Hic! Hic! Responsibility?

for Susmita

for Gowri

for Priyanka

for Roohi

The million dollar phone!!!

20 minutes –

15 minutes –

5 minutes –

I kept on scribbling on the top corner of my notebook.

“What are you writing?” Naomi hissed.

 I turned towards her and grinned, “The countdown to lunch break!”

4 and 3 and 2 and 1 and 0!!

“Why is the professor still in class?” I grunted.

-1 and -2 and -3 and -4 and

“Thank you class!” the professor said this and left.

I quickly packed my bags.

“Come, let’s go! I said.

“No way! Not again, we are going there and spy on him.”

“But he is cute.”

“Young lady, you go and spy your prince. I’ll go and meet my prince.”

I laughed out loud,” Oh yeah! Food!” As I said this, I quickly ran away, out of her sight.

“Don’t forget we have a test after lunch break.” I heard her shout behind me. 

I headed towards the broadcasting room. Yes, he was there. And as usual I was moving forth and back, taking short glances through the partially opened door.

Jason, final year student from the Operations Department, RJ of the campus radio.

“Excuse me?”

I turned back. It was Jason. Was he talking to me? I turned sideways. There was no one around. I pointed my finger towards me and I found it very silly doing that. Of course, he was talking to me. I didn’t realize that I was turning all red.

“Would you please do me a favor?” he asked. In his hand was a wireless land line phone.

All I could do was nod.

“I was waiting for an official call for which I have to take down messages, but something came up…..”

“So you want me to wait for the call?”

“I would be so elated. But I’m sorry that I can’t let you inside the broadcasting room. You see, it’s out of bounds. So can you do it in the next, empty classroom?”

I nodded again. He handed me the phone. He, then, locked the door. “Thank you so much! I owe you one.” He said this and left.

I was sitting in the empty class waiting for “the” call.

“What am I doing?” I said to myself.

I kept on tapping my fingers on the table and suddenly realized that I had a class test the next hour. I was relieved that I had the study materials saved in my mobile phone. I was going through it when the phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Hello, is Jason around?” It was a lady’s voice at the other end.

“Errr- no, who is this speaking?”

“I’m Jason’s mom. I can’t reach his phone.”

“I’ll tell him that you called.”

CLICK! Beeppp----beeeppp----beepp

“I should have taken his number.” I thought and smiled.

I opened my study materials again. I was going through it and I was going through it. Suddenly, the time at the top corner of my mobile phone caught my attention. I had five minutes till the next class-YES CLASS TEST!

I rushed out. The broadcasting room was still locked. I was pacing up and down.

“What do I do? What do I do?”

I checked my watch again- Four minutes. I rushed to the common room near the broadcasting room.

“NO! I cannot take responsibility for the phone,” the man in charge of the common room said in an irritated way.

I was back pacing up and down again. The dean who was on his rounds saw me.

“What happen? Why are you moving around with that phone?”

“Sir, I have to return back the phone to the broadcasting room but the room is locked. And I have a class test now. Sir, can you please take the phone?”

“Oh! Sorry, you took the phone. I cannot take responsibility for it. Make sure you return it.” He said this and left.

I was so frustrated. No one was ready to take responsibility for the stupid phone. I didn’t even know when Jason was coming back. A Janitor came to me and told me it was time for class.

“I know. Ten minutes have passed. You will return back the phone to the broadcasting room? “

I didn’t know what to do so I asked him.

“I cannot, girl!”

“Stupid Jason! No, stupid phone.”

I returned back to the class with the phone. The test had already started. I took a pen from Naomi and went to the last unoccupied desk. I kept the phone inside the cabinet and before I closed it, I made sure the receiver was open.

After a while, the phone rang. I was so startled and petrified. Everyone turned and looked at me. I gave them a What-did-I-do look. The professor just smiled. I was wondering how the phone rang when the receiver was open.

I kept on exchanging looks with Naomi when the phone rang again. That time, the whole class laughed and turned at me again. I was turning red. I was boiling with anger.

“This too shall pass.” I thought.

After about five calls, I stood up.

“Excuse me, Sir, but I have to take the call.”

“Hello! May I talk to Jason?”

“Sorry! Wrong number.”

BAMPP-

I placed the receiver hard.

The first thing I did as the class got over was I took the phone and rushed out. Naomi caught up with me. As we neared the broadcasting room, we saw Jason along with a group.

I handed him the phone.

“Thank God! I was about to make a complaint that the phone has been stolen.”

“Huh!!”

I didn’t bother to explain what exactly happened.

“Oh yeah! I got two messages for you- one, your mom called and second, you will probably never get your important call again.” I said bluntly.

He was confused but I turned and walked out with Naomi.

“You will not come back again, I reckon?” Naomi asked.

“You are crazy. Why won’t I?”

“But he did this to you!”

“It was the stupid phone’s fault. No one didn’t want to take responsibility for it. You see, it’s a million dollar phone.” I winked as I said this.

Definitely a million dollar phone!