Time: 7:45 AM, 22nd December, 2008
Coordinates: Mens Hostel, MES Kuttippuram
Occasion: Jashn ’09 – IEEE Kerala Silver Jubilee Celebrations, Valedictory Function.

I was among the 120-odd delegates attending the event, the sole representative of the IEEE Student Branch of my college. While other colleges had huge delegations to the tune of thirty plus students, my Fellow IEEEians  simply refused to attend the event for fear of  impending end-semester exams. My Branch Counsellor literally forced me at gunpoint to attend the event for sake of the college’s prestige.  I had to wage a huge fight with my parents to get permission to attend the event, at the end of which I boarded the Mangalore Express with buddies from MBCET and reached Kuttippuram the very next day, at about 4 AM. The MESians surprised us with their hospitality and kindly accomodated us at their wonderful (not sarcastic, seriously nice) Mens Hostel.

We were told that the programs would start early that day, and thus we had to be up and about by at least 8:30 AM. Haggard due to lack of sleep (due to some long winding ‘nightly conversations’ ), I had flopped onto my bed no sooner had I reached our room. I opened my eyes when my friend Arun from Mar Baselios shook me up to my senses. Everyone had gotten ready and I was among the few who were yet to bathe and dress up. Cursing, I grabbed random clothes from my bag and walked lazily to the toilet/bathroom area at one end of the hostel – we were housed on the third floor of the four storeyed hostel. Half asleep, I tried to open at least half a dozen (occupied) bathrooms only to mutter apologies at cuss words from the respective occupants.

To my delight, I finally got an empty bathroom and barged inside. I placed my clothes and watch by the windowsill and took a bath. It was refreshing – the water was ice cold, but I actually enjoyed it. I shook off my tired countenance and recharged myself. Basking in the glory of the new-found energy, I pulled out my towel that lay beneath my clothes, without looking at the windowsill where it was housed. That was when I heard a strange ‘chink’ sound. Something had fallen down, apparently. It was glistening and silvery-white, I could actually see it fall, through a corner of my eye. Dismissing it for an instant, I resumed… until I got back to my senses in shock!

Frantically, I checked the windowsill, beside my clothes, for my watch. It was missing!

It was my watch that went straight into the Indian Closet!!!

Cursing like a madman, I did everything I could to salvage it – to no avail. My watch was already on its way to the septic tank deep down. The only hope of rescuing it was upon some future-archaeologist who’d examine the remains of my precious Titan ‘Chronograph’, rotten amid human excreta, with avid interest! Flush red with embarrassment, anger and dismay, I kept the incident under the closet (<– pun!). After all, the watch was over five years old, and septic tank, it seems, was written in its destiny!

P.S.

The very next day, I heard an announcement at the main stage about a lost-and-found watch at the college premises. I was like ! These people actually fished the septic tank for my watch without even my mentioning the incident! Joyous, I ran to the announcers desk, all agog with hope!

Shalima, the purdah-clad girl at the announcer’s desk smiled at my flared-nostril expression.

“I don’t think this watch is yours!”

She held a tiny watch in her right hand and flashed it before me. It was more a bangle than a watch, all gold-plated, with a tiny time-dial. An expensive ladies’ watch.

Muttering some choicest expletives under my breath, I thanked Shalima and left.

P.P.S.

“Son, where is your old titan watch?”

Mom’s irritated voice woke me up one fine Sunday morning.

Uh oh. Amma… I haven’t seen it in a while. Don’t know where it is!
Mom: It must be that scrawny bitch of our servant! She’s been stealing my money for long… now she’s also taken your watch! One day, I’ll catch her red-handed, and then….

I didn’t hear the rest of what mom said, for, I’d closed my eyes again with a smile on my face.:D

I now have a flashy Bosch watch, thanks to my uncle who’s a dealer of Bosch.