Barefoot on Metal Te QUIZ MISHAP REINVIGORATED OUR COMMITMENT studies for a while, Ryan was quieter when we studied in d rooms, controlling his urge to discuss emergency topics rangi from movies to food to new sci-fi movies, leading to mo productive study sessions, Though our scores moved closet i after awhile, class average, assignments can get dull as hell you need a break. Ryan often dozed off between assignment er stared unseeingly at the wall, whispering curses freque every time he opened a new book. i “Okay then,” he sighed one day, stapling hs assignment, have finished today's crap. You guys going to mug more or wl “Why are you always calling this crap?” Alok aske perplexed, ne “Take a wild guess,” Ryan said, tossing his assignment the table like a used tissue. tarefoot on Neti + 25 “But why?” Alok said, “I mean, surely you studied a lot to get into IIT right?” “Yes, but frankly, this place has let me down. This isn’t exactly the cutting edge of science and technology as they describe themselves, is it?” 1 closed my book to joi mugging is the price one pays to get the IIT tag, You mug, you pass and you get job. What let-down are you talking about?” “That is the problem, there is this stupid system and there are stupid people like you.” in the conversation. “Boss, Thate Ryan, When he is on his own trip, we all turn stupid. “Continuous mugging, testing and assignments. Where is the time to try out new ideas? Just sit alll day and get fat like Hari.” Ryan doesn't like mugging, therefore, I am stupid and fat. People like him think they are god’s gifts to the world. What's worse, they are. “I don’t have any new ideas, And I am not that fat, am 1?" T said turning to Alok. Looking at him I instantly felt better. “Fatso, look into a mirror. You should do something about it, “It is genetic, saw a TV documentary once,” I defended weakly. “Genetic, my ass. I ean make you lose ten kilos like that." He snapped his fingers. {did not know where Ryan was going with this, but it could not have been pleasant for me, Being fat was more appealing ‘© me than running behind the insti bus or climbing the stairs OF these buildings fifty times a day. “Ryan, forget about me. If You don’t want to mug, should we go to the canteen for a Parantha?”26 + five Point 6omeone “Boss, this is the problem — all food and no exercise. I've decided, Hari has to go on an exercise routine,” Ryan said, jumping up. “We start tomorrow morning then.” Ryan decided for other people. 1 don’t know if it was his good looks or just his good-natured vanity that you didn’t want to prick, but mostly he got away with it. “Wait Ryan, what the...” 1 began. “Actually, Alok you should come, too. Interested?” “Go to hell,” Alok muttered as he dived back into his books likke a squirrel with a nut. I thought about losing ten kilos. All my life people had called me Fat-Man, to the péint where plumpness was part of my identity now, OF course, I hated that part of my identity” and Ryan did seem to know what he was doing, and his own: body was great. Heck, I thought, it was worth a try. “What do I have to do?” I capitulated. “arly morningjogs around the whole campus, around four kilometers.” “No. way, I can't even walk four kilometers,” 1 dismissed, You wimp, at least try, You'll feel great afterwards,” Rya said. Sure enough, Ryan mercilessly kicked at my door at fi am, sharp the next morning, I hate Ryan. Anyway, I open the door and he stood there waiting for me to change into shirt and shorts. “Four kilometers?” I was drowsy and pitiful at the sa time “Try, just try,” Ryan enthused. Tt was still dark outside when T left Kumaon. I was haj lo glo for that small mercy — no one would see an eigh barefoot oa Metal * 27 shaped creature bouncing along the road. To do the four- kilometer route meant reaching theggherend of campus, past the hostels, sports grounds, insti Buit¥ing and the tealty housing. E thought I could cheat and cut corners, but I eee to give Ryan a chance, not that I hated’ him any less for it ‘My entire body groaned as muscles I never knew existed made themselves known, In ten minutes, I was panting like a trekker om Mount Everest without oxygen, and in cen I felt aheart attack coming on. I panted fora few minutes and started again till I passed the iinsti building and was in the facul housing colony, i ; - Dawn broke, revealing manicured lawns and picture postcard bungalows of our tormentors in class. I eo Prof Dubey’s house, It was hard to imagine this man out of class, living in a home, watching TY, peeing, eating at a dining table. By now; I was wet with sweat and my face beyond red, reaching rare shades of purple. al h. ' stopped, huffing and puffing, when I went bump at the : es Shami at the unexpected impact, I kind of whooshed forward, extending my hands just in time to save myself from a bad fall. I sat stunned on the road, recovering from the shock and breathlessness, and then turned around, i : & ted Maruti car was the culprit! I continued panting as [ssid my eyes to see the driver through the windscreen wale tes trying to kil me when 1 was already dying? 1 lered, waiting for my breath t sae oa ae: 2 to return to normal, ae ne ' ee oa Ayoung girl, ie shirt and knee-length shorts, i home. She skipped forward mls Yay et probably her attempt to run toward ‘oticed she was barefoot.8 * Five Point. Someone “[ am so sorry. Are you all right?” she enquired, tucking her hair behind an ear. Twas not all right, and it was her damn fault. But when a young girl asks a guy if he is all right, he can never admit he is not. “Yeah. I guess,” I said, flexing my palms, “Can I give you a lift?” she asked nervously, extending a hand to help me up. J looked at her carefully as she came closer. Maybe 1 was seeing a female after a long time or something, but I thought she was really pretty. And the whole just-out-of-the-bed loo blew me. Only girls can look hot in their nightelothes: Alok, for instance, looks like a terminally ill patient in his torn vest and pajamas. “Iwas actually jogging,” I said, holding her hand and getting up as slowly as I could without being obvious. Who wants & abandon a pretty girl's hand? Anyway, I had to after Iw standing up “Hi. Lam Neha by the way. Listen, 1 am really sorry,” said, adjusting her hair again with the hand I had just held. “Hi, Lam Hari, still alive so it is okay,” I grinned. “Yeah, you see I am learning to drive,” she said pointi to the ‘L’ sign on the windscreen, That is understandable, thought, you are allowed to hit people if you are learning drive, especially if you are eye-candy. Now to be very frank, I wasn’t hurt or anything. For thing, she was drivingat like two kilometers an hour, and I thi my adipose tissues absorb bumps better than most people’ Still, T wanted to milk this moment. “You sure you don’t need a lift? I feel really bad,” she sai wringing her hands Barefoot on Metal * 29 “Actually, I am sort of tempted to get a drop back to Kumaon,” I said. “Sure. Please come in,” she said and chuckled, “ifyou trust my driving, that is.” We got into the car, I saw her sit carefully in the driver’s seat, as if she was running the starship Enterprise or something, ‘Then she placed her bare foot on the accelerator. Now maybe it is becatise T am an engineer, but that was hot. Bare female skin on metal is enormously sexy. There was dark red nail polish on her toenails, with one or two toes encircled in weird squiggly silver ringlets that only girls can justify wearing. I just wanted to keep looking at her feet but she started to talk. “Kumaon hostel, so a student, eh?” “Yes. First year, mechanical engineering.” : “Cool. So how are you finding it, college and everything? un?” “Nothing much, just running around to keep up all the time.” “So you have to study a lot? What do guys call it — mugging.” “Yeah, we have to mug. Some damn profs get this vicious joy driving students nuts...” “My dad is a prof,” Neha said. “Really?” I said and almost jumped in my seat, I was lucky 1 did not fully express my insightful views on professors and I was hoping she was not Prof Dubey's daughter. “Yes, Ive in Faculty housing,” she said. The cat had passed the housing blocks now, and we were nearing the insti building, “And that is my dad's office,” she said, pointing to one of the dozens of rooms.