First Time Late…

Here i am, this is me..

This is a recollection of a first time experience. I was in the first year.. It was the first sem.. I was a ‘good boy’ then.. I had attended all the classes and tried to connect myself with JV and even memorized those assertions and discussions and even read half of the JV manual at that was given towards the end of the course. What for ? Somehow, i was still  dissatisfied with myself for not being able to go the IIT’s, and a good academic show would have meant some solace. ( I had even made a mind for 2 pt credits. ). Somehow, i had came to know that JV was 2 credit course. And since it was a course, i felt that it would have a formal exam too. So, i prepared for JV thinking that there would be an exam in the end. I was scared at the thought of writing subjective answers after having optimized myself to write objective ones for the last two years. ( My spelling used to fail me many a times. Can’t forget the moment when during the 10th board exam for english, i forgot the spelling of necessary – 2 C’s or 2S’s or 2 of both of them, and the numb feeling in the plam which came when i realised that i had rechristened the Great Julius Caesar as ‘The Ceasar’.)

There was no exam. The good thing was that the me in me remained the same me after all that. Then the normal classes started. I was very punctual for the C programming classes.  15th August – The day India got independence, and me too. Missed pt for the first time that day, unintentionally though. Before that everything was perfect( except for an imaginary blue colored creature).

One day, Sir gave an exercise to find the logical expression corresponding to a karnaugh map. It was bit of a tough question at that point of time, but i went for it with full steam. We had 2 days. On the first, i discussed the problem with a lot of people  especially Gaurav and started to code. On the second day, i had a clear idea of what to do. I was really excited. I had coded fervently and for the first time missed the dinner, for the code’s sake.  i worked till midnight and till the time when the guard had to virtually drag me out of the workspace. By then the code was working. Not working actually, but i knew what kind of ‘non exceptional’ inputs could be given to the code such that it generates a rational output. Still, i wanted to improve it.

After reaching the hostel, I tried to get some senior’s laptop. Hard Luck. It is crazy to be found coding, except for the assignments. Having wasted a lot of time, I slept late that night. Next day, it was difficult for me to wake for the pt. But anyhow, i went for that too. After coming back, i fell asleep. Someone woke me up later. It was too late. But i didn’t realise it. I had a bath and even had a breakfast. Then i rushed for the class. On the way i could see people, but only ahead of me. But i still had the conviction that was not going to be late. So, i slowed down and thought what would happen if sir gave a chance to show the code. By then, others had begun to run, I followed suit. Into the building and up the stairs, i zoomed past swiftly. Turned right and looked at the door. Everyone inside, i am outside and the door is getting closed. I rushed. By the time i reached, I could only hear only the click of the lock. ‘I am late! No! I am the only one late today! I am late for the first time!’. Unbelieving,I knocked at the door. Unanswered. I stood there for a while. Kazeem joined me then. We were both on the wrong side of the door. Positively, I wasn’t the only one late that day.

Back to the workspace, I looked at my code again; compiled it; Gave my ‘not an exception’ input and it worked. At that point in time, I heard some clapping kind of noise from the the classroom. Hallucinating, was I? Nevertheless, I was happy to be in touch with my code again, which could give a rational output only on a few ‘non exceptional’ inputs.

PS-

1. Not all posts have pses.