Broken Crayons

26th March
I had received a phone call from my close friend Rahul who had completed his 12th in Bahrain that we could possibly meet the evening after the All India Engineering Entrance Exam,as he would be in town for the day and will be leaving the next morning to Hyderabad.It had been years since Akhil and I had met him and had our share of laughter sharing events over the years and of old memories.So, I called up Akhil as well and informed him about the plan,ie, the exam get over at 12:30 and we could meet by around 2 or so at Marine Drive which would give us 4-5 hours together.
But then it struck me that I’d given my name not just for the Btech exam but also the Barch thereafter,which began an hour after the first and lasted another three hours.So this meant that I would have less time to be with them..ah..now what?
I had no intentions to pursue Architecture due to my lack of knowledge in the field but I’d decided to give the exam a shot when I submitted the application because my brother had done the same.Not following his footsteps or so,but still I thought I could just give it a try.
But now,I had the choice between meating my close friends whom I’dnt met for a long time and that between an exam I wasn’t very keen on.My dad had rung me up to wish me on the day before the exam and on mentioning this,he suggested I go for the exam to get an idea as to what it is about.However,I left to my examination center,Chinmaya Vaduthala,my examination center telling my grandmom that I’ll be home for lunch and will be going to meet my friends after that.

Problem 1:

The roads leading to the school were jammed with cars that morning and I met Luxmi,Stein and Anoop before the exam.The Btech went on pretty well and as soon as the exam was over I said bye to Stein and started climbing down the stairs but then he caught up with me and told that he too was writing just for the sake of it and it would be fun.He pointed around and told that most of the others too were doing the same and that there is no harm if I did the same and moreover the 300Rupees for the application would else go down the drain.
He then mentioned an aspect which I told him wouldn’t happen but it did happen….‘What if your rank in Btech is not satisfactory but you get a very good rank in Barch and can get into an NIT,won’t you join Venu??’ …I had fumbled at first to reply but then I’d given ‘I won’t probably’ …ha,thanks Stein its as if the entire situation had been planned out by God..
Stein thus succeeded in persuading me but before I made a decision I called up Rahul and Akhil.Akhil on hearing that I had my Barch rung me back and asked me to write the exam.The words he said still remain with me like Stein’s.He mentioned that I had the aptitude for it and maybe I should write it as it’s after all a very good field.
Problem 2:

Well,as per the instructions given,the students appearing for Barch had to bring along,crayons,colour pencils,drawing board and other necessary things like scale and compass and here I was with just a few pens,a tiny pencil and an eraser in hand and most of all a grumbling stomach.

I called up Luxmi,told her that I’ll catch up with her soon as was the plan earlier(confidential J ).Along with Roshan I then went searching for a Shop to buy some crayons.The roads were blocked and the school was away from the main road.
I dropped into the first shop I saw.I small tea shop I think,it was a part of a small house next to the school and served through the window.Its still up there near the school so you can have a loo at it.So I got the impression that a box of crayons will be hard to get at a place like this,but still asked the lady whether she had and I got the expected answer,’Ellalo’(which means,’Don’t have’).

Time wasn’t on my side that day but someone else was..as I was leaving,that lady called me back and asked in Malayalam,whether I could manage with her daughter’s crayons…I literally stood gaping for a moment and then replied filled with surprise and joy,oh sure,can I have a look.
She then produced a small ice cream box from behind the window.I opened it and found my treasure.Broken Crayon pieces and blunt tipped colour pencils,just my type ;) .The little girl who used this had been putting it to regular use.I didn’t know how to react then,but then without loosing any more time chose a few random colours I would need out of the limited options and then tied it with a rubber band and looked up at the lady.She told me that her daughter would cry if she found the crayons missing and asked me to please return it after the exam.What should I have replied then?I nodded my head and even asked if she wanted my mobile number to ensure I returned it as I was pretty excited with the turn of events.

I bought a few biscuits to satisfy my tummy and Roshan’s and then ran back to Luxmi.I found both the beauties sitting together,Luxmi and Namita.Both of them were keen on doing well in Architecture.We shared a few light moments teasing each other,asking questions related to the aptitude test.I was in ground zero,no preparations at all and a little girl’s crayons to my rescue.
I was the last one to enter my exam hall.Settled down and found all the others well equipped with branded colours like Camlin and Acrylic.I smiled and opened my question booklet imaging what Akhil and Rahul must be doing and that my grandmom must be expecting me for lunch.
It happened..

The exam was pretty too easy I felt on completing.I attempeted almost everything off the Objective ones.We had GK questions and thankfully the quiz competitions I’d participated in my 6th and 7th standards helped.We then had Visualisation questions,completing sequences and then the proper std 12th mathematics.I couldn’t complete my drawing section on time and wished I’d brought my colour set with me but I was happy on coming out of the hall.
I said bye to Stein,Namita and after spending a few moments with Luxmi set off back home to meet my friends.The walk back to the main road was painful and soon Roshan and I were sweating.My footwear broke half way through and we luckily got a Bus.Akhil and Rahul had gone for the movie,’2 hariharan Nagar’ and were waiting at my home.I walked in barefoot on one leg and the chappal on my right hand held high and the other waving hi to them…We had a good few hours together..

30th May
Aditya,Krishnan and I walked anxiously to the internet Café.The AIEEE results had been declared that afternoon and Namita was the first to break this news to me.My computer wasn’t working at home so we went to the café and Adi typed my Roll number first: 23715569 .I was expecting a good rank in Btech but Stein’s words came true.’What if you get a better rank in Arch Venu?’

I had an All India rank of 973,catefory wise 700// a state rank of 20,category wise 13 …. J and there entered Barch into my life.. Whether I take up Barch or not this day will remain in my heart forever…
I’d planned the very day after the exam to buy a new set of crayons for the lil girl but had forgotten about it. I had been to Delhi recently and bought a set of good crayons for her and after my bath,I’ll be leaving today to thank that lady and give that little girl a gift.The backgrounds in which the lady and you or I lives are entirely different but then she had the heart to lend something of hers to help me that day..such a heart is what keeps India rising higher…Thank you Stein, thank you Akhil and thank you God..