I called up srini (frnd) @ 6:30. He told 7:15 Roopali (name of a restro). Then there was my nani to face. I have been telling her that – I got a call from a friend saying that there is an A/c lecture from 7 to 9. #LIE. I told her that the information doesn’t comes from a trusted source but still, as a good student, it is my duty to go there & check – if @ all there is a class & then attend it with full concentration. I said I will visit a friend & then we will go to the college together- If there is no lecture, I will be back in 20 min.-[All this unusually good things made nani sure that daal mein kuch kaala hai.] She was so much against my going there- & I was standing over her like a beggar from whom you can get rid only if you give him a penny. J
She finally said, (in a sulking tone), “Do whatever you wish” I went murmuring things such as, ‘its studies’ ,‘for practice’, etc. She again said, “Do as you wish” (read I don’t want you to go…. ).
Well, I was determined. It was too tempting a meet to miss. Mayank landed up from Delhi to discuss mission ‘education’ (Let the right time come & you will know what the idea was. Till then let’s call it mission ‘education’). So I went to friend to inform him in case he might call up my home. Then we had a fruitful meeting which was more about ‘WHAT’ ‘WHY’ & less about ‘HOW’. A cool quote came to my mind, but thanks to srini’s comments, I couldn’t speak it. Then all was fine till 9:10 & then I stood up to leave explaining the folks that I lied & so….
These guys came up things such as “Don’t lie” “To hide 1 lie, you will need to speak 10 more” et al. I stopped them half way through & ordered a cell phone. After 4 attempts, got the right no. mama was on the line. I said, “I am sorry……..hmmmm….I lied to nani that I am going to college. A yatri has came from Delhi. I wanted to meet so…..”
Mama: “By when will u be home.”
I: “Will leave in 10-15min.”
Mama: “Be there by 9:45”
HANG UP
(Mama had a very normal tone & I was too nervous to realize that I was shivering.)
That’s all. Everything was fine now. I had a glass of water (my fifth one as the meeting began…..I needed bathroom badly now. ). Then we had a coffee (thanks to kalyani). Rushed back home & reached there @ sharp 9:45-went straight to the bathroom-& then – CONFESSION ROUND- Nani was like – GHOSH- she started shouting & continued for the next 30 min. coming up things such as, “I will talk to the college to expel you.” “Pack up & go back to Baroda”(I am in Pune since past 2 years.) “I am calling you parents” ‘n’ so on.
Then as she came to the normal room temperature (after the boiling point) I explained her everything – Why I did it?- Why I won’t do it again- Why I realized my mistake & I called up mama. & so on. She then deleted all the numbers from the yatris’ no. from cell phone & tore off a couple of pages from my personal diary. Then it was normal – everything. When mama came, I couldn’t even look into his eyes. He was like, “Why to lie, we would have convinced her” (in a very normal tone.) [I just love my mama. Whatever I am is because of him.].
Now?, here I am writing this, thinking what gave me the courage? What was the tipping point?Was it the yatra spirit? Or Was I just trying to impress everyon1? Or Was it because of this long-feeded desire to do something of this sort? – Was it just because I understood the previous week that, “A desire entertained, but not fulfilled becomes a burden-draining our energy. ” The answer is something I don’t wish to share…..
P.S.: I read a proverb last week which said, “It is easier to get forgiveness then to get permission”. My experience proved its not that reliable. :D