MY COLLEGE DAYS- PART I

“BANG BANG BANG! Wake up Amu (Bro) Toto”

My junior, Tomika, banged my door at 8 in the morning. It almost broke down. My room vibrated and felt like an earthquake- a minor one.

We were in a Paying Guest at Khelhoshe Polytechnic Atoizu. An engineering institution providing Diploma in Engineering in several branches.

“Amu Toto, aunty has asked us to come and have breakfast.”

He said again. With several bangs at my door.

This was not a new thing, as the owner always asks my juniors to wake me up. It was summer and the sun was already shining bright as I saw it from some few holes from the wooden window in my room. But my room was too dark which gave me some hope that I can sleep more.

“Mhhh.. ok ok”

I, reluctantly, responded and woke up even though I wanted to sleep. Because Tomika would not just go away without waking me up. Its like, waking me up was his first and most prior thing to do to start his day.
Tomika was in 1st year. An interesting guy who is very silly sometimes. We called him Tommy.

I banged the bamboo partition which served as a wall between my room and another room of a guy who can sleep for days if not disturbed. I don’t know why engineering students find it so hard to wake up in the morning.

“Yesh!! Wake up.”

Yeshika was my junior too. He was in 2nd year of the same department as mine- Civil Engineering. He once told me that he was so glad when he came to know that the person next to his door was his senior and from same department. Poor him. He could not extract any thing related to academic knowledge from me though, except some few philosophy class from me and a good company to booze.

He responded in the same tone as mine and woke up too. We went out and fetched water, to get freshen up, from a large blue cylindrical plastic container converted into water tank.

In Nagaland, every people used it to store water. I never bothered to know what container it actually was. I’m ok if I could use it.

I entered the campus with a black pocket file which contained my notes. The college building looked like a building belonging to Mughal Empire destroyed by the British in a fierce battle. The color had already faded and looked like a yellow colored paper in my pocket which I once washed accidentally while washing my blue jeans. The glasses in the windows were broken and there were few which survived the stones and hands of some few stupid students.

Our college was government funded but the Government of Nagaland was not paying importance to the 42 years old institute. The land owners were not better than the government. They wanted to grab all the chances and take contract for all works inside the college building or around. I was told that they always had dispute among themselves to take the contract.
Here, when I say “contract”, I’m not talking about contracts for huge projects. They were very small projects like repairing of window panes, white washing of the building, painting roofs, electrification of class rooms or office etc. Their dispute always resulted as an advantage of the Government not to sanction any fund.

I walked up to my class on the first floor. The classroom was filled with future engineers, future politicians and future struggling unemployed youths. There were 60 students but there had not been a day when all the students were present, except on the day of election for Students’ Union seats.

“Good morning guys”
I said and seated on the first bench looking at Aboka and Jubito. I turned right and gave a smile to Akavi and Toshi showing them that I have come to the class on time. It was 8:37 AM. The classes were supposed to start at 8:30 AM.

These 4 fellows were among those people who makes my life beautiful. Aboka gave me a look indicating to pay attention to him as he was showing me something. He flipped his file which was same as mine. Pulled out a paper filled with numbers and characters. We used to call him “Badsha” or “Ato” or simply “Abo”. Eventually all of us started calling each other “Ato”. I don’t know why. Aboka was the only guy in the class who resembled me in many ways. He was healthy or too healthy and had a perfectly built oval shaped body like mine. He looked 5 years older than his actual age and was always serious. He was not the type of guy who would run for fashion or “along-the-trend”. Maybe he looked older because of the way he dressed or maybe he just looked older.

“The estimation is almost done but we have a problem again. You have to re-design the Waiting Shed and replace the steel pole with reinforced cement concrete at the column.”

He said. Pointing at the papers and giving me a serious look like that of a clerk or staff on the other side of table when you made mistakes in filling up your forms for examination or other purpose.

“I have been working so hard to design it and this is the 3rd time we are re designing it.”

I said, giving him please-have-mercy-on-me look. He acted like he didn’t hear or I was not even there. He was still inside the estimation and costing. I turned left to see if Jubito was giving me some yes-he-had-worked-so-hard looks. However he was busy playing Clash of Clans from his white colored Panasonic smart phone which was almost half the size of the paper Aboka was holding.

