Our college principal periodically or rather randomly produced a list of students with low attendance. This list was then pasted on the college notice board for all to see. Low attendance in this case was below 75 percent! This list was type-written with dark black alphabets- some of them not properly inked so kinda used to spread on the sheet. Probably that’s how the term spreadsheet was coined.
Anyways - this was the black list, and one fine day my name appeared on it. It was my friend who first saw it and informed me. By the time I reached the notice board, a few guys were already giving me a weird look.
I saw my name written with bold letters. I panicked. What was I going to tell my parents? Will I be rusticated? I was an obedient student, just a bit lazy, who bunked occasionally just to impress other students and show off - Who goes to college to study? -
Well, now it looked like I won’t be going to college at all.
The black listed students would be asked to call their parents to the college. Parents would be scolded for a change. Did they know their son or daughter did not attend college?
I returned home completely drained. Luckily both my parents worked so I would have some time to myself doing nothing.
I was doing nothing when the doorbell rang. My house-help Vasanti. She came to do her little chores - washing vessels and making the bed. I nodded. She looked at me and immediately realised something was off. She was sharp. Not that much sharpness is needed to dissect me.
- You look dull - she said
- Nah! Just bored -
- Something happened? -
I could not hold back and blurted out that my attendance was low. I didn’t mention black list thinking she would not know such terms.
- Oh! Your name is on the black list?-
I was taken aback. How did she know about these things?
- Don’t worry. We will sort it out - she said and continued washing the vessels.
Really? You will sort out? I didn’t pay much attention and continued doing nothing.
She finished her chores and smiled.
- My husband works for your college. He is an office staff and does chores for the teachers -She continued smiling.
Did I understand? No!
- I will tell my husband to take your name off the black list. It is his job to type that list after taking instructions from the teachers and the principal, and put it up on the notice board -
What? What the hell just happened? The next day my name was not on the list. I offered hundred rupees to Vasanti and told her to give it to her husband. She smiled, refused and said next time she would take double if my name appeared on the black list.
I swore I would never bunk college again….
