PARAMETERS 1.v - PENTACRUISE

I was on the verge of completion of my second week and I started getting accustomed to everything around. I have made good friends with my room-mates and the very sight of that all three waking up at the same time almost was at least much more soothing. I was still hopeless at the morning PT though. Sir would call me "kaddu" and make me do all the heavy stuff. It was fun because he had given a series of names to most of us. He would be sarcastically calling Pande " do roti ". My running capacity had increased a lot in these days although I was still the last one to run in the mob which started in a line and finally gasping for breath like an asthma patient. Seniors would tell me that if I had such problems then I should change my stream. My batchmates would tell me the same thing. The first thing that came to my head was - "will I have to run like that in the ship ?"
Probably they were saying about the tough job I have to do all day which I realise now. It was important.

In the morning that day, 5 of us have decided to form a group where we would try to excel in studies and sports and all other fields and would stand by each other in every aspect. There would be a pact or agreement among us to be held after the evening fall -in , breach of which would cause a vote and the majority against that person would result in his expulsion. The group name was decided to be "PENTACRUISE" and the members were Priyankar , Pande ,  Somen ,  Abhishek (from 216) and me.


There were students who had been joining late in the college. The fact that they had missed classes and fall -ins for so long days and still administration allows their entries astonished me. I was the one having a 98 percent attendance in school. Never ever bunked my school days. For me missing out the first 2 weeks and that too in the fair knowledge of the college authorities made me think I could have joined it late. It was so silly on my part and my nervous and over conscious father that I joined on the very first official date. At least I would have to run 2 weeks less and I would not have faced the ragging period.( with days it seems faded as you come closer to your freshers).

I heard of a new entry in our batch just before the evening fall in of the first day of the 3rd week. He was standing in the matrix queue. He had an innocent face with his eyes curious to know what he has missed these  weeks. After the evening fall in I was returning in the mob towards the canteen to have a south indian food that we had given a vulgur name because you never really found what it was named. All the food had the best names and the worst tastes. But you have to eat so no choice left. Suddenly from the back some unfamiliar voice said , " Hey did you study in M.P BIRLA ?"
It was the new guy. His eyes glowing as if I was some famous person.
I was little astonished to know that someone knows that about me without my telling and that means we were in the same school. But I din't recognise him although his face was somewhat familiar.
"Yes , but do we know each other ? Were you in the same school b'cause I never saw you "
"No no.. Someone told me that you were from that school. I am Abhishek"
"Oh..another Abhishek. Me too... I am Ghosh."
"I am Majumder"

"So which school you were in?"
After a little pause he said  " Arya bidya Mandir"
"Oh thats a good school too. I have heard of that"
"You do? I live in Behala and I have heard you live in the same place."
"Yeah a lot of similarities...So do you wanna come to our room after snacks .? There is a meeting today regarding the formation of a prestigious group ."
"Yeah ... okay" , his eyes glowed again like the first meet.
"213 is my room."
"Okay, mine is 219."
I gave a dazzled look. As I knew there was only rooms till 216. How can he say 219. Is he out of his mind or saying it wrong.
" 216 is the last room in the first floor. How can it be 219. Are you talking of hostel 1 ?"
"Yes , hostel 1 and first floor but our entrance is from the other side. Its the faculty department."
"How come you are staying in the faculty department ? "
"They said they were out of rooms and as I was a late entry I did not get a room on this side."

A separate room from the chaos and having all the facilties that a faculty would have. Ohh , how I envied that. He was late in the college , enjoyed 2 weeks at home and here he gets a 5 star room ( compared to the common toilets and unrestricted entries to seniors ).He was in paradise.

After evening food or whatever you may call we went to 213. I introduced him to our fellowmates. Somen , Priyankar and Pande were sitting there. Abhishek from 216 was hardly interested in the group formation. He was the only one absent there.
"Hey how about replacing Abhishek from 216 with Abhishek from 219 ?" , I suggested.
Pande gave a thoughtful look and said , "Ya thats a fine idea. But we need a vote first and he has to abide by some rules and also keeping in mind that he is the last entry he has to get trained like a junior."

What was Pande trying to do? I just thought that Abhishek would leave the room but he was listening like the most obidient student.

"RULE 1 ", Pande continued with his pranks , "He has to fill in the bottles from aquaguard for us every evening after fall in"
Pande had somehow read him and was continuing with his nonsense. We had fights among us regarding the filling and drinking of water . 3 of us would complain about drinking more water than filling any. Pande was looking for a solution.

" See you have missed the fair amout of ragging. So you should compensate somehow for that. So RULE 2 : You can get a slap from any of our members specially me when we feel so . " , saying so Pande slapped him in the right cheek.

We all were looking with wide eyes , cudn't believe it was happening but chose to keep shut to see where it goes.

Abhishek was the small boy being bullied by his same aged fellow mates. But he hardly tried to oppose what was going on.

"Rule 3 : You have to polish our shoes before the morning fall in."

I could not resist. " Hey this is too much yaar.. C'mon its his first day in our room. Don't do like that. Its crossing limits."
Somen added," Ya he is one of us now."
Priyankar was trying to extract as much as possible from the deal but he flowed with the wind and said  " Yes 2 big bottles of water filling and that slap thing is enough."

I said, " So all of us agrees and he is one of the PENTACRUISE."

"Wait.!!!" said Pande, "We still need a written vote."

"But , all of you agreed. So whats the need of a vote ?" was Abhishek's innocent query.
The answer started with a slap on the left now , " Don't question the authority. We don't have written vote. You speak when you are allowed to." ---- thashh...... speech ended with another slap.

I could hardly believe that all this was taking place in the very first introduction day of this new guy.
I never hoped that Pande will take that group more seriously than me. We conducted a written vote. Abhishek got selected . He was way too happy with that deal as if he had got the best student award. I was sure there were more slaps to come. I would have felt pity but then I thought of the first 2 weeks I spent in hell and the room he got with attached toilet. The deal was fair enough.

THANKS DAD. YOU ADMITTED ME ON 16TH AUGUST