It was a beautiful Winter morning today. I spotted a blue Kingfisher from the balcony along with a couple of green Bee-eaters and yes some crows as well. The stray dogs were chasing each other mostly due to their territorial disputes. Lovely. This has been a hectic week in the social media, the only ‘social’ life I have right now. Several discussions and arguments. Almost all the group chats, tweets and news articles had polarizing views about something or the other. People seemed all riled up and aggressive. Funny things these opinions. I decided to divert myself from all this for a while and focus on my upcoming endeavors, but not before writing a small piece for the blog. This is a small incident from eleven years ago. I wanted to write about it for a long time but couldn’t for one reason or the other. I am glad that I manged to write this today and it feels right.
When?
The year was 2005. Fresh after finishing my tenth class, like most kids back then, I joined Sri Chaitanya Jr College, Vijayawada so that like my brother I would get into an IIT. The initial days were filled with excitement. Making friends from all over the state and yes studying too. Since my dad worked in the same city at that time (he traveled everyday) he used to visit me two or three times in a week. Sometimes during lunch hours and sometimes during the night after his office hours. It was on this day eleven year ago, 11th November 2005, that this happened.
The night before i.e, 10th November 2005, I was too excited to sleep.
Why?
November 11th is my dad’s birthday. Since I was in hostel and my brother was far away in IIT-Madras, my dad said that he would come from office and take me out for lunch before going back home to my mom. But there were some problems.
1. These residential colleges will not allow students to skip classes, especially on weekdays.Study hours in the evening? Yes. But not classes. No matter who you were, you have to take the Principal’s permission.
2. Since my dad visited every couple of days, and most of the times he took me out, at least for some ice cream, the Principal wouldn’t be willing to permit me once again.
3. It was a Friday and we had weekly tests on Saturdays and Sundays.
I was afraid that they wouldn’t let me go out that day. I needed a plan.
How?
On November 11th 2005, I woke early in the morning and took a shower and wore some bright colored clothes (Red T-Shirt if I remember correctly.) If you have any idea how often kids bathed in those hostels and how carelessly they dressed, this is when you should be surprised (Winter mind you.) Classes began at 6 am as usual and continued till 12:30 with a break for breakfast in-between. Our last class before lunch was Trigonometry taught by none other than our Principal Krishna Reddy sir. A tall, casually dressed well built man with a distinct voice. He was strict. I sat in the first bench near the entrance/exit. People often sat there so that they can run back to the hostel, which was few hundred yards away, to get to the telephone booth before the queue forms. Even I did that on most days. I was going to run on that day too but for a different reason.
I had to execute my plan or else it’ll again be my father pleading the Principal for permission. No. I wasn’t going to let that happen. Not on his birthday.
As soon as the bell rang, even before sir could leave the room, I ran out of the class and reached the hostel building. I had to be there before he reaches his office in the basement.
The timing was perfect because I knew that the store in the basement would open by the time kids came back to the hostel for lunch. The lady was setting up her store by the time I reached. I quickly bought a few chocolates (KismiBar and BarOne I think) and waited near the gate. Like I said, I was dressed colorfully and as soon as he entered the building, I went towards the Principal and gave him the chocolates. He very gracefully smiled and wished me
“Happy Birthday!”
“No sir. It is not my birthday. It is my father’s.” He looked surprised and laughed.
“You’re giving chocolates on your father’s birthday?” I smiled. He did not know what to say and I don’t blame him. These things don’t happen everyday.
“Hehe.. All the best.” he said and walked away to his office.
Then?
I went to my room and changed into something more comfortable and waited for my father. When he finally came, he was hesitant as usual to ask for permission. I walked right behind him into the Principal’s office and as soon as we entered, Krishna Reddy sir stood up and wished him
“Happy Birthday sir!” they shook hands. My dad was surprised and looked at me.
“Your son is distributing chocolates on your birthday.” I smiled back at him. My father also started to laugh.
“You want to take him out for lunch?” both of them looked at me and I nodded. He did not have to ask at all. Haha.
“I will bring him back by evening.” my dad said and that was it.
I don’t remember where we had lunch that day. May be Crossroads or Sweet Magic or Ilapuram or some other place that we usually went on our outings. I am not sure if we had ice-cream outside that modern super market in Besant road like we did almost every time.
Looking back today, I wish I could’ve remembered more from that day. But I guess that’s the silly thing about life. It can only go one way. However, I know for sure that on that one day, I was a very happy kid and today I doubt if I will ever be that happy again in life. I can only learn to live in the moment and treasure memories.
What now?
I don’t know. That is all I wanted to say I suppose. Birthdays don’t really interest me anymore. Mine or others. I feel equally awkward wishing people and while people wish me. I am however going to make an exception for today.
Happy Birthday daddy.
The Cannibal 