2014. I had got admission in B.Tech at JUIT, not Satisfied, but relieved that finally I'd got into a college after a weary and ho-hum period of counselling and entrances. I was drained and sinking, my whole life seemed to have stopped. 3 months of nothing but drama and events that you don't want in your life. You have nowhere to go but wait till your parents pack your bags and send you away. Nothing can get more horrifying than this. Yes, I am dramatizing things a bit but yeah it was a hard period.
I remember doing all the packing the night before. The next morning, my whole family - my mom, dad, sister and I started on our way to JUIT. As usual we were late, that's like our family tradition. In our journey from Bilaspur to Wakhnaghat, I was thinking a lot, about my days in Bilaspur, how 14 years of school life flew and passed unnoticed. It was a mental drill to get ready for things to come. Suddenly, dad stopped the car and when inquired, he wanted some repairs in car much to our disgust as we were already late. I got some more time to spend with my mom. Oh yes, I am a mama's boy. I don't remember any moment when she's not got emotional while talking to me. But there are always two sides to a woman, one is an emotional weak side and other is brave as a lion. The way she has handled two maniacs like me and my father is truly an act of bravery. We three sat on somewhere on side of road with freezing cold water flowing all along it. As I was enjoying the frosty water with my feet immersed in, I received a call. It was a long number, an STD code followed by landline number. 'Hi' A mellow voice was on phone, informed "Deepansh Gupta. You have been selected in IICPT, Thanjavur under B.tech Food Processing&Technology programme". I had mixed emotions, I had taken the decision to go to JUIT, after a lot of cogitation and dubiety. Finally, when I decided and on my way there, I get another thing to mull upon. As soon as, I told my parents about it, they were brimming with happiness and excitement. Now, they had already manifested my career and my Job. Why were they so excited? My father never wanted me to go to JUIT and this young prospect of IICPT was beguiling. My mother usually gets excited at everything, So this wasn't something new. From JUIT, Hostel to B.tech, every topic shifted to South India. Father kept on lauding the South Indians for knowledge and discipline. Infact, It is true but my situation was miserable. I was again caught in b/w a situation. But, like any other middle class family, they didn't risk it and kept following path to Wakhna leaving me in a thought.' I cursed that call, why it had to come now only.' I was livid with them and cursed every filthy shit I knew on them' on the other hand I was genuinely thinking too.
The counselling for IICPT was scheduled on 4th August, 2014. I left that thought as soon as I entered JUIT and hostel. I was busy adjusting to new surroundings and attending Orientation Programme which went on for 3 days followed by 4 holidays. Knowing my parents, I knew they'd be pondering over the thought of IICPT. They called me. My mom said " Beta, counselling to attend kar lete hain". " nahi pasand aya to vapis aa jayenge". I agreed. There were two reasons for my agreement. First, whatever I saw in JUIT, I was not happy with it. Second, I was also seeing an actual prospect in "IICPT" "a government college" "Indian Institute" "South India" all hovered in my mind. I got up early next morning to make my way to Chandigarh Airport. We all barring my sister ( doing B.tech in Shimla ) decided to meet at the airport. I reached airport before them. For a small townee, airport is a 'big' thing. It was burning and humid in Chandigarh, I sat on the benches outside for few moments untill I was forced by my natural instinct to get up and walk around and do some crazy stuff. I checked out all the hot girls there. I abused every single Businessman and Tycoons there calling ' Salle! Smjhte kya hai apne aap ko' as they came in their SUVs, drivers carrying luggage. I was enjoying it. After 2 hours of wait and fun, they came. I looked at them, two diminutive figures approaching me, carrying big bags. Once you get into college, seeing your parents is always a pretty sight. My eyes glittered with happiness, I got a bit emotional but hid it well. I hugged them and we planned our travel to Banglore where my Maternal Uncle lived. He works at Indian Oil Corporation Ltd.. We had to pay huge sum for tickets as we had no booking. We got connecting flights as it fitted budget, Chandigarh-Mumbai ( Indigo ) and Mumbai-Banglore ( AIR India ). For first timers on airport, we did quite well and didn't get into any sort of trouble.Interestingly, my father has a habit of vanishing from the scene when the final moments come, curse his smoking. He managed to do this again, I was livid, mom too. The good thing is he always appears just in time, much to our relief. We got onto our flight. Every child from middle class dreams of travelling in an airplane. I'd say somewhere I thought of it too but dreams are much more exciting than reality. I was not the only first timer there, they both too were. Thank god!, we dressed better than we usually do while travelling.
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