After a long time, I visited my professor , the then HOD of our dept . No, it wasnt by choice but I had to take my friend for referring her to a suitable guide for a ph.d programme. So, there I was all nervous as usual and shooed in my friend first... (She's relatively bolder than me! ;) )

He - "So, you are supriya! Welcome... "

She went in and something held me back from entering his chamber!

He - "Divya why dont you come in..."

I was surprised as to how he knew I was there.... Then realized how stupid I was... I was standing behind a transparent glass chamber :D lolz

Me - "Hello Sir, PLEASANT to meet you after a long time!" with a broadest smile!

He - "Pleasant to meet you too! Take a seat you both"

So there we sat in front of him, my heart pounding fast... Though I know he isnt a maneater, I somehow feel really scared of him! Not even scared, don know how to put it...

I introduced my friend and she started to speak,... about why she was there and all that...

After all the discussion, he turned towrds me.. Under by breath I could listen to to heartbeat rate increasing slowly... Then it was a miracle!

HE SMILED SOOO FULLY DIRECT DIL SE, which i had never noticed before... I must say I was completely bowled over....

He said - "Divya, I am sure you would have cursed me a lot during your M.Tech course..."

Me being in a totally different plane, actually heard him wrong and said "yes" my nervousness adding to it...

"I know it... Not just you but the entire student community would have cursed me and I appreciate that you confessed! But I dont mind... Without being strict, you wouldn't be what you are now! what do you say?" he said...

I was like - "WHATT??? Did you just say curse?? Sorry I misheard you, but I have never... err... sometimes have done that"?

"Only sometimes" another broad smile! I felt I was under some spell and said - "No Sir, most times!"

I started to feel glad for 2 things - 1. I always dreamt of saying this to him right on his face then and now he had actually let me put it politely... ;)

2. Luckily that smile still hadnt disappeared and I felt safe! :P

Then came which I least expected... His serious face again! But that was to convey his own story of how he had felt when he did his PG from IIT bombay in those days... It seems he felt he had to run away from there the earliest!! This triggered me to utter more...

"Sir, I have actually felt the same.. and in my poem about you, I have even made a mention about it!!" I said innocently....

My friend who was sitting next to me, pinched me hard indicating to shut up.... But then it was too late....

"You have a poem about me?? I would love to read!!" he said...

I felt like drinking a full bottle of water/wine gulping continously...

"Sir trust me, I don't have it! It was just a 4-liner and it wasnt a poem in the first place... " I tried to cover...

Being a poor lier, I proved it again!!

"I know its there and you have cursed me in that! Do send me..." he said...

Like a REAL fool (real fool - someone who realizes he is a fool and continues to act foolishly), I said, "I am sorry about it.. I have felt gulty of it many times much later after I wrote it..."

Another hard pinch from my friend...

And so continued - " but I feel really good for the way you had been then.... Otherwise, things could have been worse..."

Somehow this time he seemed to believe my words! Ya, they were true too.... I must admit!

The next ten minutes he spoke about his experiences as a HOD and ended it...

"So where were we? Yes about the poem.. I keep forgetting.. old age you see..." he said...

Like a real fool's fool, I again said - "Sir, like gajini.... I have written about that also!"

He is now adamant that I share it... But somehow I am very skeptical! Any suggestions? :P

But felt really good after talking to him! It was a nice day for me! :)