Following is a forwarded message I got from my friend today morning. I liked it so much that I am putting it here. Hats off to the person who wrote this text…

Its 7:15 AM and I stand here in the bus stop waiting for the office bus to arrive. I stand here in the same spot as I did a few years back waiting for my college bus. Little did I know then that things would change so much in 2 years; the tree under which I was standing seemed to be looking at me and smiling, perhaps the only living thing that stands as a testimony there, watching the transformation of a loud and bubbly person into a quiet professional. I wouldn’t blame the professionalism for the change though. It is destiny, or may be you could call it life. Yes Life, esoteric in the true sense, for one does not understand why you meet hundreds of people everyday, work with so many, and still remain lonely.

I am now in one of the corner seats in the bus, looking out of the window watching people trying to catch up with “life”! It’s an hour’s journey and the only company that I generally have is the chatter of the RJ. I seldom notice the person sitting next to me, for its going to be yet another stranger or may be you could say another acquaintance. It is annoying at times when the radio is switched off, not because I am cut off from the melody (?) but because I would now be thrust with the thought of the solitary travel ahead. I can’t help thinking about the short bus journeys to college, well it’s a paradox to call a distance of 40 kms “short”, but that is how it always seemed. A typical college day always begins in the bus with all the familiar faces; you look forward for all your friends to get in from the various stops, the reasonless giggles, the loud laughter that were stifled to avert the eyes of the lecturers and professors who would watch on us as if we were their prospective prey for the day, well as I said it was a different life then.

The pleasant memories of college are in itself good enough to save me from the misery of the bus journey. I notice that it is time for me to get down and flash my smile of acknowledgement to all the known strangers that I see as I walk towards my cubicle. A few of my project mates greet me with their morning wishes and as always, we exchange our pleasantries. Discussions jump to the weekend plans and I wonder what I’d do over the weekend. It would be just another day staring at the mobile, wishing it would ring and bring back some wonderful moments that are now missing in life or maybe the safer option would be to come to office, for it’s my new founded asylum these days. A few years back, weekends or weekdays didn’t matter to me, I was always busy. I always stood doubting the authenticity of the wall clock that seemed to be in running too fast to perceive its movement. Alas, now it seems as though my clock is suffering from some kind of paralytic attack.

There is a time in life, where one needs to go ahead, leave behind all your friends and carry along only memories. You do make friends, but then you never get back the same old close ones, you do meet people who’d be so good to you that you could tell them anything and everything, but you’d not find a person, to whom you needn’t say things, friends who just know you. Occasional calls from such friends, has been the only thing that I seem to look forward to, but I cant help but notice the uneasy pause that lingers around the conversation, pause not because of the relationship, but because it is too short a duration to say everything, and of course you cannot completely rule out the paucity of words!

As I sip coffee from the ubiquitous coffee mugs, watching the drops of rain, trickling down the tinted glass panes, veiling the scenic beauty outside, I tell myself, may be there’d be a day when things change, when life offers a rewind, a recap of all the events, and I’d just have to wait.
Capricious are the ways of life, for I know there would be many who’d be able to empathize with me, ironically, even the dear ones that I miss this moment, waiting perhaps.

There are very few people in life for whom respect comes from within the heart. Your head automatically bows out of respect upon meeting them.

I remember it was a bright and sunny day. We were sitting in the computer lab enjoying the air conditioning. Suddenly some of our juniors came up with a news. Sir, there is a new teacher in the college. He’ll teach us C programming. Great! we said.

Thats how we came to know about him. After some time, the scene was repeated. Us sitting in lab and same juniors coming to us. sir, they said, that new teacher is a mechanical engineer! He has done PGDIT. How can a mechanical engineer teach us C?? This point even left us thinking for a while. But later on, the same juniors told us that he is a very good teacher and explains the subject very well.

Later on when we proceeded to next sem, he taught us OS. Towards the end of the course, we implicitly developed a feeling of respect and friendship towards him.

I remember how much dedicated he was towards the course.
I remember that he was more accountable to the labs and lectures than we were.
I remember that he was always ready to clear the doubts of students. No matter what time it was, no matter what he was doing.
I remember how he guided us in choosing the electives.
I remember how well he guided and supported me in my projects.
I remember how restless students were when he was absent from college for a few days.
I remember he proved that a teacher can be a great friend too.
I remember how concerned he was about our placement.
I remember how he survived a stampede at pragati maidan just for the sake of our placement.
I remember how he was awake all night encouraging us during the first campus interview.

He proved that knowledge is no one’s monopoly. Mere words like “branch” cannot stop someone from gaining expertise in some subject.

Today, he left the college.

Yes, life goes on, but we will feel the absence.

I attended the meeting in lecture hall today. Although, sitting at the last bench, he was not audible properly, but i know that he was sad. His future will bring him the best things in life. But our past does affect our future life to a certain extent.

