Risk Monitoring Management and Mitigation (RMMI). This is it. The Big one. The one we've all been waiting for. No matter how your exams go, the very last question that you attempt somehow bags the award of being the best question ever! Yes, it even beats those which ask us explain types of marriages and families in HSS(They really did..way back in our second year)
Damn it! Risks? Hmmm..What sort of risks do you encounter when you build software? A tightwad client ? Stuff that can't be 'CTRL C+ CTRL V'ed ? Or some really outta the blue stuff like an inspired Rupee that which suddenly becomes bored of sky-diving and rises against Dollar like CSK's Murali Vijay? LOL..concentrate SRK, concentrate..
After several lines, a few cross-outs and scratching, my long thesis on Software Risks , mentoring, manipulating (and whatever hell that is) was finally deemed fit by the cynic in me. 10 Marks=3 pages was the mantra. I brainstormed my database and came up with good 3.5 lines. The principal arguments were then well supported by the rush of my flawless creativity. The paper had ended. The guy who invigilated us found a better task than twirling his beard and started collecting papers. Some people who sat like thinking philosophers most of the time suddenly found inspiration to put some ink on the answer sheet. Some Usain Bolts raced even faster. And some of us just waited for the magical moment to arrive. Yes. The long grueling exams are finally over.. :)
It's a sea of humanity as soon as we leave the hall. There's a general feeling of contentment, relief and sheer laziness. It's like we've completed a war campaign and not just paper-based tests. The emotions, no longer content with their current accommodation, burst out for some fresh air. Cries of jubilation, sighs of relief and even some oaths find their place under the sun. As Ravi Shastri might put it, "One gets a feeling" of excitement. Here's the scene:
-"Dude! What a paper man! Just Awesome! You saw the last one ? The same one came last time!! I'm so lucky I'd just mugged up the whole thing at the last minute!" ---Really? I didn't really care..
-"hell man..I screwed up my Q8b. ..they asked about 'Design Patterns' , I wrote about Design specifications..do you think they'll give me credit for that?"
-"I'm going to Goa tonight! We've booked th-"
-"Phoenix Maal? 231 number direct jaati hai.."
As I edged my way out of the crowd, I started to look around for my gang. I had no clue what I was gonna do. Maybe catch a movie or hang out somewhere? I spotted 'em leaning against the notice board.This is the bro-code of our group. All of us try to act real cool. Like none of the worldly happenings ever affect us. Our general demeanor is modeled around John Travolta and his 'Legends' from that movie of the eighties..(Whats its name, again?) Anyway,as I joined them, we began to make our plans :
S : "So fellas! Waddup ? What're we doing to celebrate?"
F1:"Um..you guys go ahead, I just want to brush up my OOP for the entrance test of the boot camp to be held tomorrow."
F2 :"Celebrate? Hah..The only way I'll celebrate is by spending tonight in that foul smelling sleeper bus. I'm going home tonight.."
S :"No way! We're watching a movie. How bout MIB-3?"
F1 :"No aliens,man..they keep me awake at night."
F2 :"Aur waise bhi, I haven't seen the first two, whats the point of watching the third one just like that?"
F1 :"Say, why not go at some good eating joint?"
S :"Little Italy!"
F2 :"No thanks..Keep your pasta for yourself, Signor..that muck doesn't go down my throat."
F1 :"Yeah na..also it's like 300 bucks for noodle-"
S :"It's Spaghetti! Kuch to izzat rakh uski! "
F2 :"Whatever.How about Flags?"
F1 :"No way.I'm not coming that far.."
S :"My driver will crib..not to mention the traffic."
F1:"How about some south Indian food? I've heard of a good one called So-"
S :"You gonna eat dosa to celebrate? Wow.Just Wow.."
F2:"Why not spend a night in my hostel? We'll hang about here and maybe have a code marathon at midnight?"
F1:"Oye..we want to celebrate like humans do.Just to let you know."
S:"Okay fellas ..Look! They're distributing the copies of our college magazine!"
Freebies are always welcome.Despite the thing not being exactly unpublished works of Billy Shakespeare, all of us forgot about the argument and rushed toward it. The crowd found a better medium to direct their emotions and thronged the place. The scene wasn't unlike that of impoverished refugees imitating PT Usha and the Great Khali alike when presented with UN food packets. We somehow managed to penetrate and grabbed our copies.
F2 :"Are you really going to read this?" (flipping the pages)
F1 :"Maybe..the paper quality is good."
S :"Hey what about the party? Where's the wolfpack heading to?"
F2 :"You know, there's is real cool place up in ko-"
this exciting input was interrupted by my mobile. Somehow, it always finds the most opportune time to get its point across.
S:"Hello?"
M :"Saurabh, get some cauliflower as you come home.We've got guests coming over tonight."
S :"Yeesh! I might be late.I may go out somewhere.Why don't yo-"
M :" And get some tomatoes as well. Your grandma loves those."
S :"Wait! I-"
M :"Quickly, Saurabh. They're coming at seven."
S :"Wait! Hello? Hello?"
Oh man.I knew it was worthless even to put up a fight. Any sort of attempts from my side would dealt with firm defense akin to Rahul Dravid's innings when he likes the stadium and decides to hang about a little. Resigning myself to the fate, I left the discussion and started walking towards the exit.
some F :"Hey, where're you going? We've decided to visit Li-"
"to buy tomatoes...", I replied and trudged my way back to the car..
