Maanvi Ahuja

Excerpt 1. Chapter 1, Desperate Measures.

I had done reasonably well to think of it. It was officially our
first night out and the fifth date and to have managed what all I
did till then was more than enough. It came at a price but who
cared?
It was getting easier to love her. She left me with some big
mosquito bites on my neck, if mosquitoes ever grew up to the size
of dogs. The kiss was great, so I decided I would continue loving
her.
And I did.
After all it is easier to love a busy, open to everything, smart
girl rather than loving somebody you love.
I had to think of a reason to explain those love bites. Devika
would not have been too happy to see them, not when I had just
admitted the day before that she was indeed quite special to me.
But now that I had Smriti who was better in all visual and tangible
aspects, I didn’t think I needed her to be special anymore. More
so when keeping both would have turned out to be a rather
expensive proposition. Both firmly believed in chivalry. Strictly of
the monetary kind.
Mom would have still asked for a reason.
I roamed around in ancient turtlenecks for the next few days.
I was shallow and I knew that. I loved being so and there were
hundreds around me who wanted to be me.

Excerpt 2, Chapter 6, Not having a jobs sucks…So does a French girl.

They were doing a good job of keeping my nervousness at bay.
I was called in. They left.
‘Okay Debashish, which computer languages do you know?’
the bald headed interviewer asked.
‘I am afraid none, sir.’ I answered trying to sound confident.
‘Why do you then expect an opportunity to work with us?
Why should we prefer you to the students from the IT department?
They are better suited for the job, don’t you think?’
‘Yes sir.’
‘See, you understand. Then why you?’ he leant on to the table
staring me down. I felt like squeezing the biggish blackish mole
on his right cheek which had a few strands of hair jutting out.
Moles are such fascinatingly disgusting things that you can never
take your eyes off them. Especially if they come with hair, like
that one did.
‘I believe I can learn languages and as far as I have the conviction
to learn and the enthusiasm to contribute to the company I admire,
I am sure I will prove to be an asset to the company.’
Was I not dying to work in a company that would require me
to sit for fourteen hours a day in front of a blank screen typing out some
brainless codes with another twenty thousand non descript people with me.
‘But that’s nothing different from the other aspirants that have
applied. Why should we take you?’
What did he expect? Tell them that I had a fucked up percentage
and not many better companies would allow me to sit for their
interviews.
‘Sir, I am hard working and am always willing to put in my
100 percent in everything I do.’
‘Your exam results don’t show that.’
I know that, you dimwit.

‘Yes, I know that sir. But I wasn’t interested in mechanical. It
was a mistake to have taken it up. That’s why grades dipped.’
‘Yes, I know. It can be a pain. Mechanical is not a very interesting
field you see. It’s a very theoretical field and tends to get very
monotonous. It’s a languishing field. Don’t you think?’
‘Yes sir.’ It seemed the only great thing he did after getting
born was taking up IT as a subject. The presumptuousness of IT
people never ceased to amaze me.
‘See, you understand mechanical engineers in India are no good.
What made you take it up?’
‘Sir, my dad is a mechanical engineer and is working with
BHEL.’
‘A PSU? All these mechanical PSUs are just sick industries with
no incentive work culture and absolutely no sense of achievement.
Anyway The IT guys have better percentages than you have despite
a tougher course. It would not be fair choosing you over them.
They have worked harder. Don’t you think?’
‘Yes sir.’
I presumed sitting in the OAT lawns with the best junior chics
college had to offer was indeed very tough. Juniors are always
sexier, hornier and more open than the previous batch. While people
in my batch were losing it in their 20’s, our juniors were doing it
before they hit their 18’s. We just chose the wrong decade to be
born in….more sex in the latter, no fucking IT in the former.
‘See, you understand. What makes you think that you are
interested in software, Debashish?’
‘Sir, it really intrigues me how certain codes can make things
happen.’ I said still not giving up and trying to make something
happen.
‘It intrigues you and still you didn’t make an effort to learn any
of that. You know it’s not very easy. In mechanical things, haven’t
changed in the two decades or so. But the IT sector has grown.
You constantly have to be on your toes to be competitive. You
can’t just sit and let things happen the way they are. IT and
electronics are changing the world. Don’t you think? ‘
‘Yes sir.’ I would have loved to see his brain splattered against
the wall behind him.
‘See you understand that too. People in mechanical and civil
really have to start working hard if they want to make an impact.
But they make lousy students and that’s the root of the problem.
Services still constitute 52 percent of the GDP. So we are doing
pretty well, unlike you, don’t you think?’
I fully agreed….to write a program for electronically wiping
off Bill Gates’s ass each morning because he is busy doing other
important things. That’s services all right.
‘Coming back to the question, why didn’t you try to learn
anything about languages?’
‘Sir, I did not get time.’
‘Why? Were you studying for your semester?’ he barely
suppressed a chuckle. I just got a feeling I was in for some special
treatment. He had just laid his hands on a below average student
with no special talent to speak of.
‘No sir, I was involved in extra curricular activities.’
‘What kind?’
‘Sir I have been an active member of the Students Council and
have organized fests. I have been working with ‘The Society of
Automotive Engineers’ for the last three years…’
‘Despite having no interest in mechanical?’
‘Yes sir.’ This was getting tiring and frustrating. Even staring
at the grotesque mole had become boring.

‘Okay. But I don’t see any certificates for any of them?’ the
bald guy added gleefully. He would have clapped and done a
little jig had he been invisible.
‘Sir, I didn’t collect the certificates.’
‘Why, didn’t you get the time or you had no interest?’ He
smiled.
That was it and I knew I was not going to get it.
‘Debashish? Any answers? See you have to be a quick thinker
to give an answer but then mechanical…’
‘No sir. I think I am not fit for the company nor is the company
right for me. Thank you sir. For giving me the exposure I wanted
before I sit for other MECHANICAL companies. It was nice
meeting you.’ I said condescendingly and walked off fuming.

It wasn’t the wisest thing to do, but it felt so bloody good.

Excerpt 4, Chapter 10, Flowering and Deflowering.

Shawar was becoming a menace now. He was tracking me as
per what Avantika told me, but she said there was nothing to
worry as long as both of us were careful. Night outs became a
little tricky when Shawar started calling Avantikas’ roommates
everyday to check on her. Once he got tired of getting the same
answer from her roommates that Avantika was sleeping, he started
calling me up, on my landline, often after 1am. My parents
obviously told what they knew. For them, I was in the hostel,
studying. But mom never forgot to ask why a drunk sounding
guy was interested in knowing my whereabouts. I lied, whether
she believed it or not, I would never know.
A few rebukes from Avantika stopped him from calling, but
then he started calling me up.
He could be called just barely polite in the first call. After that
he had just one question to ask – What is going on between you and
Avantika? Often laced with the filthiest Hindi expletives.
He was a year or two younger but he made me pee in my
pants. I was clearly instructed by Avantika to call her up, if and
whenever I were to spot more than a few guys hanging around big
cars puffing on cigarettes, beer bottles in hand.
They could be them. Be careful Deb.

That’s it Folks.

(P.S.- I am dying to say that excerpts are not always the best parts of the book, but I will not!)