Life in MAroon CoaT

Chapter 1: Baptism of the quagmire

22^nd July 2007, I was writing the examination for Special class railway apprentice, about which I hardly knew anything and wasn’t even interested in taking the test. I still remember, it was a warm Sunday; the weather was confused between monsoon and summer; and I was looking out of the window instead of writing the paper. Suddenly the invigilator interrupted and announced, ‘Time up put your pencils down’. I looked down, my worn out flotters appeared gloomier than my thoughts. I tightened the strap and decided I won’t buy a new pair unless I get what I always wanted since the last 2 years. So what if I messed up the JEE, all I need is hardwork and focus, and next year I will make it for sure.

During the 3 hour break between the papers, I was sitting under the shade of a tree in a temple, which was right across the street. As I started eating my sandwiches my mind slowly started returning closer and closer to the reality, and I started thinking about what people had told me about the college I will be joining from the next day, and kept asking myself a question, ‘is it really a college smeared with politics and groupism?’ A question with an answer that always remained in front of me but I remained oblivion.