Chaper 2: there is always a way out!

It was my first dinner at the hostel. i had sworn to myself i would not complain about anything in hostel. i would ignore all bad things n just concentrate on my studies. I survived the dinner.

After my dinner, i looked through my timetable for next day, my first day in academy. N it scared the hell out of me.

First class was at 6am, n it was English. I made quick plans like i would sleep immediately. N get up at 4.30 am. N i had decided i wouldn’t go late for classes like i did all my life. i kept all things ready, my books, bag, pen, id card. Everything.

I caught glimpse of sam staring at me smiling.

“what are u staring at?” i asked her.

“Nothing” she said, “i too did what u r doing now for first few days.. :P now i run to class with a book i catch first! Hope this lasts for at least a week with u.”

I smiled back. "I too hope so... I was pathetic with all this in engineering. So what time you have class tomorrow?” i asked her.

“I have at 6 am. Software engineering. May be i won’t attend. That sir puts u off to doze anyway. So maybe i’ll attend my next class.”

Shikha was busy reading. I found out she didn’t mingle up with anyone. She just stayed to herself. it was good for her n me too in a way. I too didn’t want a person who would blabber all the time for a roommate. Everything was perfect, i thought, except fan of course. I stared at it again. Come on it was really hot. The fan had its speed more reduced because all other rooms were having their fans running at full speed at that time.

I finally said. “Its really hot shikha. Can we have fan run little faster?”

She looked up at me n said.. “pls aparna i can adjust to anything u say. But pls help me out with fan. it blocks my nose i can’t concentrate next day in class.”

They say it is difficult to beat someone at his/her politeness. And i understood the meaning of the verse perfectly that day.

Hmm.. I said good night to both n then to fan. sam giggled. Her phone rang again.

It was just 10.30 pm. Light was on in the room. I could feel it with even my eyes closed. i felt i was not getting sleep. I tried to sleep... i told myself i need to get up early. but sleep was just so far away. I remembered my home again.

It was 11.30 pm. Lights were off in my room. I had not yet slept. It was so damn hot. I was swetting. I thought, i have had it! i am goin to speed the fan up. i saw shikha was sleeping nicely shooing away my sleep. I remembered what my mom had said – adjust, be nice to people. I tried to sleep back. I saw sam was still on phone. She was talking slowly trying not to disturb us. How on the earth she is surviving without fan???? For split of a second i wished if i too was in love, if that was the reason behind sam’s ability to survive without fan...

It was 1 am. I was still awake. Sam was messaging i saw. I checked my mobile. I had no messages to reply.

I heard some voices. distant voices. someone was shouting my name. Was there an earthquake in hostel, i mean in hydrabad.? what was it? I heard voices again. This time more vividly. Aparna.... aparna... GET UP!

It was sam. she shouted. "Ur alarm!! its 4.30 get up. else u won’t get bathroom n u ll be late for very first day."

"No no.. i am getting up." i was up rubbing my eyes. I remembered how gently my parents woke me up at home. i was missing it already.

Hostel was already up. shikha was reading again. Yuccckkk! Was the only thing i could say. I hated those who read day n night.

I reached in time to the class. I walked slowly and found myself a decent bench. I sat next to two girls. We smiled at one other. i just looked around. This was a fresh batch that had started just that day. People were introducing themselves to each other. There were not many people in the class. And i was told another batch would join this class soon after English, making the strength around 150.

Sir entered the class. The class went to pin drop silence state by the time sir reached the podium. He was a man may be in his early forties. He was balding already. Hullo every one! A thumping voice echoed from mike. N slightest of my sleep left in me ran away.

"Good morning every one. It is nice to see another fresh batch of youngsters with so much energy oozing out. I am ur English teacher!"

He reminded me of physical education teacher at school.

“They left us 62 years ago, but still we are here to learn their language. British.” He started.

“But mind u! We cannot ignore English ANYMORE. Its an international language. And good communication, good vocabulary and presentation skills today are must for survival.” He stressed further on it. He finally said he would try to get us learn or improve these skills in a more enjoyable way.

The class went on nicely. He talked about grammar, common mistakes made in day today life etc. I was on my best attention for about 20 minutes. Then my mind started wondering. I had hardly slept last night. My head was kind of heavy. This was not going to work without fan. i was sympathetic to shikha, call it even empathetic. But somebody think about me too, scorching hydrabad heat n i am asked to live without fan.

everyday sacrificing my sleep! it was not worth leaving two jobs n leaving home. i had to do something. Well i had tried all my ways of convincing her. n for my nature, i couldn’t fight with anyone either. it was mission impossible. N i was not in love too, like sam. it was really impossible. I was searching for options of leaving room now.

