Nenjamellam kadhal

Chapter 10

                                                            Sakthi

    Two months into my first semester have passed quickly. It was a Tuesday. Ayyo, I had the workshop. I still had a crush on the professor, though there hadn't been any change in that department. However, I detested the way he kept putting me through the torment. From the very first class, he never signed my observation notebook without sending me back to make an uncountable number of corrections repeatedly every single time I went to get his signature on my notebooks. Na avlo thappu panrana ila avaru venuney athanavati anupurara nu therila.

    If he refuses to sign my notebook the next time, I will definitely ask him why he does this to me. Enala 1000 vati correction panitu tirupi tirupi poi nikka mudila.

    These days, even Pavithra, Vidhya, and a few of my classmates, with whom I had not exchanged a word, refuse to even stand beside me while waiting for his signature. They feared that he might subject them to numerous corrections in their observation notebooks too, simply for standing with me. Reluctantly, I got dressed in my uniform.

    I saw the professor at his stop and started pleading from my seat with my hands clasped in a pleading gesture, "Sirey, please, at least today, sign my notebook without sending me back for corrections. If you do, I will give you my chocolates and ice cream. Please sirey". My friends giggled, but they fell silent when I shot them a stern look and texted Sakthi to help me with writing observations and recording notebooks.

    Nowadays, Pavithra and Vidhya also join me to have lunch in Ramya's class. During lunch, I asked Sakthi to draw the diagrams in my workshop observation notebook and record notebooks exactly as he had drawn them in his own notebook. He too drew exactly like his, with the same dimensions.

    We all reached the workshop with five minutes to spare before the lunch bell. I was assigned to do welding today. After the professor took our attendance, we gathered around the welding bench.

    The welding instructor taught us the welding technique and moved beside our group. Following that, he handed me the welding torch and helmet, instructing me to go first. The professor also arrived at the same time and stood behind everyone. My task was to join two metal pieces by welding them together using the electrode, holding the electrode in one hand and the torch in the other.

    As I was about to weld the pieces, the welding instructor moved closer to me to assist me by holding my hands from behind, but the professor intervened, saying, "Nenga ipo kai a pudichu soli kudutha aparam exam la epdi panuvanga? Sir Vidunga, avangaley panatum." After hearing the professor's words, the instructor took a step away from me.

     I thought, 'Iniki ethana vati welding adika poramo,olunga avarey adika solli kuduthruparu nama escape airukalam indha professor vandhu sodhapitaru. analum rombha strict officer ah irukarupa. I successfully welded the two metal pieces in a single attempt, using a single electrode. Deivamey, I felt an immense sense of relief, knowing I could now enjoy the remaining three hours. I showed my work to both of them after cooling it down, and they both signalled for the others to follow suit.

    When Sakthi finished his work, I persuaded him to join me in getting the professor's signature for our observation notebooks. The professor signed his book after a brief check without asking him to make any corrections.

    I breathed a sigh of relief, but it was short-lived when he asked me to change the thickness simply because it matched Sakthi's. I just stared at him blankly as he made the request, took my notebook back, and reluctantly made the necessary corrections to obtain his signature, but I couldn't contain myself anymore and asked, "Sir, change panradhuku idhellam oru reason a? En sir, epa paru ithana vati anupuringa?"