A flash of light, so bright that he could sense it even with his eyes closed and then the accompanying loud noise woke him from his slumber.
He found himself alone in a strange but familiar room. He is confused because he cannot recollect falling asleep in it. Further, he can't find either his wife or son!!
"What place is this? Why does the place look familiar?" He recollects that yesterday was the 28th May 2016, he had gone to bed early. But he still can't conclude how he ended up here.
As his eyes adjusted to the light, he could see that he was in a small rectangular room which had a single door, but no windows.
The door was firmly closed, but he could see a strange flickering light seeping through the edges of the door.
He could hear feeble voices from the other side of the door. He walks over to the door and tries to open it, but the door wouldn't budge. He knocks at the door, hoping that whoever is outside would hear him and maybe open it! But despite multiple knocks and kicks, nobody opens the door.
He gives up on his futile attempt and tries to listen for the voices again. He hopes from the voice he might try figuring out his whereabouts.
He could hear two distinct voices; the first of a voice of a man in his late twenties and the second was that of a boy in teens. Surprisingly both the voices sounded familiar. However, He still couldn't place the faces associated with the voices. It was also evident that the two of them had been conversing for quite a while.
Man: So what do you think about your scores?
Boy: I hated Hindi, but still feel I could have scored better. I am disappointed with my Maths and Science scores, I think I did a lot better than what I scored. I should really have scored over 90 in SST. I am surprised I scored only 88. And finally, I am most disappointed with my English score.
Man: Disappointed?? You were the school topper in English and your score was among the top 0.1% across all CBSE students who appeared for the exam? Disappointed isn't the word that I would use here!!
Boy: I actually shared the top spot with two others. But ..... that isn't the problem. I mean, yeah I liked the spotlight and everything that came with it. But the truth is.. err... I didn't deserve it!!
Man: What do you mean? The marks or the spotlight?
Boy: I mean, I did write the paper well, I answered all the questions correctly. But I am not convinced that my answers were worth the top marks I received. I mean, I know a lot more people who are a lot better than me in English but scored lesser than me. I believe the marking scheme isn't ideal to evaluate someone in English. If only I had scored as well in either Science or Maths. I would be happy!
Man: Hmm. Point taken. Maybe that is why you never mention it anywhere nowadays!
Boy: What do you mean??
Man: I will come to that. But tell me, have you decided what you plan to do now?
Boy: Yes. I will take up Science stream in the same school.
Man: Don't you want to change your school? Move to a different board maybe, like many of your classmates?
Boy: Dad says "A good student will be able to score well in any school/syllabus"! And I really agree with him. Moreover, I don't think I can stand the teachings at any State Board schools. I am not good at rote learning anyway.
Man: Well, Dad is right.! I just wanted to test how confident you are with your decision. Believe me, when you are me, many will want you to believe this was your first mistake. But don't worry. That decision was probably worth all the trouble it gave you!
Boy: Any other words of advise? Please tell me what am I going to experience??
Man: I can, but then what's the fun in that? I shall, however, give you advice, without giving you specifics. Yes, you are about to embark on the best year of school life(Probably of your entire student life). A year in which you will experience many firsts. A year where you will meet the best of your friends. This will be a year where you will fall in crazily in love with something which results in you in ignoring other things that are equally important.
Boy: I will fall in love?? With what??
Man: I think you already know the answer to that question! Anyway, as I was saying. The thing you would fall in love with it won't be permanent. You won't pursue it more than 5 years
Boy: So are you saying, all that wouldn't be worth it?
Man: No, no... I mean, You will enjoy and cherish the experience. But you wouldn't pursue it any further, Probably because you will find a greater love (if at all there is such a term) and you will never regret it!
Inside the room, it suddenly dawned on our man why the voices sounded familiar to him. He had been part of the same conversation a long time back. This was his dream a decade ago!!
This was eerie! How can one dream the same dream twice after a span of 10 years?
Was he in a dream again?? Was he in the same dream? No, that can't be!!
In the dream, he was the Man giving advise to his 15-year-old self. But here he seems to be experiencing the conversation from a third person's perspective! How is this even possible?? Where the hell is he?? And what the hell is going on??
Whatever the shit. He knew the series of events that was going to happen outside. He feared he might again end up again giving bad advise to his 15-year-old self. He had to get the door opened somehow. This was something he was determined to change at all cost. But he still couldn't get the door to open! He was desperate now!
Boy: OK. So any other tips?
Man: Yeah one main thing. You are too quick to arrive at decisions. Although you are almost always correct in the judgment you arrive yet. I would suggest that you will need to step back and slow down. This would help you when you become me!
Suddenly the doors melted. It looked as if, the door was waiting for this exact moment in the conversation before it could disappear. He dashes into the adjoining room shouting "Wait!!! Scratch that!".
He first looks at the Man and says "I know that from your experience, you are cautioning your younger self from taking hasty decisions, but believe me when you become me, you will really regret yourself for deliberating too long on the pros/cons of a situation before of arriving at few decisions!"
He looks at the Boy "Please continue to be yourself and trust your instincts! Your decisions are almost always correct! So don't be careless and at the same time don't be too careful either!"
"And finally please pay more attention to Physics this year, that will help you in the long run".
Boy: How would that help?
Given that we are part of this conversation every decade and also with the discovery of gravitational waves, maybe we can make this meeting a lot more fruitful next time around!!
