THE CLOUD'S CHARM

CHAPTER 4 - part 3 - COLLEAGUES AND KIDS

 COLLEAGUES AND KIDS

Mohan had met the guy who was named Gurucharan Brijwasi on the ID cards and simply Guru in real life at the regional office of The Morning Wave. He was a lean man who looked geeky with his square spectacles and boyish without them. His chatter about family, friends and his entire life which followed soon after the formal introductions made Mohan wonder (and worry a bit) how such a naive person could handle any secretive job.

But as soon as the talk turned serious, Mohan realized how much he had underestimated the fellow. He sat stunned as Guru explained about his works to reveal the possible activity of a notorious drug racket that had ensnared the youth all over the country, at a nearby prestigious college.

As his superiors realized the seriousness and the possible impact of the case, Guru, being a newbie, was advised to work on the same case, but under someone experienced, reliable and most importantly, trustworthy. The superiors, after much consideration, had chosen Mohan for the job.

Guru had already planned their disguises. He had somehow managed to bag the job of boys' hostel cook for himself and that of gardener for Mohan so that while he could keep an eye on the boys' rooms, Mohan could keep a watch on the grounds for anything fishy.

Both joined the jobs next day itself and fortunately, got the same room in the quarters for workers.

It was the last day of the semester and students were in a hurry to leave. Both journalists were disappointed by this - they now have to wait at least two months for the students to return.

But the ever-enthusiastic Guru soon decided it was God's blessing in disguise: the break would be an excellent time for both of them to study and practice their new jobs without raising much suspicion.

Accepting Guru's point of view, Mohan had got ready early that morning ignoring his mind's plea for ten more blissful minutes in the dream world. After a meeting with the chief gardener, he was assigned the area in front of teachers' quarters.

He had been wielding the lawn mower sleepily, yet successfully till he heard the opening of a door nearby. The morning was spookily silent till then and hence, the sound startled him out of his wits.

The rest of the incidents and the encounter with Miss Spitfire completely shook away the sleep from his eyes and made him seek Guru.

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After his dose of scolding for the ruined garden, Mohan headed towards boys' hostel mess, wondering how Guru may be faring.

"Wonder whether he may be having a bad time like me. I should go and see." Mohan thought.

The sight which greeted him in the kitchen brought him guilty comfort – Guru seemed to be doing as bad as Mohan on the first day. The chief cook was scolding Guru for overcooking something. Soon, Guru was demoted from the cooking section to the cutting and washing section.

Mohan went near him and dropped the spoon he was holding and alerted Guru to his presence inconspicuosly. Guru offered some excuse to his superior and hurried out of the kitchen, without sparing even a single glance at Mohan.

Mohan returned to his seat, finished his food and hurried off to the quarters and found Guru lying on his bed, looking completely exhausted.

"I don't know whether I'll last even one day, Bhayya!" exclaimed Guru. "The chief cook discovered I can't even distinguish pepper and mustard, and put me in the washing and cutting section."

"Arre yaar! It happens. You are not alone – I ruined someone's garden with an out of control lawn mower this morning. I'm forbidden from laying my hands on that dratted machine again, till I learn the basics of the art of gardening." Mohan said.

"What!"

"Yes... Don't be disheartened, Guru. Whatever is happening, will turn out to be for good somehow. We need to be patient and willing to suffer such small hardships for the greater good - for discovering truth."

"You are right, Bhayya. Along with discovering truth, we will be also acquiring cooking and gardening skills. Let's think of it as a kids' summer camp on cooking and gardening then." Guru added sarcastically.

"Kids camp it is then, for you, even if our employers are not as welcoming and patient as the smiling, pampering summer camp teachers, or even if there are no other fellow kids for you to play with, in this campus." Mohan observed.

Well, Mohan's last statement soon became wrong, as two kids, accompanied by their family, crossed the entrance of the campus that very evening.

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