August 20, 2010

Freedom


Still another 20 mins, to go.

The pulse was fast.He could hear the heart beat distinctively.It was not thudding anymore...it was pounding.A distinct sense of uneasiness had crept in. His senses are heightened. The scratch on the table with his finger nails in tense nervousness ,the noise is too loud , the ball point pen was piercing into his sweaty palm.

Yet he had to maintain calm.The look on his face needed to be non-descriptive.The pocket handkerchief was the only comfort.A fear of a massive failure grips him.There was no turning back now.He had to do it. After all the stakes were so high. He oscillated role playing from what he'd do if he screwed up to what he'd do if he succeeded. The mind was at a complete unrest.As he muttered under his breath he saw some people frowning at him from a distance as they passed by and some looked at him suspiciously.He thought if ever they knew what he was going through they'd probably crack up by now..His mind could explode any moment.


The clock was ticking and now there was just 10mins. to go.

He tried to regulate his breathing, trying to calm himself down,but palpitation took the better of him.His fingers were shaking. He clenched his fist trying to steady the vibration. The jacket was tight,he felt suffocated. He felt claustrophobic.He wanted to break free and breathe easy.But he could not.He had to sit there quietly.He had to wait for the right time.The right moment.He thought of his family back home.He thought about their lives.How they had struggled in his childhood. The pain was behind and glory lay ahead...but it would not be easy..he would have to walk through fire.Suddenly he snapped back to consciousness.The gatekeeper was making him uneasy.He kept a constant vigil ,should anything come in his way and his mission,he would have to engage in a confrontation.


5 minutes to go.

His patience gave up- he got up and slowly looked around - still no sign. He was cautious, not to attract any undue attention.He walked a few paces back and forth to ease the tension.One part of him thought why was he doing this? He could just run out of it all.But he had come too far to go back now.And they would hunt him down wherever he would go.They were everywhere tracking him.He could literally feel their eyes on him.

After all he was the chosen one.Chosen from so many others who volunteered.He could run but not hide.He needed the money.It was good, it was big, it was something he had not seen before. His life, as he knew it so far, would change ...forever.


30 seconds to go.

It was time. As he looked up to the door - he realized he was walking to fulfill his destiny.It was time to walk through that door....for that final interview...and possibly his path to freedom from his past struggling life.






Gyan Ban Thoughts - This short story may sound a tad humorous in the end, but is dedicated to all those people who suffer paranoia or nervousness.They are trapped in a state of mind and find it increasingly difficult to break free. Their mental freedom comes only after the incident is over.Sometimes people falter under pressure and excel when left alone to do their thing.Unfortunately, our system is designed to put us under pressure and we glorify those who excel under pressure.Spare a thought and be sensitive to some people who are not so naturally gifted with resilience or flamboyance yet are no less talented in their work.

image courtesy : desktopnexus.com

16 comments:

  1. i have something similar coming up and i don't want to be like your protagonist, so wish me luck.. :)

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  2. i actually wish... may your tribe increase and people like you should head these sessions where all you talked about is put to the ultimate test in which as you say some falter.
    An anxious mother can only say this and feel happy that there are people like you who are sensitive to the less gifted.

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  3. i thought it would be abt some exam ....but it turned to be an interview.....why am i telling that ..... you wrote it......

    anyways....i can totally related to it...no matter how much i prepare....i was always nervous for a viva's at college..... and interviews in corporate life.......

    PS:- I'm your 100th follower on google friends... \,,/

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  4. Ghaurir - welcome and I wish you all the best.

    Shivani - welcome and thank you for your kind words.Nobody is less gifted.They are differently gifted.!

    Meghpeon - Thanks

    Hitesh - a little bit of nervousness always brings out the best in people...so I am sure you will do well.
    Yaay - congratulations ! 100th follower - hope you enjoy reading Gyan Ban stories and poems.

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  5. wonderful description...I have faced this situation too many times and can identify with the symptoms...

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  6. The situation that you have described in Freedom,is something that has to be handled in a calm and steady way! I liked the narration and i felt it too :-)

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  7. Gyanban thank you...i stand corrected...differently gifted indeed.:)

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  8. Good narration :) Well everyone feels nervous specially when you have to prove yourself to others... I have felt this so many times and get butterflies in my stomach!!! but all ends well when i take 10 deep breaths :)

    I loved the post bro!!!

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  9. If it is interview, then though it is freedom from one struggle, it is another struggle onwards .. just joking ..it is part of life!!

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  10. Good one,...portrayed the scenario very accurately...

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  11. @LazyP - thanks for dropping by - hope all is well ?

    @Sudeshna - thank you.

    @Shivani - coolness !

    @DuDo - thanks a lot - welcome to Gyan Ban

    @aativas - aptly put though, getting into a company is one thing, surviving in it is a completely different ball game.

    @dattaabhishek - welcome to Gyan Ban - thank you.

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  12. Nice.. very nice. Except, I think the title didn't go too well with the post.

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  13. @writerzblock - thank you and appreciate your feedback.

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  14. hey another nice one...and i guess everyone could relate to it...so did i... :)


    Namit,
    My BLOG- Wen i was a boy

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  15. When I was first reading it, it seemed like you were talking about an exam, especially with the time displayed throughout. But when I went back to read it again the interview made sense. And yes some people do suffer from paranoia.

    Laughter is indeed the best medicine!

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