Day One

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.