The one with the Dean

           I always wanted to write about this incident. It is one of the experiences which I am never going to forget in my life. It taught me some good lessons too.
         Intro: Well, it happened in the summer of 2008. I went home happily after writing my end sems. A friend of mine from IIT-G got an intern opportunity at IIT-M. When I went to meet him, I explained how to get to the campus and gave him my room and cycle keys, just in case, and came back. I totally forgot about it and went on a holiday with my family. In the mean time, my friend along with a couple of his friends, also from IIT-G, went to IIT-M and put their luggage in my room. They couldn't get immediate accommodation and so stayed in my room. They told about this to their guide in the campus and he was cool about it. They informed me too and I didn't think it was a big deal. But, their application for accommodation got delayed and they stayed in my room itself for almost two and a half weeks. When they were denied accommodation, thanks to anti-student practices of our Hostel Management(HM), they decided to leave.
         Twist In the Tale: As my luck would have it, people from HM were in the hostel at that same time and our hostel asst. manager caught them. He was very furious about it and locked my room and sent them away. When my friend told me about this incident I thought I could clarify it with the manager after I go back. I was shocked to see how serious the incident has become, after coming back. Well, then started the most painful month of my life.
        For three days, I was roaming around my warden and my hostel manager. The matter went to CCW office and I even met chairman,CCW. I still remember the first time I went in to meet him. I was a hell lot scared and couldn't even speak properly. You should know that, by default, I am that kind of person who doesn't want to get involved into any kind of shady incidents with the authorities and is not socially brave if you know what I mean. The CCW, chairman, the anti-student person he is, simply said I could go and meet Dean Students and that he already sent the file there.
        All the pain: It was a big shocker to me. I never dreamt that a guy like me would be going to the Dean on a disciplinary issue. I could't sleep for a couple of days. I couldn't forget the help of my friends Goutham(backhand) and Ganesh(thighs) during this time. Particularly Ganesh was with me every time I went to the Dean and he put a lot of effort in trying to find a way out. I was so scared that, when I went to meet Dean, I falsely told him that my friends were actually staying outside and that they just used my room as a store room. He clearly saw the lie and I will never forget the words he spoke then: " You do not even have the guts to tell the truth ". He was very angry at me lying and just asked me to get out and never see him again, and that I will be expelled from the hostel. I called up my parents and told everything. I could also never forget  the help of my teacher in school, Ramaseshu sir who on hearing about this came the very next day with my father to the campus. But the Dean was not there and apparently, he will not be available for another 10 days. So, I went back home and lived in pain for 10 days.
       Moral of the story: During this period, I realized all the mistakes I made. I was too negligent to not see the fault I did when I asked my friends to stay in my room. In fact, I was so arrogant that my grand-mother actually raised a doubt that letting my friends stay in my room in my absence is not a good idea, but I ignored her. I still think, they being from IIT-G and doing a project here, it should not have  become this big a deal but still what I did was wrong. Also it made me realize the importance of speaking truth always. It will at least ensure that you don't land up in more problems. Whenever we hear things like "Speak truth always", we do not realize their importance, at least thats what I felt after this incident. I promised myself that I will never lie from then on. I did lie after that but they were mostly "friendly lies". My respect for truth has definitely increased several fold. Also, it made me more closer to my friends. I was also amazed at how much my teacher and my school principal cared about me. I also realized how weak a person I am. I mean I didn't have the strength to solve it on my own. My family had gone through a lot of emotions through that month. I felt very bad at that.
     All's Well that ends well: At last, both my parents came with me back and talked to the Dean. He finally let me go with a fine of 5000 rupees. I heaved a huge sigh of relief and thus came my period of pain to an end.

     I wanted to write in more detail but didn't want to pain you guys with a very huge post. It already is probably my largest post.