Any feeling whether jolly or sad is not felt immediately. Its when you go home and think about it, it affects you most.

He is a great person, a great teacher, great friend and above all an excellent human being.

I wish him all the best for his future and can only say the following line…

After a short break. I’m back. I had planned to write about my first placement interview experience. But, i had to go home for Raksha Bandhan. I boarded the 2420 Gomti Express which shuttles between New Delhi and Lucknow. The journey changed my plan. Here is how…

I had my seat reserved in the AC chair car coach C1, birth 55. I was quitely sitting on my seat when i spotted a beautiful girl coming towards me. Oh god! please she should sit besides me, I prayed. Voilla! yes, her seat was 56! Just besides me. Thank god! It was going to be a great journey!

But as all good things must come to an end (and in my case, they should end even before they are started :(( ), she suddenly spotted the gentleman sitting right behind me. Alok(name changed) sir! she screamed. What are you doing here, Komal(name changed)? the man said. M going to Lucknow, you? Same here, replied Komal. And without even caring a damn for the nice guy sitting besides her, she requested the lady sitting with her naughty child next to her “sir” to exchange seats. The lady agreed. Some great journey it was going to be! ****!

How could i let such a nice girl go away? So, i decided to atleast hear what she has to say to her “sir”. I overheard that she is a doctor and that her “sir” is some high official in some respected company. She was talking to him regarding taking an examination. She also told him that she was getting married 2 months later 🙁

I realized that i was not the only one involved in the crime. There was another guy sitting next to sir who was also overhearing their conversation. His expressions told me that he was dying to tell something. Maybe it were some misconceptions of the girl about the test that he wanted to clear. So, when he could not take more, he told the girl that he has passed that test and it is very easy. He also cleared most of her misconceptions. She was impressed. So was i. I would never have spoken in the middle even if i had topped the test!

Then they started the introduction round. Both of them soon realized that they were classmates once! Heck. The aunty besides me is sleeping and that naughty fellow is kicking on my legs.

Soon, they started remembering their school days. I found out that the girl was popular during the school days also(she should be!) and that the boy was a dumbo. They seldom talked to each other in their school days.

“Ha Ha Ha Ha” came a loud feminine laughter from back. Everyone turned around. Even auty woke up and scolded the naught fellow for kicking my legs. There were some 3 extra modern girls from some mod college in Delhi. They were discussing about boyfriends as if they were sitting in their hostel room. Speaking so loudly that even the person at the other end could hear them. And they were talking all rubbish.

Komal and Abhishek(name changed) started discussing the city to which these girls would belong. “They are definitly not from Lucknow” said Abhishek. “Why not”? asked Komal. “Because Lucknow girls are not like these”, replied Abhishek. “Abhishek!!” said excited Komal, “I never thought you looked at girls like that”. Then they took their point of discussion from the girls to sex and many other things which should not be disclosed here.

“Sir” was listening quitely meanwhile. Suddenly he asked Abhishek what he is doing now a days. He told him that he is coming to Lucknow for some interview. This is his third and last try. Sir said, “According to me, you are a perfect candidate for the job! Then why aren’t you getting it?”. “They probably want money”, said Abhishek sadly. “Then give them, even if you pay them a lakh or so now, you can easily redeem it within a year!” “No sir, i can’t do that. I can’t ask my father for giving bribes.” said Abhishek. “I think Abhishek is right sir. One should never pay bribe for a job!”, said Komal. The discussion went long and the old saying “If you can’t beat them, join them” prevailed. Sir had to agree with both of them. Heck. Its aunty’s sleeping time and that naughty fellow bugging me again!

Meanwhile we reached Kanpur and two of the ultra modern girls left the train. They belonged to Unnao. I know this from their discussion. They were teasing each other that Unnao is such a ghatiya town that no train stops there. Sir assured Abhishek that he would definitly get selected this time as he is a perfect candidate and also very honest. He also asked for his roll number. “What will you do with that?” asked Abhishek. “Sir! you may also be…..” cried Komal in excitement. “Yes, i m among the interviewers and may get to interview Abhishek”, said “Sir”. “Beta Abhishek, consider yourself selected! I was checking your intentions and honesty”. I wish i could take a photo of Abhishek’s face at that moment and put it here as i can’t put it in words. He was speechless. “Sir” was like god for him. He has been trying for this job since the last 2 years!

Now consider this – Had he over reacted on the bribe idea by sir and shouted on him or even agreed to give bribe, he would lost his last chance.

There goes the old saying by Raheem or Kabeer(i don’t remember) i read in my school days. If somebody does remember it, please post it as a comment. The jist of the journey says that one should always be polite, calm and honest with people one meets in life. Who knows even god may turn up sometime!

Meanwhile Mr. Naughty had slept with his mother. But he won’t be able to continue for long as the train was pulling into the limits of Lucknow.