It was the last day of civil service mains exam 2014, my second attempt.. I was there well before the scheduled time.
Don't know how to describe.... 'tension about the marks of already over exams', 'whatever', 'hope this end soon' ... were the feelings played hide and seek in the mind.
I wanted to kill the time, before its gonna kill me, so started noticing the people around. There were many familiar faces. Many of them were present the last year for the same, many others were whose photos and success stories were there in media, who came to improve their rank, and the rest were freshers... It was a solace, that you were not alone, all other veterans were there, for the annual ritual for a better future , for you and the country....
The exam was about to begin.... Teachers came to check hall ticket. And a gentleman came in front of me and asked, "sir, did you clear last time?" "No" I replied in a humble low voice, wondering how he knows me, and he later told me that he was there for last year's exam invigilation also and had noticed my name. And I felt like "oh, I even disappointed a stranger by my last year's performance."
And then came two people one being my new bench mate for the last exam, a gorgeous young lady, who was apparently disturbed, might be because she was late. And the next was the exam supervisor, a seven feet athletically built gentleman, who shouted : "everyone put your hall ticket and Id card on the desk". All obeyed without any objection and they started distributing question papers.
Suddenly my bench mate knocked the desk twice slowly to get my attention. I looked at her with a smile. She whispered, will you put your watch on the desk and share it...
It was a moment of confusion. I didn't know what to say, but finally I decided to say "no", but my vocal cord was so lazy or tensed that sound didn't come out. After that awkward moment I somehow managed to say 'no'.
Oh no, the awkwardness continued, she had a 'what the hell' expression in her face, wondering from which planet this selfish dumbass came. And that expression soon gave way to a plzzzz expression ( the one you often see in your sibling's face when they ask for the chocolate bar you have), and she said that she had forgot her watch.
I tried to explain to her. But "No murmuring in the room" the seven feet not-so-gentleman shouted while staring at me. Everybody looked at us, I sat straight silently as if nothing had happened.
Exam started, and I didn't put my watch on desk's top , but showed her, the time, whenever she 'double clicked' on the corner of the desk. We passed few smiles in between. After I finished the paper I had enough time to worry about what she might had thought about me when I said no.
I wanted to tell her the fact that my watch is automatic and works by the heat from human hand, and slows and finally stops when taken off. Also wanted to say a sorry and liked to have a good relation with a civil service aspirant.
I waked up from thoughts by the next double knock and showed my hand. "Hey, don't show me your watch, time is over, submit your answer sheet" It was the 7 feet supervisor.
I saw my gorgeous bench mate trying to hide her laughter while submitting her answer sheet, and she winked at me. I took few seconds to recover from state of 'pling' and by the time she left!
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moral : you need to double click at the corner of desk-top to know the time :-D
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