The next two weeks were spent in hiding. Even though the “dark days” were finally over, the terror was not. Every time Jaishith would see me in the Hall he would ask me in the same deep voice,
‘Met any panellist yet?’
I’d tell him that I had met a few, most were left. Truth was that I hadn’t met any. After finally the declaration of independence and a complete night of torture, I could not think of seeing another small-brained large-egoed senior again. Much less going to him myself with tobacco to help him burn his lungs. If I really wanted to help a senior in this matter I’d be happier in burning him alive in his room rather than just cementing his throat with soot.
On some days Jaishith would come to me and tell me, ‘The SOP is on for tonight. Don’t think of disappearing from the Hall.’
And that would be my cue to disappear. I would wear a hooded jacket and my emergency bag which I’d already kept ready for the situation. I would then sneak out of the Hall when no one was looking and call my friend in another Hall that I need refuge for a night. After confirming my visit I would turn off my cell phone and now I was “off the grid.” Untraceable. I would spend a blissful night in this friend’s room and leave for my classes in the morning (yes we too indeed do have classes to study here at IIT). Then I’d come back in the afternoon as if I were coming back from my class thus my deception would be complete. Afterwards I would ask my “fellowmen” what had happened the last night. Either the SOP had happened and the seniors, being dissatisfied with the responses made by the candidates available, issued a “Re” for the post. Or it could happen that the SOP did not happen at all because the seniors were too busy creating a balance of pollution in Kgp’s usually clean atmosphere and killing the bacteria in their livers by liquor. In both conditions candidates had to go and get advised (read screwed) by more panellists and I would have to live in constant fear. It also meant that I’d have to go off the grid every time there was a doubt of an SOP happening. This happened for a full two weeks. By the end of the first week Jaishith had realized that I hadn’t met any panellist and thanks to Gambheer (@$$+*|#) Jaishith realized that I was hiding out of the Hall during the SOP times. After that he tried hard to catch me. I don’t know why he was so bent upon making me a Seccy. He said he saw the talent in me but being a Seccy did not require much talent apart from the tolerance of getting yelled at during the SOP. The SOP did terrify me and I did everything in my power to avoid it. Finally the date of the election was announced to be five days later. I realized that once the elections were done there would be no more SOPs and the bad time would finally be over. I prepared a bigger bag and that day I went out of the Hall and spent 5 full days till the election with my friend. Though I admit it was quite odd sleeping with him on the same cot for 5 days, but I thought it was better than being gang-raped by every senior who’d question me on my “robust desire” of being a Seccy. I waited patiently for the e-mail which Juice finally sent to me on the night of the election.
‘Elections done. Counting in progress. Come soon for the results.’
Finally it was now time to leave this Hall. Though it was starting to get quite cosy here, my time had come. I’d specifically asked Juice to mail me this because I wanted to know the person who was slammed instead of me. I didn’t ask Gambheer to do it because he’d mind as well send me that mail as a ploy to bring me in the Hall and make me sit for an impromptu SOP. I trusted Juice better. So I merrily cycled back to my Hall to witness the announcement which would soon tell us which person was chosen to be screwed in what office. Soon, I’d be free again.
