Zero to 100mph in 10 secs flat!
Scene 1: (A hostel room, most likely in GH III XLRI; the incumbent is asleep, sound asleep; evening time; the room is otherwise in good shape except for a confused pile of academic paraphernalia on the reading desk and an assortment of wires, mouse, keyboard et al that pop out here and there).
A guy knocks on the door. No answer. A friend knocks louder. No answer still.
“He’s asleep, strange. I’m sure he called us at this time.”
The first guy seems amused and hesitates at the door, knuckles held back inches form the wood.
“You know, this goes to show we juniors are exceptionally committed to this work, rather far too much if we wake a sleeping soul in XLRI. You understand we are committing a crime?” They both have a hearty laugh, pitched high intentionally to help the inmate out of slumber. No response. The first guy tries at last, only this time he calls out a name.
They hear the inmate stirring inside. Bingo!
Shuffling steps, someone comes to the door, some scratchy sounds and the door gives way and reveals the room in full glory…and the inmate too!
He looks forlorn, manages a faint hint of a smile of recognition and welcome rolled into one, moves off to the chair that broods in the corner, where it whispers a quick comment. The keyboard and the chair both shake their heads.
The inmate is seated on the chair now, rubbing his face and trying to overcome the hangover of slumber. He shuffles some stuff from amongst the pile on the desk and then looks at the visitors.
“Ok! Let’s begin.”
The visitors look apologetic but the work begins nevertheless.
“So, you said you had some important points for the agenda of this meeting.”
“Ya, I have. Ok. Here it is. I’ll give you two an overview while the others come in. By the way, where are they?”
“Oh, they are coming. A few more minutes maybe.”
“Ok. The latest update on the NFS thing is that I have talked to…..”
The inmate begins with a cautious tone and narrates the details of the current status of the thing under discussion and then he gains more alertness and slowly comes into his own. The points of note rattle off form his tongue as the others pile into the room one by one. The issues are clear in his mind. He lays out a plan of action and starts taking suggestions while the senior members join him.
The meeting is in full swing now, the second visitor A.G. rattling off at no less a speed than the inmate and with his friend giving matching counter-points. Meanwhile, the first guy (guessed it? It’s me) listens intently, knowing he really can’t speak much in this arena.
In a few minutes, the plan has been chalked out, the suggestions have been incorporated, the contingencies have been examined and the responsibilities have been distributed. A.B. has come into his own!
That is A.B. as I know him; cool, discerning enough to know chaff from grain and capable of going form zero to 100mph in 10 seconds flat! And if you think this is a pretty stern person, he knows how to handle people and how to be practical and how to make working with him fun.
A guy knocks on the door. No answer. A friend knocks louder. No answer still.
“He’s asleep, strange. I’m sure he called us at this time.”
The first guy seems amused and hesitates at the door, knuckles held back inches form the wood.
“You know, this goes to show we juniors are exceptionally committed to this work, rather far too much if we wake a sleeping soul in XLRI. You understand we are committing a crime?” They both have a hearty laugh, pitched high intentionally to help the inmate out of slumber. No response. The first guy tries at last, only this time he calls out a name.
They hear the inmate stirring inside. Bingo!
Shuffling steps, someone comes to the door, some scratchy sounds and the door gives way and reveals the room in full glory…and the inmate too!
He looks forlorn, manages a faint hint of a smile of recognition and welcome rolled into one, moves off to the chair that broods in the corner, where it whispers a quick comment. The keyboard and the chair both shake their heads.
The inmate is seated on the chair now, rubbing his face and trying to overcome the hangover of slumber. He shuffles some stuff from amongst the pile on the desk and then looks at the visitors.
“Ok! Let’s begin.”
The visitors look apologetic but the work begins nevertheless.
“So, you said you had some important points for the agenda of this meeting.”
“Ya, I have. Ok. Here it is. I’ll give you two an overview while the others come in. By the way, where are they?”
“Oh, they are coming. A few more minutes maybe.”
“Ok. The latest update on the NFS thing is that I have talked to…..”
The inmate begins with a cautious tone and narrates the details of the current status of the thing under discussion and then he gains more alertness and slowly comes into his own. The points of note rattle off form his tongue as the others pile into the room one by one. The issues are clear in his mind. He lays out a plan of action and starts taking suggestions while the senior members join him.
The meeting is in full swing now, the second visitor A.G. rattling off at no less a speed than the inmate and with his friend giving matching counter-points. Meanwhile, the first guy (guessed it? It’s me) listens intently, knowing he really can’t speak much in this arena.
In a few minutes, the plan has been chalked out, the suggestions have been incorporated, the contingencies have been examined and the responsibilities have been distributed. A.B. has come into his own!
That is A.B. as I know him; cool, discerning enough to know chaff from grain and capable of going form zero to 100mph in 10 seconds flat! And if you think this is a pretty stern person, he knows how to handle people and how to be practical and how to make working with him fun.
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