Jubito was the General Secretary of our college Students’ Union. The tallest guy among our group of 6-7 friends. He was not serious about anything and maintained cool attitude. A funny guy who hardly cracked jokes and laughed at his own jokes. Jubito was a loyal friend who showed great hospitality to friends and treated everyone equally. He was that kind of person whom one would love to share company with- when he is not drunk. He was addicted to the online game though. I could not understand how people played that game with so much interest.
The games had this small creatures which, I was told, were soldiers and the ran around like large ants attacking forts or camps or whatever. I found it so useless. Only jobless people would play those games.

“We’ll do it together after class at Jubi’s place.”

Said Aboka without taking off his eyes from the paper as if he was doing some calculation with his eyes. I turned to Jubi again and now he nodded as if trying to say, “Yes! Sure, why not?”. Still stuck with Clash of Whatever game.

Akavi was holding a calculator in his hand and was writing down something in a paper. Maybe solving problems or writing notes. He was one funny character of our group. We sometimes called him stone crusher because he would eat anything under the sky and above the earth -Sometimes even under the earth. You will never find his mouth at rest. He would either be chewing pan, talab or talking. We always wondered how he was so thin even after eating everything edible. Maybe the chemicals or minerals or particles inside his stomach reacted among themselves, killing each other and left his stomach empty again.

Imtitoshi was another guy who was not serious about anything other than football, girlfriend, booze and talab. He moved from first bench to third bench of another row to sit with his beloved girlfriend whom he would talk on the phone for almost all day if they are not sitting together in class or his room or somewhere private. I can never understand what they talk about. The amount of time they spend together and talk would be enough to discuss and bring peace to all the crime in the world, solve all the financial cricis of every country and built missiles for every person on earth.

The lecturer entered at 8:45 AM. We stood up and wished him, he gave us a sign to sit down, hardly facing us. Without a word he directly started the class talking about retaining wall. What amount of pressure should be given from the soil to the wall and from where different force would act on the super structure. The lecture lasted for straight 45 minutes. The other three class ended up more or less alike.

I had finished designing and Aboka already made the estimation and costing of the waiting shed comparing with Schedule of Rates by Nagaland PWD. We were doing our project for the final year. Our group decided to construct waiting shed in the college building. We had 20 students in our group but there were just few of us working. Others would just ask us how is the project going on and if we had already finished. Like they were contractors and we the engineers.

Jubito’s sister brought us tea and black tea for Aboka. Toshi and Akavi were not even in the scene. Akavi was playing Need For Speed and Toshi was on the phone. Jubito had no option but to sit with me and Aboka, ofcourse with his phone.

“We would talk to the land owner and ask permission for construction in the college campus.” Said Aboka.

“I expect that they don’t create any scene in our batch. They had created an issue even last year when our seniors built urinal and toilet.” I added.

“God knows when these people will learn.”

“We cannot even blame them only. The government and authority does not meet their demands.”

We seated there and discussed about the corruption of government and their policy. Time passed and at the end we had discussed about corruption, students union strategy, politics, girlfriends, ladies they banged… Ok ladies we banged.

“I’ll wait here, you go and’ talk to the landowner.”
Said Aboka.

When he says “we”, that means me. I was always proposed and seconded by my group to talk to people when they forsee trouble at the end of the conversation.

“Amu!! Hello! Can I have a word with you?” I said.

I briefed him about our project and that we want to build it in college campus which happens to be their land- actually his grand father’s land who donated to the Govt. Of Nagaland few decades back.

“NO! None of the project would be allowed in the college campus!”

He said in a firm and loud voice with deep eyes as if I asked for his kidney- both kidneys!

“But its the project for students, where are we supposed to build it?”

“That’s not my problem. Your Principal has been fooling me for two years. I would not allow anyone to do any single project in the college campus.”

“I don’t know what problemji you have with the Principal but please don’t let those personal issues spoil our future.”

His wife came out then. We were in the verendah and his wife offered us two chairs to sit.
He gave me a signal to sit while he was mixed Kaka sada (tobacco) and lime on his palm with his fore finger.