Sir was throwing interesting questions on English and whoever answered won a pen for prize. Sir had brought a pack of them with him. Nothing was interesting me. i was in my own world. I was worried. He said it was an early morning class n if he went on with the grammar for some more time some of us would fall for a nap. “i’ll tell u a story. hows that?” he said.

Whole class cheered up.

His story began. I told myself lets listen to story we ll worry later..

Once upon a time on a bank of a river in Punjab lived a karate hero called dhara singh. He was champion of all martial arts. Everyone got scared of him in the village. He won all championships, all medals, every game. he was invincible, unconquerable.

There was a boy called ramu in that village. He had grown up seeing, listening to dhara singhs triumphs. He too wanted to be like him. But whenever he looked at himself his own body of only skeleton and skin, it disappointed him. To add on he didn’t have his right arm. Poor boy... sir sighed.

I was engrossed in the story. sir went on...

His only dream in life was to beat dhara singh. And it was too difficult for him to give this dream up. so he decided to visit a “khusti” teacher. All well known teachers in the town made fun of him when he put forth his wish. They mocked at his inability, they all ridiculed him.

I noticed sir was using new or less often used words now and then. I noted few of them here and there. I was back in class. More than that i wanted to know what happened to ramu. I had forgotten shikha and also the fan.

Ramu finally went to the last teacher in the town. And to his surprise he was accepted as student with due repect to his wish of defeating dhara singh. Ramu was grateful. He started his practice in full rigour. He practised day and night tirelessly for two years, when finally his master declared him ready for the battle with dhara singh.

The whole village turned up that day. Everyone wanted to see ramu beaten up badly for his insanity. Whole village was on one side. Ramu n his master were on the other. The game began. There were five rounds. N to everyone’s shock, ramu won all 5 rounds. Every one stood speechless. What was going on.?

Dhara singh left the court horrified. Ramu was declared the winner.

Ramu broke to tears. He couldn’t believe it. He had lived his dream. How had that happened? He runs to his master.

“Master what did u do? How did u do this? I won.” Ramu asked his master with teas f gratitude, a choking voice.

Master said calmy... "yes ramu u won. I applied a trick."

"What was it master?"

There is a trick in kusti called “mallabandha” when u apply it on ur opponent, only way he can overcome u is by holding ur right hand. And u don’t have a right arm. So he could never work out of it.

"And u won."

The whole class was silent as sir finished his last sentence of story.

Now that was a story!!! i thought... Nice one. Really refreshing one! Early in the morning.

Sir continued... "Now my dear friends just tell me in one sentence what u got from the story." I noticed so many hands shot up in the air.

A boy said. Hard work and intelligence is the way to success.

"Not bad! Anyone else?" sir asked.

"If u really wish something u can achieve it."

"Correct... next..?"

Some boy stud up n said. Sir something we wish really in life, something we desire truly, something we want from bottom of our heart, we should never leave hopes on it sir. It will come true one or the other day sir!

"Oh sir. I asked in one line... anyway... sit-down good attempt. Anyone from girls?"

I said it... not to sir but to me, to myself... but it came out little louder than I had intended.

“There is always a way out”

What? Sir had heard me... I was in second bench. "Louder please..."

This was it..! this was it..! i had got my solution to the fan problem. I had got my way out... I suddenly knew what i should do.

I said louder this time. With full confidence and a smile to entire class.. “there is always a way out.. sir.."

"Excellent! excellent kid! Come here n take this.."

i walked to sir, he gave me a 50 rupees note..

"this is ur prize! Brilliant answer! whats ur name?"

"Aparna bhat sir..." And i took the note with gratitude. I was grateful for the story!

"Yes friends there is always a way out! Nice way to say it aparna congratualtions. Buy a book of swami vivekanada!"

Thank you sir was all i could say! About 10 cello maxwriters were already distributed for winners in class but this was the first 50 rupees note. :P i was happy to see few jealous faces..

Sir went on. "friends vivekanada has been one person who had immense influence on my life. so many problems floated across. But i survived. I was a hopeless kid of my parents. a hopeless student at school. But today i am somebody. I take English classes for this institution, i prepare students for many entrance exams across the world, i give talks, i am called at iits and nits all over india as guest lecturer. I am a recognised man in the society today. Just remember one mantra. Jai Vivekananda”.

A wave of laughter was up in class.

"No dear friends it works. Whenever u r scared just say this. Be fearless. As Vivekananda said there is no word called fear in his dictionary. Tell to urself.. all is well.. or as this girl said now.." “there got to be a way out”

Fearless.. be fearless... it was like,the word had hit us like a thunder..

This was it! I had got my solution to the problem called “shikha”... i was fearless now... i knew wat was my way out now... J