Homecoming

First day in college. Admissions day, really. Turned up, Dad and I, not late but definitely in the nick of time and there was Princess' dad, under the giant shamiana in front of the lobby where all the parents were sheltered (it was raining, or had rained), gesturing at his watch and looking rather disapproving. And, inside, on the coldmarble seats, among half a hundred complete unknowns, Princess herself, proceeding to scold me for being late and not listening to the fact that I really wasn't. She'd been worried, poor kid. And Somdev, somewhre in the periphery. Mandy walking in, a while afterwards, colourful and seemingly-confident while I tried very hard to conceal my nerves. Don't know why, already got in, but that day was scarier than the exams. Prolly because anonymity was lost. And then, inside the Anita Banerjee Hall, a little intimidated by Brinda, who had apparently written a poem in her paper, mechanically filling in an gathering the requisite papers. Pokinh Abhijan while standing in the long line winding from table to table ("How's Bhuto?" "You must be Jaya Mashi's daughter." "Yeah." "Yeah. Talk later."), filling in the fee-book, Princess thankfully within arm's reach. Explaining to Paromita-di, who prolly didn't recognise me, though we'd been introduced less than a month ago, that I didn't have change, would she please wait for a minute, rushing out, not finding Dad, rushing back in and being very grateful that she procrured the change.

Being shunted upstairs by a far-too-bouncy Sreemoyee, bundling in to sit with Sohini, trying to choose e.d's, she on the phone with her mum; shoving over to the other end of the class, where the sign-up sheet had migrated, introducing Sohini and Abhijan, being introduced to Arindam, Tintinda snatching away the sheet before the boys signed up and wandering off.

A. Lal warning us about slacking off; Rimidi, very very blue and larger than life; P.B. guarding his AquaGuard.


Insiya coming in to help break the ice, Anway being older than his contemporaries...

Don't knowhow much I'm leaving out, prolly a lot, but that was a perfect homecoming.

Let's see what happens this 9th July...