“See” He said, “You are not aware but the projects which you do in your final year is turned into a developmental project by the Officials in the college. They take photographs and prepare a report which is sent to Directorate of Technical Education in Kohima and get the bills meant for developing the college.”

I was shocked at the first place when I heard that. But my second though made me calm again. There was no proof about that and how would a landowner know about that. I thought.

He continued, “They make you do their work so that they can earn. I’m not going to allow that.”

He spoke like he had so much concern for the college but in reality he was disappointed because development projects were not being sanctioned and he could not get any contract.

“I was not aware of that but we will try to do dig out the information.” I interrupted.

“I have all the papers with me. They think that I know nothing but I know everything about them. I’m just waiting for the right time. If I start picking out their mistakes and malpractise they can even be jailed.”

He said, with a I’m-the-boss smile. I wonderd why he kept quite afrer knowing everything.

“The semester is almost coming to an end and the students need to complete this project soon. Please try to understand us.”
I pleaded.

The conversation was almost like a buyer-seller meeting. I was asking him for the land, he was highlighting me about other areas where corruption had infected.
After 20 minutes of compromising and listening to his stories, he said.

“Your principal has assured me that he’ll remember me when the 2nd phase of central fund arrives. If he does not pay me that, then I’ll not allow anyone to do anything inside the campus. Tell him that.”

So there was this “I scratch your back, you scratch my back policy.” The conversation ended and I headed back. Aboka was still on the same place where I left him. Not moved even an inch.
As I walked towards him, I gave him plan-un-successful look and we walked away.

“Toto! TOTO” Shouted Tokavi.
I wonder why people like shouting my name from far distance when mobile phones were already invented.
I was lying on the bed in my room. Thinking about the project and land owners. It was a headache and I too needed a break. So I opened the back door of my room and responded.

“Yes! What is it? You have to shout.”
I said.

He smiled and said “Come down to my room.”

I could tell from his look that his girlfriend was in his room and he felt uncomfortable staying inside a room with a girl when their owner, husband and wife, were at home.

“Ok! Ok.” I said.

Tokavi was one of my best buddy. He stayed in a PG next to ours. He had a roommate named Rovika but he went to Dimapur and Tokavi had been staying alone for quite some day. Both Rovika and Tokavi were somehow alike. They always dressed neatly and looked fresh anytime as if they just came out from Cinthol Soap Advertisement, they loved bikes, spoke less and were always together.

I knocked and entered. Tokavi was putting talab in his palm to eat it seating on the side of the bed with his feet on the floor. His girlfriend was on the bed, with half body covered with blanket. She gave me a shy look as I entered.

“Hello guys!” I said, trying to assure her that it was ok even if I was there. If you know what I mean.
She was a cute young, teenage girl, with bright eyes and black hair. She was wearing a white tops and black half long pant with dark animal prints. Tokavi was alsoii wearing a white Puma Tee and a black half pant. The cute couple were one of those who were addicted to one another’s voice. When they are not together they kept ear piece on. Even if they dont talk to each other they would keep the line on. Too generous enough to let telecommunication companies make profit. I tell you, if Toshi and Tokavi broke up with their present girlfriends, the Vodafone company would shut down.

“Nice choreography team uh” I said, smiling, looking at their uniform.

They laughed and the conversation started. Good thing about them was they did not do any romantic scene infront of me- except few times when Tokavi would hold her in his arms and looked into each other’s eyes.
One can understand how one feels when placed in front of a couple and they starts the most romantic scene in the world.

“Lets make this feeling moment last forever” my phone started ringing. The song was not at all matching the situation of where I was at that time. I had no time to think about that though.

ABOKA AWOMI CALLING

Showed on my screen.

“Hello!” He said and continued without listening to my firm, loud and authoritive HELLO, “We have to talk to the Principal soon. The other groups are way too ahead of us.”

He did not like it when people go ahead of him. He would chase and if they went too far for him to chase, he’d say ‘they are just learning quantity education, what we are learning is quality’.

“So you want me to speak to the Principal?”

I said, even though I knew the answer.

(to be continued)