Dance of the Falling Leaf

बढ़ गया था प्यास का एहसास दरिया देखकर , हम पलट आये मगर पानी को प्यासा देखकर.

MOSER-BAER

I have always stated that I subconsciously try to emulate people I have met in my life and all I pen down is nothing original or creative. So in future if you come across someone who calls me a cheating liar, well, believe him.

I also promised that I would share some of the most important moments of my college life with you. What I merely wish is that the words of these people have the same effect on you as they had on me. So here I narrate to you a conversation I had with a person a day before he was about to leave college..forever..

It was just after our semester exams had finished, and people were packing their bags to go home for the much awaited summer break. I had my dinner and was walking back to my hostel when suddenly I remembered that [………] was also leaving tomorrow. The guy had helped me a lot throughout the year and I owe him a lot and so I went to his room to bid him farewell. Seeing me he asked in his usual manner,” So, what brings you here today?”.

“I came to say bye. That’s all.”, I replied.

He smiled and said,” And how am I supposed to react to that? I am not very experienced at talking to people bidding me farewell.”

I had actually disturbed him at a time when he was busy burning DVDs with the movies and TV Serials he had watched [and Downloaded], so that he could take them home. But he wasn’t displeased, on the contrary, he went on to say something that I still cherish and value.

“So, since I am the senior, I am supposed to tell you something which would help you survive in this hostile environment. Well, all I can say this that there were a lot of wrong things happening here when I joined, and nothing much has changed since then. Its not that I didn’t try to change them, but I just couldn’t. I have seen programs, circuits being copied from the net and being shown as a final year project. We already know what is good and what is not, yet most of the times we choose the easy way to bail out. The fault is not in the copying or apathy, whole of India does it nowadays, the problem is with our attitude towards doing things. Students are not mocked for studying or working hard here, they are actually treated as heroes for doing their job! We could all follow suit, but unfortunately we are too lazy or rather too tired. I am not saying that the crowd here is stupid or dumb. They are actually the best brains of the country, but what I hate most is the meek surrender against enticing evil of intellectual gimmickry. I agree that it there are problems with administration, but are we completely clean? “

Honestly, I didn’t have an answer to that question. I remained silent and watched the computer screen. It displayed the copying as 75% completed. He continued,” I am sorry but I was supposed to say some words of encouragement. Ok, all I’ll say is that to do well, believe that you are the best, act like the best, work like the best, live like the best and most importantly whenever you do anything, give it your best. Have faith in your abilities. If you have come this far you can obviously go further.”

The DVD copying was completed by now, and it ejected out. He picked it up and kept in the case nicely. “Have you had your dinner?”, he asked.

“Yes, just before I came here”.

“Good, then come, we’ll have a chocolate shake at Evergreen.”. He kept the case aside and we walked out of the room.

As we were about to lock the room before leaving, something happened to him. In a flash he unlatched the door went inside and came out with a DVD. “Take this, its blank. I don’t need it anymore. I couldn’t use it. It might be of greater help to you.”. I took the blank DVD and we walked out to savour the local ambrosia.

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I hope you liked it. Because I certainly did like the free chocolate shake. ;)