Presentation

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Sanjiv kick started his Bajaj scooter and was elated that it attained ignition in the very first kick. He considered it a good omen as he was to make his presentation today. He swirled the accelerator to sustain the ignition, the entire passage connecting the Hostel mess and the exit got filled with its noise, smoke and smell. Rahul clambered on the scooter as pillion passenger and the “Hamara Bajaj” drove off incoherently. Dinow followed them in his “better in excellence” two wheeler. The lesser mortals walked hurriedly, some complaining about classes at 8AM to be too early, some complaining that the time moves too fast in the morning and very slow during class, others grumbling on almost everything they came across. All headed towards the Management Studies block with mixed feeling of enthusiasm, despair, anticipating distress. Some prepared, some partially prepared and many totally unprepared for the presentation.
The class was divided in small groups and each group had to make presentation on pre determined topics. Sanjiv and his team members wore a confident look and displayed calmness, showing how suitably prepared they were for the occasion. Sanjiv was a post graduate in foreign language from Madras University and making presentations was not new to him. Many in the class were to make formal presentation for the first time in their life. Sandeep and his team grappled in disagreement, showing poor preparedness and lack of coordination. Bindu and his team were detached and prayed for the bell to go before their turn came. The girls belonged to a single and exclusive team and they were all engrossed reading hastily to grab the maximum in the last minutes, they worked more as individuals than a team, either they had rehearsed the coordination quite well and were focusing on improving the individual roles or were going to deliver solo performance.
Bindu entered the classroom swiftly and announced “The old man is coming”. The occupants of the room seated themselves in an orderly manner and waited for Dr.Kim to enter. Dr.Kim entered briskly with his smoke and smell of Capstan. He alighted his books and folders on the table, scanned the anxious faces from above his frame less glasses, his grave face let a mild smile escape. “ Which team to come first” he said addressing to none. Glances were exchanged with many voiceless pleads “Not me”.
Sanjiv and team stood and marched confidently to the presentation area. The OHP was switched on and one after the other transparencies were placed on top of the lens. The presentation was executed in a coordinated manner, all questions asked were addressed with a backup transparency. The entire show went on perfectly. The presentations that followed did not match the rich benchmark set. Bindu's prayers were not answered, his turn came much before the class ended.
At the end of the class most of the presenters were shaken and found themselves in “a world of hurt”. Dr.Kim gave curt and terse feedback. The freshmen, otherwise full with fun and frolic, walked away with grim faces.
A girl student was seen weeping inconsolably on her way back to the hostel. Bindu rushed to pacify her.