Meeting her for the first time
September 2000,
Sri Sairam engineering college,
Chennai.
I was super excited and full of energy, and had pre decided to enjoy my life at college to the extreme extent possible.,and for fulfilling that enjoyment the first decision i took was to stay in hostel but not inside the college as i had heard that most boys stayed in the CR hostel which was outside the college and it was the warehouse for every kind of fun and enjoyment.. I had booked myself in a 2-person-stay-room,, where i along with another guy had to stay together. I had no idea of the other guy but i was informed that he would arrive late night and he was also a first year student of my college but from a different stream.
With everything set, i wore complete formals, a blue coloured striped shirt and a black pant..I had wondered in school days to wear t shirts and denim in college but my college administration had ruined my dreams.
My college was at a distance of less than a kilometre from the hostel so I walked towards the college along the straight road. I witnessed a number of students walking and some of them were traveling in auto rickshaws along with their parents as it was the first day of college. As I walked, i recollected my hard work and stiff determination which i forced myself to be with, so that i got into the field which i liked the most,ENGINEERING...
I was feeling a lot proud and happy for myself for making into one of the best engineering colleges in Tamil Nadu. I also recollected the beautiful memories which i had enjoyed in school but i had to leave most of my friends back in my native city madurai as most of them joined the college in madurai and other cities, and only a few of them joined colleges in Chennai..
With tons of expectations, dreams, ideas and happiness within my mind, i had reached the college gate.. Just as i reached the college i heard someone behind me,,,
"Excuse me"
"Yes", I replied.
"Do u have change for 100rs.?" I saw a girl in pink chudithar with long curly hair standing beside me..
"Yup,, mmmmm... i have one 50 rupee note, two 20 rupee notes and one 10 rupee note,,is that fine???"
I had checked my purse while leaving the hostel for having lunch in the canteen.
"If you don't mind,, can you please give me the change"..
I gave the change to her,, and took back the 100rs note...
"Thanks a lot,,,"..She replied..
"No mention..." I replied..
Then i turned back and looked at the college,,,this is going to be the place in which i am going to spend the very precious, joyous and the most excited 4 years of my life...
The college looked gigantic and awesome,, as i was admiring the beauty and construction works of my college,,Just then,,
"Are you a first year student.." With his uniform, i could recognize him that he was the college watchman..
"Yes...",,I replied in a single word..
"You have to go the mechanical seminar hall for the principal's address"..I was surprised that even the college watchman had a good knowledge in English...
"When will it start,,,,,,Sir??" the word "sir" just slipped from me,, after being aware of his english fluency...
"It will commence in another 10 minutes, and it will be followed by welcome speech by department hod's and your seniors,,and all such things will finished by 1pm and then you can go for your lunch"..As he said i realized that this schedule had been followed in the college for quite a long period of time.
"Thank you",,I replied and walked towards the mechanical seminar hall..
The seminar hall looked ultra furnished,,with an accommodation capacity of around 2000 people and the entire hall had centralized air conditioning..It was freezing inside as i took my seat in the fourth row from the last..
Just then,, the dean, principal, hod's and some other people arrived amidst huge applause from the student side. Guess the students had even got the practice for clapping hands as the entire applause had some regular form,,it was artificial...
One followed by the other everyone on the stage spoke about the credits of the college and the merits of the students who had left the college with flying colors..After a couple of hours, i felt drowsy as my eyelashes kissed each other..
When i gained my senses back,, i saw everyone around me clapping again..I realised almost every stuff regarding the introduction had finished..Then, someone in the stage took the mike.
"Thats all for the introduction and now everyone can leave for lunch,,,go back to your respective classes after the lunch, as the classes will commence today immediately after lunch..Best of luck"
I relieved myself,, and walked towards the canteen..I planned to have meals for afternoon, as only meals could satisfy my stomach till 5. Hence i walked towards the counter quickly and i was surprised to see only a few people in the canteen at that time.. I tapped myself for being so quick,, in atleast eating..
I took my purse,,took the 100 rupee note which i had exchanged for change from some girl in the morning...
I gave it to the person in counter..
"1 meals,please"
"No change,,,30rs please..."
"Sorry sir,, i don't have the change",,I replied helplessly..
"Then you need to wait for some time..." He said...
I felt pity on myself, "I should have thought about it" I told to myself...
I stood near the counter...
Just then,,, I heard,,,
"Excuse me",,,in the same tone as i heard in the morning...I had remembered that voice because the voice which said those two words was quite unique...I was poor in guessing things,,,but for the first time,,it clicked right...Yes, it was the same girl, to whom i had given the change earlier in the morning...
I guess she too recognized me, and she gave me a blank smile...
Just then I heard those two words again...
"Excuse me",,This was not of course her voice,,it was the person who was in the canteen counter..
She turned away from me and held her hand to the counter,,,
"1 meals sir,,how much??"
"30rs",,He replied..
She took the change which i had given her and bought the token.. My stomach started cursing me, as there was no one near the counter and i had been waiting there for around 10 minutes..
I lost my patience and called her with the same two words..."Excuse me"
She turned,,and i asked the same question which she asked me in the morning...
"Do u have change for 100rs.?"
Her lips moved a little towards the x axis,, i mean she showed a gentle little smile on her face on seeing me in the same condition in which she was,earlier in the morning..
"Not actually, but how much do u need??"
"I need 30rs for stopping my stomach from cursing me",,I replied gently..
"Oh,,thats not a problem,,,i ll give u 30rs now,, return it when you have the change with you"..She seemed a lot friendly..
"Nope,, i can arrange somehow..Sorry for,.."..Before i had actually completed my sentence,,
"Its ok,, you had helped me earlier,,,and am paying that back!!!"She replied...
She gave me the 30rs token,, and she bought herself a new one...
And even before i had thought of thanking her...
"No mention,, and no probs!!Take care"...She said...
Our conversation lasted for around 3-5 minutes and she uttered not more than 50 words but she was so friendly with her talks..I liked that much..
So this was our first meeting,,, and at that instant, i had never expected that this girl with pink chudithar and long curly hair would be the best friend of my lifetime...
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