My name may be Mohan and my Birthday may be 2nd oct but am no Gandhi. This truth dawned on me on a cold Dec night wayback in 1975.
I was Medical student in summer of 1975 ,doing my MBBS in western UP. I had topped both my previous professionals and everybody including myself expected me 2 top the next professional due in dec of 1975.
It was hot summer day and we were in large hall for pathology practicals . Lunch has been taken and it was lazy summer afternoon . DR Sharma our demonstrater was talking about how to make hanging drop slide to see the motility of microorganisms. I was relaxed to the point of dozing when I saw Dr Sharma stroll toward our part of lab. He came to me and asked “ Mohan, have you made the slide “ Sir I was going to was my reply. “Do it fast “ Dr Sharma said and strolled on to next table.
Here I would like to elaborate a little on Dr Sharma. He was a regular guy ,tall and fair in complexion with a unarming smile. He was quite shy and would go beet red while talking to females of any kind, especially his ears would become so red as traffic lights and anybody could guess his state of mind. We all knew about this and made him a butt of our jokes.
Dr Sharma has strolled to tables in front of me which seated Seema ,a fair girl .She was good in studies and a bit reserved in nature. While he was talking to Seema ,explain the slide making procedure ,we saw his ears go red and we knew telltale sign. I exchanged glances with Miss M and smiled. I said to her “ See Dr Sharma has been bowled over by Seema comprehensively” Miss M said “ It is question of sour grapes .Seema likes Subodh “. Mr Subobh was also our class fellow and table fellow of Seema ,since UR seated alfabeticaly in practicals .
Dr Sharma kept on trying and kept on going beet root red on face and neck on facing Seema and she kept on enjoying her status and attention and kept her options open. We would see her with Subodh off and on having tea at Dallu Tea stall or strolling with stars in eyes.
Time rolled on and here was time for 2nd Prof. Schedule was announced and Ist paper was of Pathology at 10AM nextday.
It was Sunday and we have been busy rading all day .It was penultimate night and there was hush in hostel .It was 10pm and hostel looked deserted. No sound was being made as everybody was busy studying and suddenly there was commotion and I rushed out . I found everybody out in lobby and commotion going on .I found exited Amit my friend and classmate . I asked him what is the cause of all the excitement and he told me that pathology paper is out . He told me that shock will be the first question and subodh has all the questions.
Now I was on thorns of dilemma torn between my belief of doing it right and chance for immediate panacea. I always belived myself following the right path so my thinking at that point of time was that its impossible for paper to be leaked out and even if its true I had faith on my studies and I would not fall into this trap. We had a mini meeting in my room and Amit and JS said to read what is out ,but I had full faith on myself and refused to go with the flow.
Finally things died down and we went to our rooms for final prepration.
The D day arrived and when I got hand on pathology paper at 10am on that Monday morning ,I was in for shock literally. First question was on shock and half the paper was of medicine than of pathology . I later found out to my folly that Dr Sharma had helped our pathology professor to set the paper and he has told whole paper to Seema ,who inturn told Subodh and he has told Amit and in little time whole hostel knew it. Rest is history ,with the able guidance of Dr Sharma in practicals too Semma topped Pathology and that Professionals as well and I was left with my hurt ego and debating what is right and what is wrong.
Story ends with Seema ditching Subodh and marrying Dr Sharma two years later.
NOTE-Names have been changed for obvious reasons.
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