Brain Drain

There are some days you remember for a very long time. I am going to recount one such day to you. The day started with a feeling of freshness and energy unlike the times when I have to jab the snooze button at least twice. Preparing to leave for my college I quickly downed my breakfast and waved a goodbye to my still sleepy mother. Unexpectedly I immediately get a bus, an empty one at that, which would take me to the station. The conductor comes to me to give my ticket and I pay him, belatedly realizing that I had a pass. Round one: 7 bucks down the drain.
At the station I climb into my regular 10.10 train and come across my old school friend. Chatting away I didn’t pay attention to her new flashy clothes, accessories, and the big tikka on her forehead and rattled on about day to day stuff. Getting down at my stop I turn around and wave a see you later sign, noticing the ‘there is something more I want to tell you’ look on her face. Shrugging this thought away I’m continuing on my way when I get a message on my cell phone. It was from the school friend. It read – “by the way, it is my bday 2day.” Round two: Oooh! I was so embarrassed. I used to wish her on her birthday every year. This encounter left me with a very self deprecating feeling. I immediately called her up and apologized for my useless memory but she laughed it away and graciously accepted my wishes. Hmmm… this made me feel much better. It’s a good thing my friends put up with my forgetfulness.
Thinking about friends, I hurried on my way to college. Walking never inspired me so I stood in the queue for share rickshaws. Climbing a rick with two other girls headed towards the college I went through the usual ritual of putting on my ID, taking out the change for the share and switching my phone into silent mode. When I look up I realize that the rickshaw is headed in some other direction. Panicking I almost yell at the driver and ask him to take me to the college. He does not respond and makes another quick turn. I look at the other two girls sitting next to me for help but they are staring at me as if I had lost my mind. Bewildered I looked out of the rickshaw and recognized a few familiar settings and shortly the rickshaw screeched to a halt in front of my college. Round three: Thoroughly abashed I realized that he had taken a different route to the college instead of the common one.
Sighing, I enter my classroom where I take my seat at the front of the class with my friends. This was the time of the year when we had to deal with our project work. One of our teachers had assigned us groups so that we could mix with the rest of the class. I turn round on my seat and look back at the girl supposed to be working with me. “Neeyati, Neeyati…” I called her a couple of times but she did not respond so I called louder. Still she did not look up from her desk. Frowning at this, I caught the stare of her neighbor who looked at me and spoke loudly and slowly as if talking to a child “this is Neeyati.” She said pointing to her right and the she pointed at the girl I was calling and said, “And this is Sheetal.” Understanding this I turn around to find my friends laughing at this little misunderstanding. Well I was to blame this time. Two years in the same class and I still got confused with the names. Round four: I had crossed the limit that day.
All in all my day was full of dumb contradictions that made me think that my friends are not so wrong by nicknaming me ‘Dhakkan’ or ‘Tube light’!