He found himself alone in a strange but familiar room. He is confused because he cannot recollect falling asleep in it. Further, he can't find either his wife or son!!
"What place is this? Why does the place look familiar?" He recollects that yesterday was the 28th May 2016, he had gone to bed early. But he still can't conclude how he ended up here.
As his eyes adjusted to the light, he could see that he was in a small rectangular room which had a single door, but no windows.
The door was firmly closed, but he could see a strange flickering light seeping through the edges of the door.
He could hear feeble voices from the other side of the door. He walks over to the door and tries to open it, but the door wouldn't budge. He knocks at the door, hoping that whoever is outside would hear him and maybe open it! But despite multiple knocks and kicks, nobody opens the door.
He gives up on his futile attempt and tries to listen for the voices again. He hopes from the voice he might try figuring out his whereabouts.
He could hear two distinct voices; the first of a voice of a man in his late twenties and the second was that of a boy in teens. Surprisingly both the voices sounded familiar. However, He still couldn't place the faces associated with the voices. It was also evident that the two of them had been conversing for quite a while.
Man: So what do you think about your scores?
Boy: I hated Hindi, but still feel I could have scored better. I am disappointed with my Maths and Science scores, I think I did a lot better than what I scored. I should really have scored over 90 in SST. I am surprised I scored only 88. And finally, I am most disappointed with my English score.
Man: Disappointed?? You were the school topper in English and your score was among the top 0.1% across all CBSE students who appeared for the exam? Disappointed isn't the word that I would use here!!
Boy: I actually shared the top spot with two others. But ..... that isn't the problem. I mean, yeah I liked the spotlight and everything that came with it. But the truth is.. err... I didn't deserve it!!
Man: What do you mean? The marks or the spotlight?
Boy: I mean, I did write the paper well, I answered all the questions correctly. But I am not convinced that my answers were worth the top marks I received. I mean, I know a lot more people who are a lot better than me in English but scored lesser than me. I believe the marking scheme isn't ideal to evaluate someone in English. If only I had scored as well in either Science or Maths. I would be happy!
Man: Hmm. Point taken. Maybe that is why you never mention it anywhere nowadays!
Boy: What do you mean??
Man: I will come to that. But tell me, have you decided what you plan to do now?
Boy: Yes. I will take up Science stream in the same school.
Man: Don't you want to change your school? Move to a different board maybe, like many of your classmates?
Boy: Dad says "A good student will be able to score well in any school/syllabus"! And I really agree with him. Moreover, I don't think I can stand the teachings at any State Board schools. I am not good at rote learning anyway.
Man: Well, Dad is right.! I just wanted to test how confident you are with your decision. Believe me, when you are me, many will want you to believe this was your first mistake. But don't worry. That decision was probably worth all the trouble it gave you!
Boy: Any other words of advise? Please tell me what am I going to experience??
Man: I can, but then what's the fun in that? I shall, however, give you advice, without giving you specifics. Yes, you are about to embark on the best year of school life(Probably of your entire student life). A year in which you will experience many firsts. A year where you will meet the best of your friends. This will be a year where you will fall in crazily in love with something which results in you in ignoring other things that are equally important.
Boy: I will fall in love?? With what??
Man: I think you already know the answer to that question! Anyway, as I was saying. The thing you would fall in love with it won't be permanent. You won't pursue it more than 5 years
Boy: So are you saying, all that wouldn't be worth it?
Man: No, no... I mean, You will enjoy and cherish the experience. But you wouldn't pursue it any further, Probably because you will find a greater love (if at all there is such a term) and you will never regret it!
Inside the room, it suddenly dawned on our man why the voices sounded familiar to him. He had been part of the same conversation a long time back. This was his dream a decade ago!!
This was eerie! How can one dream the same dream twice after a span of 10 years?
Was he in a dream again?? Was he in the same dream? No, that can't be!!
In the dream, he was the Man giving advise to his 15-year-old self. But here he seems to be experiencing the conversation from a third person's perspective! How is this even possible?? Where the hell is he?? And what the hell is going on??
Whatever the shit. He knew the series of events that was going to happen outside. He feared he might again end up again giving bad advise to his 15-year-old self. He had to get the door opened somehow. This was something he was determined to change at all cost. But he still couldn't get the door to open! He was desperate now!
Boy: OK. So any other tips?
Man: Yeah one main thing. You are too quick to arrive at decisions. Although you are almost always correct in the judgment you arrive yet. I would suggest that you will need to step back and slow down. This would help you when you become me!
Suddenly the doors melted. It looked as if, the door was waiting for this exact moment in the conversation before it could disappear. He dashes into the adjoining room shouting "Wait!!! Scratch that!".
He first looks at the Man and says "I know that from your experience, you are cautioning your younger self from taking hasty decisions, but believe me when you become me, you will really regret yourself for deliberating too long on the pros/cons of a situation before of arriving at few decisions!"
He looks at the Boy "Please continue to be yourself and trust your instincts! Your decisions are almost always correct! So don't be careless and at the same time don't be too careful either!"
"And finally please pay more attention to Physics this year, that will help you in the long run".
Boy: How would that help?
Given that we are part of this conversation every decade and also with the discovery of gravitational waves, maybe we can make this meeting a lot more fruitful next time around!!
