From a Nobody to Somebody!

Tick and the clock struck two. Our heart was literally pounding. We had our fingers crossed hoping the panel turns out to be a good mix of cool professors. I could see a few of them offering bribe to god. All of them were just praying “anybody else is ok but not him”. I too simply closed my eyes and just hoped that would happen.  All this drama just happened in about a min or so and at the end of the 59^th second, we see our panel reach our classroom door. One enters, safe was the call, the second professor entered thank god was the exclamation, the third prof entered and there was a sigh of relief, the fourth professor entered and we all screamed in joy and the fifth the last professor entered and all of us started asking each other for our last wishes because it was him, “The GP”- The “virus” of our college and we all would literally be dead. (When I say DEAD I mean every bit of it)

What was all this panel thing for.. Well, it was our technical seminar and that day marked the beginning of the series of presentations and unfortunately I became the victim of the much awaited comedy show for our professors whereas it was no less than a nightmare for us. I was to present along with four others.  I was the third presenter of that day and I was unwillingly waiting for my turn. The first presentation happened and he was so royally screwed. The next presented and she was fiercely shot over and over with questions. I was to go next. GP called out my name loud only to tell me indirectly “look girl I am still here and be prepared to get nobly screwed”.

I got up from my seat and made way to the podium which was no less than the battle field. Five, four, three, two, one and there you go. I started off with my presentation. The presentation was a smooth one and I had all 60x2=120 ears lend to me and so were the professors. I was prepared for when GP would stop me and start with his dreaded round of questions. But it never happened. The presentation went on for about thirty straight minutes and I reached the last slide (last but one to be more precise and then I reached the last slide “questions”. I paused and looked at the crowd and reluctantly looked at the professors. Silence pervaded all over and none of them spoke a word. I was a little worried by them. I asked myself shitt!! what have I done?! The silence still continued but now I could see all the five profs smiling at me. I looked at them in surprise and asked “Sir, Questions!” and finally GP spoke to break the silence.  He first gave a beautiful smile (God! I never had seen him smile that way!) And what I heard from him was even more shocking for me. He said “Hats Off to you Namratha”!! I was almost to faint and fall but I quickly pinched myself. I kept asking to myself, “did he really say that?!” 

Yes, it was true. It was really happening. It was the hardcore reality which was really blissful for me. He said he doesn't have any questions for me, and I looked at the each of the rest of the professors for questions and they simply nodded with a smile. Those words from GP are engraved in my mind and my heart.

Being appreciated from someone whom you don’t really expect is indeed an amazing feeling. For me it was no less than an accomplishment. It’s been three years now and that “HATSOFF” from GP was the turning point. It was a much awaited booster for my self-confidence and self-esteem and thus made be a somebody from a nobody. I found the lost me. I never got an opportunity to tell this to him since he completed his earthly journey way too sooner and slipped into the other world leaving us with his memories.