When life happens

The Civil engineer's apprentice

When Neha was passing by her favourite professor's office on Monday morning, he was talking on phone and she thought she heard the word 'Eden Gardens'.

Within a moment she was knocking and entering the office.

Mr Das hadn't even put down the phone when Neha was standing in front of him, listening eagerly.

"I'll talk to you later," he told on the phone. Then he put it down and said, "Now what do you want?"

"Are you going to Eden Gardens?" asked Neha.

"I'm not going to watch a match," said Mr Das, trying to sound strict, but he couldn't, because Neha, though in only her 1st year of B. Tech, knew more about Civil engineering than most final year students, and every professor in the department loved her.

"I know, you're going to work on some repairs... right?" Neha guessed.

"Hmm."

"Take me with you," cried Neha.

"No one is going to allow that, Neha. If I take an apprentice it should be someone at least two years older than you," said Mr Das, though he knew it was futile.

"Professor," pleaded Neha. "You know it's my dream to work on Eden Gardens' structure. Any sort. Anything would do. I just want to study it once, please, please..."

"And that's the only reason you want to go, is it?" said Mr Das sarcastically, looking at her hand which had 'Jasprit Bumrah' scribbled on it today. Wasn't it Bhuvi yesterday? And KulCha most often, too?

"It doesn't hurt that the Indian team in currently in Kolkata, too," admitted Neha.

Mr Das didn't try to protest any longer. "Come to college early tomorrow."

"Thanks, prof! You're the best!"

Mr Das was somehow sure Neha knew that she was his favourite student as surely as he knew he was her favourite teacher.

.........................................................................

As soon as they reached Eden Gardens, Neha fled from Mr Das' supervision, as he got busy in talking with some CAB member about the repairs anyway.

It was far too early for the Indian team to come here for practice, she thought, disappointed, and then started observing the structure of the stands against the sky.

This had always been her dream...to do something for Eden Gardens, where India made history by winning after a follow on, where Kuldeep took his hattrick, where Rohit made the highest ODI score ever, for  Eden Gardens, which was the best stadium in the world in her eyes.

Feeling elated, she stared at her papers where she had drawn the tentative design of the big change she wanted to bring, and being finally in the grounds, she could observe if this was possible or not.

"Excuse me, do you mind moving a little?" said someone behind her.

The voice sounded familiar, and Neha looked around swiftly and her eyes lit up.

"We need this stretch for practice," said Kuldeep politely.

"Kuldeep sir! It's the greatest previlege ever to meet you!" shouted Neha before she could stop herself, and she extended her hand and Kuldeep shook it.

"Er...thanks," said Kuldeep, sounding nervous and slightly conscious.

He must get this devotion all the time from his countrymen, but not right in the middle of a stadium, most likely.