I was fifteen. As every kid of the age does, I too was getting to school only under the compulsion of my parents. During my Maths classes, I often spent my time knocking the heads in the previous row, and sitting humbly when they turned back to find out the black sheep. I never knew that those missed classes would be of more importance in my career later.
Winter vacation was over. And the time for teachers to distribute the answer sheets of Half-yearly exams came. My Maths teacher entered the classroom and started distributing the answer sheets. She used to distribute them in descending order of the scores. That means, the least scorer's answer sheet will be given at the last.
Vivin and I were best friends, since I had joined that school. We were sitting together in second to the last bench. Something similar was going inside both of our minds! Whether it's me, or Vivin, this time? the least scorer! Our hands were trembling. Within a while, she yelled out my name. Vivin's face paled out as the opposite happened in mine. I became suddenly happier, when I understood that I had overscored Vivin. With great pride, I walked towards the teacher to get only some heavy blows on my back. I cried out loudly and then walked back to my place with a tiny smile to watch Vivin blown down more heavier.
After my teacher got back to the silent mode, I went to her and asked, "Ma'am, I really hate this Geometry! Why do they ask us to draw such unnatural things?".
"Dear, this is the only question which can fetch you more marks with less effort! Do you really want to lose those marks?", she told with a bright face.
"But Ma'am, will they be of any use in my future?", I asked, scratching my head.
She didn't give me the answer. She was busy answering the questions of other kids. Perhaps, she didn't have an answer for my question and pervaded as if she didn't notice my second question.
And whenever I asked the question, she ignored me or she scolded me not to repeat the same question again. But I was not at all aware of what I was studying and why I was mugging up all those things. But I did, for the sake of my examinations. And so did my least score competitor.
We finished our schooling in a very similar pattern. And then I found that the race is not over yet! I joined Mechanical Engineering without even knowing what Mechanical Engineers do. The bald geeky professor came to the classes and did the same what my Maths teacher did in my school. But this time, there was a difference in me; Yes, I was not in Uniforms! Probably, this was the only difference I could find in myself. I got used to it and I stopped complaining about them. Life passed and so did I, with my B.E..
Finally the day came, when I had to apply the skills that I earned during my school and college days. Yes, I joined a company as a Mechanical Engineer - Trainee. I proudly suffixed B.E. to my name in all social networks, and went to the company. The manager welcomed me and introduced me to my fellow staff. I proudly shook hands and took my job. I had to make a lot of calculations, designs, plans, schedules, etc. I got suffocated on the first day itself. Scolded by Boss, embarrassed by technicians, been a laughing stock for my fellow staff, I felt like strangling the necks of the Maths teacher and the bald geeky professor!
"Had my teacher told me that the Geometry that she taught would be the basics for my Graphics, and had that professor told me that the Mechanics would be the basics for all the calculations in my career, I would have atleast learnt them with a greater-than-zero interest, wouldn't I? I don't even know the name of the machine which I am standing in front of. What wrong did I do? I followed your commands and learnt all those sucking formulas, and still I do not even know where to apply them. Even a machine operator knows more about the process, but I don't. Then why the hell should I tag myself as a Mechanical Engineer?", I telepathized to my teachers and professors. Standing weakly against the pillar in front of the company, I threw my tag away on the road. Gathering strength, I started walking out.
On my way home, I could hear lot of people laughing at me. I could see my boss scolding me, the same way my maths teacher blew my back. Algebraic equations and scientific notations started queuing in front of me to collapse me down. I found stars and planets revolving around my head, like Tinkle comic cartoons. About to fall down, I was walking with my least strength, when I found a decent man lying on the road with his bag down. I ran and picked him up. Some guys and I helped him, called the ambulance and sent him to the hospital. I turned back and found the tag of the guy.
I took it to read it again and again: "Vivin - Graduate Engineer Trainee". With wide open eyes, I telepathized, "I know that feel, bro".
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