Monday, August 3, 2009

I know I won...but - Part I

They say that honesty wins at the end..............they are wrong.
Many years back when I was quite small in size (I was in 8h standard), I took part in a G.K. competition. Those who know me today would say that I should not even allowed to sit in such competition. My general knowledge is horrible. Today when people ask me something related to G.K., I just start Googling. Probably Google is the only hope left in my life.
But, I was better in G.K. that time and so I took part in the competition. Some of my classmates and friends also took part in the competition and I know they were far better than me. I was just hoping for a consolation prize or a participation certificate. The competition was organized by a reputed organization and so all the participants were really serious about the competition except me. As usual I was busy in cricket and other activities when all other were eating “Samanya Gyan-Kaun Kya hai”. 
Finally the day of test came and one of my Kitaabi Keeda friends called me up at 9 in the morning. I wake up by the tring tring of the phone. It was not more than 15-20 day we had taken the BSNL landline connection and it was our first phone. (Try to remember the first landline phone at your house and initial tring tring of it. People used to wait 3-4 day to hear the tring tring of the phone). I wake up by my friend's call and I saw the time. The test was supposed to start at 10 and it was 9 already. (The best thing about my parents is that they never try to wake me up early). My friend told me that he has read 7 books and he is confident about winning a prize. I said all the best to him and I wished that he get the 1st price coz he has really done hard work for the competition.  
I was about to start for the venue of the test when suddenly one of my neighborhood friend rushed into our house with many A4 size sheets in his hand. He was looking like a man who has just broken a prison and running away from Nicholas Cage, the FBI officer.  
“What is the matter? You are moving life football. You have killed some one or you are making a documentary on ants” I asked him.
He replied,” I am running like an ant for you” 
Before he could complete his sentence, I said, “I haven’t killed anyone either. I have just wake up. Ohhh, are pintu’s parents coming for me. Yesterday I hit him with the cricket bat.
He said,”shut up and hear me. One of my cousin was in the organizer committee of the G.K. competition in which you have participated. He just came to me and gave me the question paper which is supposed to come in the test today. I haven’t participated and so this is not of much use for me, but this is a jackpot for you” he gave me the question paper. 
I looked at it. 100 multiple choice question. I started reading it and I came to know that I hardly know the answer of 50 questions. It was 9. 35 already and suddenly a storm of G.K. books came into my house. Books of G.K. were coming from every corner of my home and I was amazed that I have this much G.K. books at my home. 
Somehow, I managed to find the answer of most of the question and rushed to the venue of the test. I was 20 min late already and other participants were lost in the ocean of question. I requested the organizers to allow me to sit in the competition and gave the excuse which was most common and most successful excuse of that time. Sir, my bicycle got puncher in the way.  
They were kind enough to allow me to sit in the test and I was the first one to finish the test in my room. I handed over my answer sheet to the invigilator like a born winner and walked confidently outside the room. 
The judgment day has arrived and I dressed like never before. In a huge auditorium, my name was announced as the participant stood first in the competition. They added.” This boy has broken the record of previous years and has given 96 right answers. Although, he came 20 min late in the test but he finished it on time. He is simply outstanding”. My friend who worked hard for the test got consolation prize. 
That day I was a champion for everyone. Everyone was praising me. As people came to congratulate me, a strange feeling inside me suddenly came into existence. I don’t know what it was but it was painful. I was not liking the word which everyone was using for me. By the evening, I transformed in to a looser.  
I still see the trophy in my cupboard. I participated in many competitions and won many prizes in academics and sports after that but this trophy is still biggest among all. But being biggest is not the only difference. All other trophies and certificates give a feeling of satisfaction and proud……..
They say that honesty wins in the end........actually they are right. Its just that what is your definition of “WIN”

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