Of Legends

Our undergrad college receives student from all over India with multitude of backgrounds and temperaments. Amidst this sea of freshers entering every year, sometimes, may be a once in a decade, someone goes on becoming a legend, legend for seniors, juniors, teachers, lab assistants, and even for guards on the gate. They may themselves fade into oblivion after graduating (if they manage to) but their stories refuse to die, they become folklore, and they are told and listened for many more generations to come, as if their memories are etched in the walls of hostels, classes, canteen and shops near campus.

One of such legend happened to dignify our batch, his name was Dev Kumar Singh (name changed), we used to call him DKS. He used to carry a serious look on his face and walk at fast pace in corridors of campus and hostel. Anyone observing him can assume that studies are taking a toll on him, and he is in hurry, because that are lot many chapters to cover and lot of assignments to finish. This belief held true, until of course someone started to get to know him a little better!

In the second year in one of our subjects, we had to prepare PowerPoint presentation for a seminar on some serious global issue. It was going to be first such presentation for most of the batch. And without question we were all thrilled and nervous, most of us had never spoken in front of an audience before. But DKS was smiling and grinning, “ho jayega”, he said. When the day of presentation came, the seminar room was filled with people, professors and students. Everyone started sharing their slides, some were too nervous to look at the audience, some of them barely audible, some started reading directly from little paper chits they were carrying, without any expression! It was June and room was filled with drowsy hot air. Then came the turn of DKS, his name was called but he was nowhere to be found. We became worried that if he skips this presentation, he will get a back in the subject. Suddenly there was a creak at the corner of the door, a guy came running, panting his breath out, it was DKS; everyone took a sigh of relief. DKS inserted a floppy drive in the computer and greeted the audience cheerfully. “Good afternoon everyone, today I will give a presentation on global health care system”, he went ahead and opened the floppy drive, and clicked the .ppt file. It refused to open, he became nervous and clicked it multiple times, suddenly an error message popped, saying file unsupported. He looked tensed, some of us went ahead to help him out, we tried to open the file several times, but of no avail. Finally he apologized and went back to the last seat. Back in those days, a computer or floppy drive misbehaving was not uncommon. He later sent some presentation to the evaluator, (which I doubt was even opened) and passed in the subject.  Then one day while sipping tea at canteen, he altered his serious look and revealed, “Bhai main to image file ko dot ppt ke naam se save karke le gaya tha!” (I saved an image file as dot ppt and took it with me).  

It is said that empty mind is devil’s workshop. Keeping away from academics, DKS caught in the habit of drinking, firstly he used to manage with cheap liquor, but later he developed a taste for cough syrup.  One could see several empty bottles of syrup lying in his room. It was December and exams were approaching, lack of sleep combined with fog, turned students into zombies. Then one chilly morning there was lot of hue and cry in the hostel, someone entered the room of DKS and saw him frothing at the mouth. Quickly doctor was called; he was given saline and some medication and told to rest. He is out of danger, but keep an eye on him, doctor said.  

By this time, most of the faculty was standing near the door of his room. DKS had tried to commit suicide, it was rumored. Not everyone is equipped with right resources to cope with stresses of life, be it exam or otherwise. When the professor came, he was told not to worry for the exam, “just do your best son, we will take care of the rest”, one of the most difficult professors told him. He appeared to be the most concerned, as if secretly blaming himself for the incidence. When it comes to life and death, even the toughest of souls melt away; we saw it happen in front of us. We formed a group, and each group was to keep a watch on him night and day. Next day, while watching Mr. DKS, one of our friends found an empty bottle of Dettol in his room. Upon questioning, DKS enlightened us, “I was running short on funds, I had to drink something to beat the cold. The lab assistant had told me that this Dettol also contains   alcohol, so I drank it and started frothing, but thanks to my stars, I will now pass in exams without much effort!”

All said and done, DKS was a handsome looking chap. Tall, fair and thinly built, with a mole in his cheek. He knew his way around and knew how to cash in the brand of college. Flashing the college tag, he got the job to teach a young female IIT JEE aspirant. We were amused but relieved that he found some worthwhile engagement. But what came afterwards was no surprise; DKS went missing from the hostel for couple of days. The mother of the female student came looking for him in the hostel hurling volley of expletives. Apparently DKS was great with her in bed until she saw him in underwear in her daughter’s room!

By the time DKS was in final year, everyone in the Institute knew him. All the professors wanted him to pass and go away from the college. They could not fail him, and risk one more year of their life, struggling to teach this student, only to end up pulling their own hair in frustration. Staff of the college, who had young daughters, was also tired of keeping a watchful eye, lest anything goes wrong. But it was the students who loved him, for his nonchalance and carefree attitude. He became a legend and today we might not know his whereabouts, but his stories are still sung, when the power goes off in the campus.