The Dean
This is one of the stories I used to fantasize maybe 3-4 years back. All the names of places, organizations, people, etc. are accidental/incidental. They helped me build my story. Enjoy!
I used to be very fascinated by astronomy. I used to spend hours watching and reading pieces of stuff related to space. There was a workshop in one of the most renowned college AISER that was a space research center-cum-college. It was a workshop for a week. Since, it was held during the summer break, the seniors were not there in the hostel so we were accommodated there. This was my chance to explore more about space and learn from the finest professors in town. Little did I know, what was going to happen there.
It was the first day of the workshop. The Dean Dr. Raj Gupta addressed all of us. He looked like a man around the age of 40 and was good-looking. He put on a finely pressed formal shirt and black formal pants. We all were in a big auditorium. I was sitting in the middle of the left row. The windows to my left were of glass and there was a beautiful garden outside. The man on the podium (the dean) was hot but I preferred looking outside the big windows. After some time, I heard someone being called. I looked at the dean. His eyes were on me.
"Hey!" he said. "The view outside seems more interesting?"
"Sorry, sir," I said.
He continued, "Why am I here? If you all have no interest then why should I waste my time! You school kids just watch a few sci-fi movies and say you know everything about space? Unbelievable!" I was humiliated but I was getting angry at the same time and he knew that too.
He said, "Don't show that anger to me. You understand?"
"Anyways, I have a class now. I shall take your leave. And you are coming with me," he said, pointing at me.
I didn't want more trouble after I already caused one, since the first day, so I followed him. We were in a computer room. There were supercomputers and also other PCs which were used depending upon their requirement. He made me sit near a computer, that was a Wipro. He gave me a document and asked me to type that. It was a huge one. I thought he was nuts but I was so pissed off, I took out all my frustration on the keyboard. He had gone outside but he came back with two mugs of coffee. He sat on the chair next to mine. He placed one on the table and sipped the other.
He said, "Drink your hot coffee before it turns into cold coffee." Then he laughed. That was the lamest joke I'd ever heard. Such a dumbass, I thought.
He said, "How long are you going to be mad at me? You know, we both are the same -- short-tempered."
"At least, I don't show my superiority by barking at innocent kids," I said.
He laughed and said, "Ha ha! You're funny. Let's negotiate. We're here to learn and teach respectively. Tell me what your interests are. I'll help you explore that subject more."
I told him how my interest in space grew and how fascinated I was to see the stars through a telescope. He listened with keen interest and we talked more about space. Then he asked me to join the rest of my group and attend the programs. Different professors had different research fields so they showed us some labs and halls. I had not seen the dean that day in the rest of the programs.