Today Poker Boy left home late, late enough to miss the bus. Somehow he managed to get into one of our college buses. Even though we were not allowed to use routes not prescribed for us, he was let off by one of the very few kind hearted madams in charge of the bus. He reached the college. Upon entering the class, he would have toppled down by a stone. There is no wonder having a stone in front of classroom. Our college is very eco-friendly. We see a lot of things like, cows grazing our college ground, squirrels running across our classroom, crows shitting on our benches, bats flying around, chameleon scaring our classmates (me too!), dogs sharing lunch with us in the canteen. Our college management even boasts saying that their college is free from hassle and bustle of the city, very eco-friendly. Ok. Let’s leave college and return to Poker Boy. Though he did not fall, he did everything possible to lure gals at him. He even managed to make one or two to look at him. But they were interested only in the stone that stumbled Poker Boy.
Time was up for the first hour to begin, but mam did not make it to the class. We were talking, talking, talking. We made enough noise to invite BowBow to our class. The class became silent. He did not enter the class, fearing the students may not get up to wish him. BowBow barked something to us. Only God and he knew what he said. He ensured the class was silent. When he was about to leave the class, Man of Beauty screamed something at him that made us to laugh. This time BowBow entered the class and came near us. He wanted us to tell him as to who made the noise. We all were tight-lipped. In the meantime, he was searching for a scapegoat to showcase his heroism and found one. It was Poker Boy. He saw Poker Boy unable to control his laughter. He asked him to say as to who made the noise. Poker Boy with a grim voice replied, “I don’t know, Sir” Keeping in mind his Boss, he gave him one tight slap and immediately left the class. Had it been a scene in ‘Saroja’ the background music would have been from one of Illayaraja’s masterpieces in ‘Nayagan’. The whole class was shocked. Poker Boy just could not believe what had happened. What followed was totally the Poker Boy’s show. We all were noticing each and every move of him. He did not know what to do, so he did everything. When mam came to our class, he asked her to permit himself to go out to wash his face. Kichu imagining that Poker Boy left the class to give BowBow as good as he got said to us, “dei edhuku da avan veliya vitteenga”. Scientist answered back “avan moonji kaluva poraan da”. The news did spread like a forest fire in the college. Everyone was talking about BowBow’s cowardly act. At the end of the day, Poker Boy became a hero. What he could not do in the morning happened in the evening. Not only gals, everyone was looking at him with great awe.
June 30th, 2007 is the day that made Poker Boy the hero. Today Poker Boy is celebrating his Second Anniversary. We all wished him on this very auspicious day. If you have not, please do it. He’s waiting...