Stubby Blue Pencil

It wasn't that she didn't intend to go for the exam, it was just that she forgot.

Yup.

She forgot that the exam was that day. You see, she had only filled in the form and applied for the scholarship because all her friends were doing it, and when you're a teenager, you do what all your friends are doing to be in with the crowd.

Her mother had shown some mild surprise. "I didn't know you were inclined toward management studies," she remarked, when the letter containing the details for the exam arrived in the mailbox.

"I'm not," Paula said. "I just want to go for the exam because that's where all my friends are going to be, on that Sunday morning."

As it turned out, she was playing tennis at the club on the Sunday morning. There was nobody else there, so she played against the 'marker', the guy the club hired to fill in such gaps. He also kept track of who had booked which court, on a chart on the wall, with his thick stub of a blue pencil.

"We can play another round," he remarked, as Paula beat him in the first set, 6 - 4. "The courts are empty today, I guess most young people have gone for that scholarship exam."

Paula stopped short, her racquet poised to serve. Suddenly, the ball and racquet fell to the ground.

"Chetan!" she exclaimed. "I'd applied for that exam, too! I'm supposed to be there."

"It starts in 10 minutes," Chetan replied, glancing at his watch. "My brother's giving it, so I know. Which centre have you been allotted?"

"Bajaj Centre."

"That's a five minute ride on my moped. I'll get you there."

"In these clothes?"

"Who cares about the clothes?"

"And I don't have anything to write with."

He handed her his blue stub of a pencil. "I never give it to anyone, but today, your need is greater than mine."

Fortunately, Chetan had a spare helmet, and they got to the Centre just as the bell was sounding. Paula found her roll number and sat at her allotted seat, gasping. There were raised eyebrows all round, including from the invigilator, but nobody said anyting.

"You may begin," the invigilator said, to the hall in general.

She looked down. There was a question paper face-down on the desk in front of her, but no answer-sheets. She turned the question paper round. Why, it was an objective-type, pick the right answer out of four given options. Thank goodness, she could make marks with a stubby little pencil as good as anyone could. Writing essays would've been a bit daunting.

She bent closer and began. She hadn't exactly studied for this, but had heard her friends talking, and had done some general reading, so she could pretty much guess at the answers. A couple of times, she even knew the answer before reading the given options. A couple of times, she found herself smiling -- something that had been asked was something she had argued with her professor over in class, and she remembered the conversation and the conclusion.

"Phew,' Sandeep said, as they left the exam hall three hours later. "That was tough."

"It was fun, rather," Paula replied. "Now I can go have a bath."

"Why were you so late coming in?"

"I forgot. I'd gone to play tennis. Chetan brought me on his moped. Drove like a maniac, he did."

Two seconds of stunned silence, and then the guffaws broke out. "Trust you," Millia said. "Trust you to create some confusion! Oh, am I glad that's over. It was one of the toughest exams I've ever sat for."

*********

"How was the game? You sure took your time over it," her mother asked, as she entered the door.

"Ma, I went for the exam," Paula replied.

"Oh, yeah, that exam -- I'd forgotten it was today. But why're you in your tennis outfit then?"

"Because I went to play tennis."

The mother, knowing the daughter, responded, "And did you ace the game and the paper?"

"Everyone thought the paper tough. I hadn't studied, so I just enjoyed doing it."

"Ah. That's my girl."

*********

"That's our girl," both parents echoed, two weeks later, looking at Paula's picture in the newspaper, with the headline, "State Topper".

Paula and her friends were at the club. She had bought a round of milkshakes for everyone, and a milkshake and burger for Chetan. A clipping of her photo was on the club notice-board. "All thanks to your moped and your blue pencil," she said.

"May I have my pencil back, by the way? I've been marking the board in green lately and it just doesn't look right."

"Sorry, I forgot to bring it. I don't even know where I've put it, actually."

"I knew I'd land up in trouble, lending my precious pencil to someone so forgetful. I should've let you miss that exam. I should have known better."

Author's Note ▼

This story isn't too far fetched! It's based on something my cousin did. I've fictionalised it, yes, but the blue pencil is true, and she did pretty well in the exam.: