Five Point Someone Read online

  Ryan’s face was intense like Alok’s while writing his exam paper. This was not a casual conversation; he had pondered over this for a while.

  “I told you the whole idea was crap. How can you force these details on us as if we’ve said yes,” Alok said.

  But that is how Ryan is, he decides, and then he proposes, and then he does whatever he wants to anyway.

  “Ryan, what is all this man?” I said.

  “Just listen to me. Hari, I could get you the A grade you want here. Imagine, your girl will finally not be ashamed to acknowledge you. And you too Fatso, an A won’t look so bad on your grade sheet when you apply for jobs either.”

  “But it is so warped, so…so wrong,” Alok protested, looking at me for support against Ryan’s latest madness. But I was already thinking of walking hand in hand with Neha in the insti gardens when the moon was out. Could I really get an A?

  “It is wrong only if you get caught right?”

  It was kind of hard to argue with Ryan’s logic, especially if you were dreaming about your beautiful girlfriend at that time. Yes, it is a crime only if someone catches you. Otherwise, it is just a neat plan.

  “But…” Alok tried again.

  “Anyway, let me finish,” Ryan said, without letting Alok finish now that I looked half way there.

  “The roof is on the ninth floor. So, if I suspend myself with ropes and then sail down to Cherian’s window, I can get to his room. You guys can help me, just like we got Hari into Neha’s room.”

  “Are you crazy? Neha’s room was easy, no ropes or anything. And the insti building is nine floors high,” I said.

  “I am not scared. I have done rock climbing in school,” Ryan said.

  “What if the window is not open?” Alok said.

  I could see Ryan liked Alok’s question. Not only because Ryan had thought about it before, but because it meant Alok was buying into this. But wait a minute, was I on board with this just because it was Ryan? An A would be nice though.

  “Yes, what about the window?” I said.

  “The insti windows have latches that are weaker than rubber bands. They are the same windows as in Kumaon hostel. One bang on the back and it opens.”

  “Still, you will suspend yourself from the roof?” I said.

  “I said I wasn’t scared.”

  “What if someone sees us?” I said.

  That is the thing about Ryan. He is brilliant, but also fearless. This machismo might lead to an over-confidence that could kill the plan.

  “No one will see us,” Ryan said.

  “Yeah right. Just three guys hanging on to the insti roof as usual. Institute security wouldn’t care, eh?” Alok smirked.

  “Fatso, it will be super dark,” Ryan said.

  “But we could make a noise, or the movement could be seen by the security jeeps on the roads. Remember, we are not on the roof, but hanging by the sides. We just might be seen.”

  “C’mon guys…” Ryan said, looking bored.

  “Too risky. Forget it,” Alok said, tearing blades of grass. I had to nod, too. Besides, just the thought of Ryan bungee-jumping upward made me sweat.

  “Well, you got any better ideas?” Ryan said, irritated.

  “What were you planning to do next anyway?” My curiosity got the better of me.

  “Okay, here are the next steps,” Ryan pointed to the side of the paper. “One, switch on light on the opposite right wall. Two, scan the room for a sealed brown bag. Three, open the seal with a knife, and take out one copy of major paper. Four, using a candle and fresh seal, fasten the bag back. Five, get the hell out of there.”

  “Sounds simple enough after that,” Alok said, “but I guess we can’t get in. Let’s go now, I’m hungry.”

  “There could be a way,” I said.

  “What?”

  “Through the door. His main regular office door,” I said.

  “How? Break the lock? Of course, you know that is impossible, with the noise and everything. And he’ll know the next day,” Ryan said.

  “No lock breaking. Just get in elegantly with the key,” I said.

  “Key? Where the hell will you get the key?” Alok said.

  “From Neha’s car keys. Her dad’s office keys are in the bunch,” I said.

  Everyone fell silent for five seconds. It was the silence of admiration for sheer brilliance.

  “Wow. I guess you just have to steal the keys then,” Alok said.

  “Why not just sneak them out for half an hour and make a duplicate?” Ryan said.

  “I guess. Not the easiest thing to do, but can be done,” I said, and smiled smugly at my own genius. Cherian’s office was an open door.

  “Hari, you are a killer man. That is awesome,” Ryan said.

  He finalized the revised plan again. It seemed simple enough now, and we had invested too much time in it to walk away from it.

  “So we go up at night, just as we go to the roof for the vodka. But we stop at the sixth floor and raid Cherian’s office,” Ryan said.

  “Not raid, just turn the key and slide in,” I said, impersonating a mock key with my fingers.

  “Yes, up yours Cherian,” Ryan poked air with his middle finger. We all laughed and shook hands.

  “Let us give this operation a name. Something sexy, something unsuspicious and simple.”

  “Something that will swing our miserable fortunes in this place,” I said.

  “Yes, this swinging operation can be called Operation Pendulum,” Ryan said.

  And on that bright lawn with our sun-lit eyes, we blithely cheered in unison, “Operation Pendulum!”

  16

  —

  The Longest Day of My Life I

  THEY SAY NO ONE DAY CAN BE TOO SIGNIFICANT IN YOUR life, but I tell you the day of Operation Pendulum was the most memorable and longest of all my IIT days. Each moment, each event is vivid and fresh in my mind as if it happened yesterday. It was the day that changed our lives, or at least changed us.

  There was no formal date set for Operation Pendulum. It was kind of like, we’d do it the day I got the key thing done. The majors were less than a week away, so we were sure Cherian would have the papers by now. And of course, we’d need some time to figure out the answers to those questions. So the sooner the better.

  April 11, the day of Operation Pendulum, a day that started with my date with Neha. I should have seen the signs the moment Neha told me she’d sprained her ankle.

  “What?” I said over the phone, “I am dying to meet you. Don’t cancel today. The majors will begin after that.”

  “But Hari, I can’t even walk ten steps. Please, can’t we do it some other time?”

  “Can I just see you for half an hour. How about I come home?”

  I knew Neha’s mom would not be at home that day. It was the eleventh, the day she went to that temple by the tracks and sobbed for her son. That is why Neha had agreed to the date in the first place.

  “Home? Are you mad? What if someone sees you?”

  “Third year is ending, can you stop being so scared?”

  “But...”

  “And what if I get an A, you’ll introduce me then anyway right?”

  “Okay, but only for half an hour. And come exactly at 11.30, so I’ll leave the doors open,” she said.

  “Great. I’ll see you then,” I said, keeping the phone down with a sigh of relief. I just had to see her that day, or rather see her car.

  “Everything okay?” Ryan quizzed as I left Kumaon.

  “Of course. See you in two hours,” I said.

  “Shh, quiet, just come in quickly,” Neha said, whispering quite unnecessarily.

  “No one is here,” I said.

  “You’re crazy. So, why the big urge to see me today?” Neha said, leading me to her room.

  “Well, you know third year is ending and majors and everything,” I said, my eyes roving around the room to spot any key-racks.

  “So?” Neha said.

  “So I though