Chennaiyil Ore Mazhaikaalam – P 05

My NIIT classes were about to begin tomorrow and I was not as excited as the way I was for the first day of my college.

1st July 2002: I finished my College classes at 1320 Hrs and I had to reach NIIT for the first day of my class… at 1500 Hrs. I had a solid 90 minutes to walk all the way to NIIT!

So I decided to go to Kutty’s. Kutty’s is a famous joint on the College Road where almost all of my college mates used to meet. It was always buzzing with students and it always gave festive look… I had a sandwich and a started my long walk to NIIT. While walking I noticed an Ethiraj College bus pass by and I thought of an incident that happened at my home when I was filling up few application forms for different colleges…

…I was filling my application and from no where, an uncle of mine came there… Suddenly there was a silence where no one spoke and then he said,

“Raam… What are you doing?”
“What a stupid question!” I thought to myself and I said,

“Filling some application forms uncle”

“Good… Which colleges are you applying?”

“Madras Christian College, Vivekananda College, Loyola College…”

“Why did you miss Ethiraj college???”

“Oh! Is it a big college?”

“Ada paavi! You don’t know about that collegeaaa?”

“Nope”

“It’s one of the most famous colleges of Chennai… If you get through this college, your placement is 100% sure in a multinational company!”

“Is it!”

“Yeah da… why will I lie…”

“Okay! I will meet mama today and ask him to get me an application form to Ethiraj college and thanks a lot uncle!”

The same day, I went to my mama when he was busy in his stationery shop and told him,

“Mama… I want to talk to you…”

He was so busy that he asked me to drop a message in the cash box so that he will look into it and take care of it… And so I dropped my message and went away…

With in no time, one of our shop workers called me and asked me why I wanted a college seat in Ethiraj College? There were already some laughter noises all around!

“Because its one of the best colleges and I am sure that I will get placed!”

“Placedaaaa… Which place?” and by this time there was chuckles all around.

I was bit skeptical before I spoke and then,

“Is there any problem with that college?”

“There is no problem with that college but you need to know that it’s a girl’s college!” 

I was again flabbergasted with his words… what the fish is the problem with my family… I am I the only scapegoat they have got…???

“Oh! Okay… sorry… sorry… Got it wrong! I actually wanted to write MOP Vaishnav college name and got it wrong…I have to go now… Will talk to you later”

Only later I came to know that MOP Vaishnav is also a girl’s College! That was the last day I tried to get any applications and that was the last day I though about guessing names of any Colleges in Chennai!