It must
still be dark outside when I woke up with a loud knock at my door, suggesting an
emergency of the highest order, and while I may still be recovering from my
sleep, my mechanics instinct made no error of predicting that the door, weakly supported
by the rusty hinges, would fall apart in the next two strokes.
“BE RIGHT THERE!” I
responded, alarmingly and loudly.
“Hey, four five one! Do you
know what’s in the breakfast?” It was Badalal’s voice with a tone of indifference
for someone’s privacy and sleep at this early hour.
“WHAT?” I responded
in an obvious irritated voice.
“Do you know what’s in the
breakfast menu this morning?” demanded Badalal, as if I was
intitled to this information after having inherited the business of running the
cafeteria from my forefathers.
“DON’T YOU SEE I AM STILL IN
BED. WHY DO YOU ASK?”
“No reason, just curious to
know beforehand as I was on my way to the cafeteria. Don’t be so cranky on such
a fine morning mister.”
Without being able to catch
much sleep last night, it was indeed not a good start to my diary. With just
under an hour remaining for the morning lecture, I took little time to get dressed
and rushed towards the cafeteria for my breakfast. The cafeteria was just a few
meters away from our rooms. A big wooden door coloured with white paint was not
as overwhelming as the size of the hall itself. A notice board just the at entrance
displayed the rules of the dining hall along with a few memos and a disciplinary
warning against any form of ragging.
As I helped myself with a bowl
of cereal, across the hall I caught a trio - laughing and giggling amongst
themselves. Noticing their casual attire and tall personality, I made no
mistake of spotting my seniors. I intentionally rushed to find a seat far away
but ended up making eye contact with one of the predators, and he quickly grabbed
his chance by inviting me to join their table. With the slow uncomfortable
walk, I did all I could in my capacity for others to notice my callers, but it nonetheless
didn’t matter and I was bombarded with hypothetical questions left, right and center
without having any opportunity to respond.
“Be ready for tonight!” one of
the guys exclaimed, as the trio finished their entertaining meal. I was taken
aback for a while and took a deep breath to calm my nerves, which were at the
point of explosion from the fear of picturing another torturous night with
unknown devils.
Thought of Badalal, the known
devil, came to mind. I saw him during the day at many occasions but gathered the
courage to be his acquaintance only when the session ended in the hope to form
an ally in preparation for the night’s adventure. I updated him about my little
incident at the breakfast table and refused to join him for dinner at the cafeteria
in the hope that the predators might move on with another kill and forget all about
the fresh bait that caught their attention.
Badalal came to my room after
dinner, offering me a glass of juice that he carried from the cafeteria in exchange
for the last few pieces of chocolates left in my capacity.
“Don’t worry so about the predators’
mister, they are bound to catch you – today or tomorrow, just a matter of time!
That’s the simple rule of the jungle here.” Explained my neighbour,
crunching a large bite of chocolate, by almost giving me heartache.
“But how could they, ragging is
banned. Don’t they know already having spent years at this university.” I cried
with a shaken confidence.
“Yes, but what else could we
do! I am told that they make you sing and dance!”
“Sing and dance? Oh, that’s not
so bad. I don’t mind doing that, I am fine with the dance, a little embarrassment
never hurts.” I sighed with relief.
“Yeah, but you may be stripped
naked when you do that.”
“WHAT?”
And before I could express my shock,
there was a knock at the door. It was as I rightly feared, one among the trios
that I was introduced to the morning. Badalal too got arrested as he happened to
be at the crime scene. We both looked at each other in despair as we climbed two
floors right into the midst of the senior’s wing where dozens of eyes would lure
at once, waiting to see our lifetime performance.
I knew I was not ready for this.
We were taken into the room, where
the trio prepared for their kill. Looking at my frightened appearance and almost
teary eyes, they took the turn to Badalal instead who stood fearless and prepared.
He knew the drill. The predators demanded him to sing and take off his shirt
and trousers. Badalal without any hesitation started singing in his confident voice,
slowly took off this shirt following his pants, dancing slowly on his tune.
And there came along his underwear
and Badalal’s mister hung out of his nest.
It was a sight; I was
unprepared for - even more than being tonight’s bait. I knew it would haunt me
for the rest of my life.
To my surprise, the trio looked
shocked too.
“What the hell are you doing?
Who asked you to strip completely?” The predators were taken aback
for Badala’s forthcoming approach.
“I thought this is what you wanted
to see mister!”
“Do you think we want to see
your ugly mister, mister? We just meant your pants, not all the way! This is
disgusting?” Sickened by Badalal’s flesh hanging like a pendulum. The trio turned
their eyes and found me standing there frozen like a solid rock, a wave of fear
ran through their mind for the consequence of a complaint on this activity would
be severe.
Badalal still stood butt naked
waiting for the next order.
“This is enough, what are you
waiting for? Get dressed you idiot?” demanded the predators.
“We are not even your seniors;
we are freshers just like you. I am Sandy, this is Yogi and Siraj!” They revealed
their identity and made their way out disgusted by Badalal’s performance.
Badalal and I walked back to
our rooms quietly and busted with laughter high on the adrenaline rush as we
approached our territory. He made me promise not to disclose this incident to
anyone. I was just glad to be back in my
room and shortly fell blissfully asleep. I woke up Badalal the next morning
with the loudest knock on his door.
“Hey, four eight zero! Do
you know what’s in the breakfast, mister?” I enquired before I happily made
my way to the cafeteria to recover for the skipped dinner last night.
Badalal mysteriously earned the
title of Mister throughout the University. I was one among the only few
who knew why.
