Hunting for one’s own passing certificates and degrees after years, just to prove your credentials to someone’s pigment of doubt is always a torture of its kind, writes Sumeet Naik.
Never in my life I recollect being woken up by a nightmare which had driven me blank to the core. Until, last Wednesday night. And well, it wasn’t a nightmare shook me up from my slumber, but my mother (who is in her early 70s) searching for something in my room in the middle of the night. Somewhere around 2:45 am, I hear some noises in my room, adjacent to my bed. As I try to open my eyes I could barely see a lady with a torch in her hand searching something on my study table (now converted into reading and writing desk).
“Gosh! You sacred hell out of me, what are you searching for at this hour of night in my room mom?”, I actually yelled at my mom (more out of fear than anger). I put on the lights and looked at her, she seemed really tensed as she stood right in front of me now. “Where is your MA degree and passing certificate?,” she shot the most unexpected salvo at me. I was completely blank when she asked me this that after so many years and that too when I was just promoted as an Operations Head in the multi-national firm I worked for. “What’s the matter mom, why suddenly you thought of my degree and passing certificate, that too at such an odd hour?,” I could not help but ask.
“Look son, today you are at the top most post in your office. One day some jealous ass might just stand up and doubt your credentials during the Board meeting and challenge you to be only a graduate and not a post-graduate,” she said with a sense of concern on her face. “We need to keep your documents handy for any such misadventures by others. So now, will you please help me locate it,” she said moving towards my second drawer.
After nearly two hours of frantic search, I finally found my priceless possession stashed inside dusty (handle broken) briefcase, kept under my bed. I was overjoyed with the fact that at least now I can go back to sleep though it was just an hour away from the time I otherwise get up. But it was not yet over for my mom. “I must go to temple early today and offer five coconuts to Lord Ganesha. I had promised him that I would do so, if he helped us find your degree,” as she said this folding her hands, I could see someone else walking away with the credit to my efforts.
Arranging the degree and the passing certificate in order, my mom instructed me what I anticipated as well feared at the same time. “After dropping me to the temple, you must go to uncle Arvind’s stationery shop and get your degree laminated,” said mom. No not again, I was prepared to go town and get them laminated but not from Arvind uncle.
A year ago I had gone to get laminated a fancy dress winner’s certificate I had won during school days, where this same Arvind uncle had got into an argument with me after bombarding me with several questions. And what triggered him the most was when I told him that I had become a muffler man during the fancy dress. He was so furious at me that he went on to accuse me that as kids how we made fun of noble personalities in the name of fancy dress. I had to convince him that I was a muffler seller and not a wearer.
Little did my mom know, that in the name of degree lamination, Arvind uncle would indulge in doing what he loves the most. The ‘Third Degree’ torture in form of his questions, on her beloved son. Sleep was no more in sight now
