Mercurial Vistas - A Long Wait

This is a story of a boy from a small village and his tryst with education, and after.

Circa 1987-92

Born in a small-time farmer’s joint family of 7 members, in a remote village of Maharashtra, his arrival was celebrated with great pomp by the family, affluent, only by the village standards. Being the first grandchild of the family head, he was nicknamed “Bhaiya” meaning “the elder”.

Everything was going smooth, until one of the neighbor; one day said “What a rogue kid”. Being the pampered child, everything was meant to be ignored; however, his naughty-by-nature attitude was being seen as a great hindrance to his healthy upbringing, if he were to have one. After his countless pranks and innumerable complaints by all and sundry, the decision was made. The boy was to join a Boarding School in Pune, better known as ‘Oxford of the East’.

Circa 1992-94

The 90s was such a time that things weren’t really costly in Pune, and for a family of four working individuals (though three of them were farmers), the finances were the least concern, atleast initially.

With the help of one of the relatives, an appointment was arranged with the Principal of the most prestigious school in Pune- The Bishop's School, Pune. However, it's not tough to conclude that there was no place for the uncouth in the premier institute. This was Pune , a very big city , and thankfully, no efforts were made to throw the weight around, by any of the family members.

One of the suggestions heeded by the boy’s father, worked like a miracle. “ Admit the boy in another school for his LKG, UKG. Let him learn English there, and excel in studies. Then come back here “ .

In 1994, the same Principal was more than happy to admit the child, who in the previous two years had learned much more than what was required of his age.

Circa 1994 -2004

The first few years were definitely like fish out of water for the boy who hadn’t seen multi stories building, hadn’t heard such crisp English, never seen people wear a blazer before. Conversations were very tough to make, because the confidence was inadequate. Time being the best healer, things fell in place soon, and the uncouth villager was being groomed to be a Thorough Gentleman.

Just when things were going all right, and expectations were being set high , something happened that changed the entire mettle of his life. February 6, 2000 , his father came to visit him in school, along with his friends. However, little did the boy know, it could be last time to feel loved. February 11, 2000 was the last time his father breathed- the boy was orphaned. The father met with a deadly road accident near his village , killing him on the spot.

This left the entire family devastated and the entire village in disarray. Hundreds that had gathered to pay their last respects were unable to console the sobbing family. Amidst the great grief, a strong decision, that of sending the boy immediately back to the school, was taken.

Being always surrounded by friends and teachers, all of whom were very dear and close to him, the boy never missed anything. His life was just the same as before, except when he got emotional letters from his mother and grandfather. Barely in his teens, the boy gathered great courage not only to console his folks at home, but also to not break the sad news to any of his friends, lest they start consoling him and reminding him of the horror.

Academic life was never hampered as such, however back home , the joint family had grown to 13 and with the gem of the house no more, finances were a reason of concern. Sympathy in his favor, his education was never hampered, and deservedly so, the boy excelled in all frontiers at school.

But all this while the boy didn’t realize what preparation were going on to facilitate ‘ his present ‘. With the draught setting in, the farmer's family unable to make ends meet had to borrow money at 16-18 % interest from banks, more so because June was not only the time to pay fees, it was the time of cultivation too. Gold jewellery was sold too, and when the boy heard it- he was shattered.

Leaving no stone unturned the boy passed his Class X Board Exams with flying colors and sought admission in the esteemed Fergusson College in Pune city.

Circa 2004-2010

Passing out from a premier school helped him make many good friends. After 12 years in a boarding school, college was a free jungle- no restrictions, no rules, and unfortunately- no studies. The materialistic greenery of College spelled doom for him. He just managed to scrape through his Class XII Board Exams and his performance in his Engineering Entrance was even worse. The ‘hep-n-happening’ crowd of the college airs surrounded him no more. He had realized his follies, but time had passed.

Being unable to seek admission for Engineering in Information Technology stream (which he wanted very badly) even in the not-so-good colleges, he realized why it is said “Survival of the Fittest”.

This had many ramifications back home. Figures being pointed, falling in the eyes -were just the façade. Sympathy was no more, and neither was the will to arrange for the currency needed for the most crucial phase of his academic life.

Disappointment notwithstanding, the boy’s grandfather arranged for the moolah in a surreptitious manner and repaid the boy’s Uncle-in-Pune, [ who was the farthest in blood relation, but closest in understanding the meaning of “blood”] , who had already paid the required amount in a college that was willing to admit the boy. This, obviously was done through a few contacts and paying a bribe too, but then, principles were to be kept at bay, at least then.

“The first year in Engineering in Pune University is the toughest”, was the one sentence he heard countless times, right on the first day in the Engineering College. Having already realized his follies, and willing to make amends, the boy started life afresh. Passing the 1^st semester with a decent score increased his confidence, (he couldn’t get back all that he lost, so soon though) , and he passed the 1^st year with a First Class.

Now that the academic life was getting on the right track, things had to go wrong in some quarter. The brothers of his late father, were unhappy that courtesy was shown to the boy despite him failing the “Trust Test” a year before. They were right in their own way, since they had toiled hard for the money that was put in, which they could’ve invested for their own children too, who now were pretty much needing the same kind of education that the boy enjoyed. The boy wasn’t their “own”, is only an emotional misact, practicality should be the norm in 21^st century, and so it was.

As though this wasn’t enough, a few property issues started to crop up. Not that the land was worth anything substantially “priceless”, it was enough for the feud to break up the joint family of 60 years.

Back in college, the boy didn’t enjoy his college very much and obviously so, it wasn’t like any of the premier institutes he had had the opportunity to study in. There was very little he could do, and even if he wanted to, things back home weren’t very smooth to ask for support. His aged grandparent’s, and his widowed mother’s tireless labor was helping pay for his education. Since other members of his erstwhile joint family were only indifferent to his condition, they deserve no mention.

2010

Being in the final year of his engineering expectations were high again, more so back home, since the last three years had been great in the academic sense. Campus Placements is single criterion an engineering institute is known for, nowadays. Being from a lesser known college, he was hesitant to dream big, although all his friends from other reputed institute had been placed with handsome pay packages and in firms of great repute. As they say “Every Dog has its Day”, and so did this one from an underdog institute. The pay offered was less but the Company was a reputed one. “ Beggars cannot be choosers “ could actually describe the situation better.

September 2010

The boy joins the training academy of the Software firm he was placed in through campus recruitment. Going away from Pune was little lamentable as compared to the prospects of finally getting a chance to make up for the time lost – the time to prove himself had come.

October 1, 2010

After a hard day of training, the boy is sitting on his study table reading “ The Complete Reference –Java” , on which he is to be tested the following Monday, he overhears his friend's jovial chord “ Our 1^st salary has been credited”.

Without getting too excited he completed the chapter he had been reading, before heading to the ATM to read “ Your Account has been credited with Rs 10,400 /-“.. Blame it on the mediocrity of middle-class-family ideas, or the paucity of funds he might have faced, though it was just a meager stipend, he finally saw some light at the end of the tunnel.

Happiness knew no bound this day, when the boy actually realized he was the 1^st Software Engineer from his small hamlet of 1000 odd people. Though life could’ve been more beautiful had a few godforsaken circumstances not been reality, “All’s well that Ends Well”

Though it’ s just a beginning, the boy dreams that he will someday go back to the village, and help create a few such stories that start from - being a farmer’s son- getting educated to be a software engineer- and perhaps going back again to help some else toe a line alike.

PS: The writer himself is the " boy " being talked about.

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