IN RACE, WITH TIME
Dear
Time, I don’t intend to race with you
&
still you tend to pull me in this race
I
have just one thing to say
MIND
YOUR OWN BUSINESS...
There are three breeds of people – one, who
run ahead of schedule; two, who are always punctual and three, who don’t wish
to race with time and are generally late. I happen to belong to the third
breed.
I am often on the verge of losing things, and would lose even if I have a five minutes
delays due to some unanticipated event –
I had almost missed my 12th board exam, had missed a job aptitude
test and on endless occasion, I am a late lateef.
But no event had been as adventurous and tiring, as the one that happened
recently.
I wished to get myself enrolled in Actuarial
Science from the UK body. The last date was 12th May – around the
same time, I was having my University Final Exams. After my first exam on 7th,
I, drastically, woke up from my dreamy state in the evening. Don’t tell me I
could have gone for Indian body, I had missed the deadline, already.
So this was what happened, I filled up the
form, got references signed, then I made many long calls and one of them
alarmed me – I was told that the fee payment draft that was to be prepared in GBP
would be ready in fifteen days. I called my mother’s cousin, who happened to be
a bank employee – unfortunately, he was not in city for two days but
fortunately, he contacted his colleagues and asked me to approach them the
following morning.
I, who is a late riser, woke up pretty early
on 8th May – I quickly got ready for bank and gave my documents to
one of my neighbourhood friend, Mayank (a trainee, under a CA) to get them
attested by the CA.
Big thanks to my uncle that the bank affair
was completed in an hour and I had the draft ready in my hand. Next, I realised
that I had missed some crucial documents that are to be attested too – so, I
went back home, collected the documents and drove scooty to Mayank’s office
under the hot summer sun. On the way, I went to post office and inquired about
the speed post – you see I had to post the draft, application and the documents
to UK. I met the first disappointment of the day when they told me that it was
not possible to deliver the post in four days. They asked me to go to GPO in
Kashmiri Gate, Delhi (well, I was in East Delhi).
The second disappointment was when Mayank called
and informed me that the CA has left and will not come until evening. When I
reached there to collect the documents, luckily, the CA came back but was busy
with a client. I waited for over twenty minutes and meanwhile, called Divya
(another friend) and when she did not pick up then Yugma (friend), I asked
Yugma to check the address and contact number of GPO in Kashmiri Gate.
Once, the documents were attested, I drove to
Kashmiri Gate. On the way, Yugma called back and gave me the address and
contact number that I asked her to text me. She texted in three minutes and I
was counting every second, for it was two-thirty, already and GPO closes at
three. I over sped but eventually, took a wrong cut and had to drive even
faster. Ultimately, I reached the GPO at 2:50 pm to be told that they too could
not deliver the post by 12th May. They asked me to go to
Indraprastha Post Office and were told that it closes around six. I was a
little relaxed and after inquiring about the route, drove to ITO.
On red light, when I inquired further about
the route, a policeman directed me to a wrong cut and above that, there was no
U-turn. I reached Mata Sundri College and then took a U-turn. Somehow, I
reached Indraprastha Post Office at 3:35pm and I was told that it closes
activities at 4:00pm.
They assure me that there are ninety-nine
percent chances that the post will be delivered by 12th May via WNX
system and cost will be over thousand rupees. But I had just nine hundred in my
pocket and they do not accept debit cards. On asking, they told me that I could
use the ATM machines in the press area, nearby.
Tired, exhausted, thirsty and hungry, I drove
half a kilometre to press area and spend considerable time locating the ICICI
ATM, only to find that it is under repair and will work in another twenty
minutes. I did not have that much time, so I inquired and located HDFC ATM and
finally got the money.
At 3:47pm, I was back in the post office. It
was time to collect all the documents and put them in an envelope but I was
more than horrified when they told me that they do not have any envelope and I
had to arrange one for myself. When I came out and asked the watchman for
envelope that he definitely did not have, he advised me to drop the idea of
posting today as for buying an envelope I would have to drive another kilometre
to a market. For the first time, I was considering dropping the idea and go
back home but then, I had everything ready, except an envelope and the next
application receipt were to be in December. The prospect of being made to lose
six months motivated me to act at that moment.
I was driving again in the unbearable summer
sun. As I drove, I kept an eye for any prospective shop and found a photocopy
shop. I tried my luck and asked for envelope there, fortunately and very
fortunately, he had it.
At 3:55pm, I was back in post office – I,
finally, put all the documents, form and draft in envelope and gave it for
posting. It was an accomplishment, I was happy but tired and the feeling that I
had to drive back home, tired me even more.
P.S... At home, mom was more than astonished
to see my state – all tanned and sweating. Above everything, in the evening,
Dad told me that I could have easily posted via DHL; the person would have come
home and collected the post. And I laughed on myself, for being so silly, I had
read about DHL but I still did not consider using that service...
