It was the year 1997, L and I were busy running between library and computer lab for our second-semester exams. We were particularly anxious about the computer practicals and the time that we got to spend in the lab with our good friends Mallya and NNS had not given us enough confidence. So when our well-wishing localite senior DRB (thinking of it, my first year was all about such seniors giving me all sorts of advice and help, unfathomably.) offered us an evening at his home to practice computer programs, we didn't know how to thank him. But he wasn't taking us home himself so L and I set out by bus and got down at the stop he had asked us to. But unfortunately, it was raining very heavily by then. We had some distance to cover walking, the stop didn't have any shelter and we didn't have any phone to call DRB up to come and pick us up.
So the only way was to wait the storm out. But standing on the roadside with our umbrellas overturning, we could see that we were becoming a spectacle - some men in cars and autos passing by had whistled at us already. So we looked around and the only thing that offered any protection was Hotel KI(which has since become an educational institute) and we didn't lose a moment before we hurried there, wringing our rain-soaked clothes. Couple of men in the lounge gave us looks and the guy at the reception didn't look pleased to see us but we explained to him that we would be off the moment rain abated. He gave us a serious and worried look but we were only glad that he didn't refuse. After a while, another guy joined him and we could see that they were talking about us. Then the new guy came to us hurriedly and said, "this place is not a nice place for young girls like you, please make a move."! Now the rain hardly mattered, we just bolted from there.
What in the end? We folded our useless umbrellas and managed to reach DRB's house somehow. His mother was understandably not too pleased to have two thoroughly wet girls in her house but we shamelessly concentrated on computer programs. The journey back to the hostel was uneventful.
So the only way was to wait the storm out. But standing on the roadside with our umbrellas overturning, we could see that we were becoming a spectacle - some men in cars and autos passing by had whistled at us already. So we looked around and the only thing that offered any protection was Hotel KI(which has since become an educational institute) and we didn't lose a moment before we hurried there, wringing our rain-soaked clothes. Couple of men in the lounge gave us looks and the guy at the reception didn't look pleased to see us but we explained to him that we would be off the moment rain abated. He gave us a serious and worried look but we were only glad that he didn't refuse. After a while, another guy joined him and we could see that they were talking about us. Then the new guy came to us hurriedly and said, "this place is not a nice place for young girls like you, please make a move."! Now the rain hardly mattered, we just bolted from there.
What in the end? We folded our useless umbrellas and managed to reach DRB's house somehow. His mother was understandably not too pleased to have two thoroughly wet girls in her house but we shamelessly concentrated on computer programs. The journey back to the hostel was uneventful.
No comments:
Post a Comment