PLUS 2

PLUS 2


Srinivasan was still trying hard to sleep sometime. It was already 3 a.m. and to his horror he had kept alarm at 4 a.m. Plus two examinations were going on, and Biology exam was on cards the next day. He knew there was a lot more to revise. But he was very confident of doing the exam well and targeting his shot on a medical seat.


On the other end, Devi, tired of the previous day works was sleeping nicely. She too was worried on the upcoming exam, but had no ways to sacrifice her sleep like Srinivasan, largely due to the tiring works the previous day.


It was 3:59 a.m. and Srinivasan was challenging the alarm clock, and he won in the race to wake up. There was still a lot of ‘sleep’ sleeping in the edge of his eyes. His eyes were damn red in color.


He cramped a bit before managing to reach the bathroom. He brushed his teeth, and finished his bath in hard cold water. When he came out, he was shivering heavily, but he seemed to be least bothered about all that. He was determined about the exams ahead.


Devi’s dreams were undone by the alarm she had kept at 4.15 a.m. She showed no signs of tiredness and right away went to bath. “Biology exam should be very easy” this was the only thought running through her mind. And she never forgot to murmur short prayers every now and then.


She felt the chill of cold water too. She decided to prepare a cup of hot tea. She had to do it pretty fast since it was already 4.35 a.m. In the thick of things, she hurt her forefinger while lifting the vessel from the hot stove. It was burning heavily, and the chill of cold water seemed to have run away suddenly. She could hardly do some treatment to the finger that she was worried it would delay the proceedings further.


She prepared another cup of tea and walked to the room in the first floor of the house. Meanwhile Srinivasan was also walking to his room and he too was worried that it was already 4.40 am.


Vijaykumar was sleeping deep and a shrill voice disturbed him, “Viji!” He tried to open his eyes, but he was very sleepy that he turned the other side and continued to sleep. He was again disturbed, this time the voice was harder “Vijay! Get up ma!”


Vijaykumar slowly opened his eyes. Standing in front of him were his dad, Srinivasan and mom, Devi!


“What daaaadddyyy!!!” Vijay was irritated that they both had disturbed his sleep. To all who are wondering, who Vijaykumar is, he is the only son of the couple, Srinivasan and Devi. Both wanted their son to be a doctor and they had been dreaming the same for years. Vijaykumar was in the middle of the plus two examinations and the language papers and Maths exam had got over and the next exam was Biology.


He had asked his parents to wake him up by 4.30 a.m. He had told them he had a lot more to revise. He was still sleeping and Srini was trying his best to wake him up.


“Viji! Its already 4.50 da. Do get up soon. You told you have a lot to revise, right?” Srini was almost pleading him.


The moment Vijay heard the time was already 4.50 he got up. He was very frustrated at his dad that he didn’t wake him up in time. “What is your problem in getting up a bit soon and then wake me in time?” he shouted at his mom and dad. Both couldn’t answer his question, they knew how much they had strained to wake up that early, in this old age.


Despite his angry words, both were very happy that it was all because he got up late and that he had immense interest upon his studies. Vijay had the cup of tea of crept to his reading room. He was waiting till the hands of his watch showed 5 a.m. The moment it was, he took his mobile phone and rang up to Nandini. He gave a missed call or two to her and waited for her message.


His mobile alerted him a message that read, ‘Hi da. Got up. Thanx da. Wen did u get up da?’


‘I got up by 4 itself for waking u up’ was the replying from Vijay’s end with a thousand smiles inside his heart.


‘Sorry pa… 4 disturbing u… U knw wat, I ve gotta lot 2 study. Tats y da… Thanx again anyways…’ she left the mobile in silent profile and went to proceed with her probably third or fourth revision.


Vijay typed in a lot of other stuff about his brave act, how he managed to get up so early to wake her up, the chill weather, his bath in cold water for her and so on. All he got in reply was nothing but silence. The silence made him think that she was very much moved by his deeds. He was back into his dream world. And Nandini was marching ahead in revisions.


Today……


Nandini had secured a medical seat and she was doing fine there too. Vijay is doing his final year B.E. which he managed to get using his dad’s money. He has become a great ‘wake-up’per. The first year, he woke up Lavanya, the second year, Varunya, and currently Padma. He might continue to do the adventure for years and perhaps would get into some innocent girl’s heart too.


Srini and Devi continue to get up early everyday, despite they are in their late 50s, hoping someday or other their son would really wake up and let them take rest.