Collecting qualifications

"Sir sorry to disturb you at this time of the day can you do me a small favour?" asked the feminine voice on the other side of the telephone.

"May I know who is speaking?", I asked.

"I am one of your pupils Kusum, can't you remember me, the one who sat for the post graduate examination at the J'pura university?"

"Oh yes now I can remember. So what sort of favour can I do for you?

"Sir I want to do another postgraduate diploma examination at your university. Is the closing date over? Can I apply for it?"

"I am not too sure of these details but why don't you ask the relevant unit concerned at our university?"

"But I don't know anybody there."

"You need not know anybody to know those details. It's your right."

"But I thought it would be better to get it from you as I know you personally sir."

"I am not too sure about it but can I ask a question from you?"

"Yes sir by all means".

"Why do you want to sit for so many examinations?"

"I like to sit for examinations sir but it is difficult to explain right now. It's a kind of mania I think."

"But surely a diploma examination is lower than a post graduate examination."

"That may be true but I like to collect as many certificates as possible."

"Pardon me how old are you if I may ask you".

"I am fifty six years old sir."

"Are you still employed somewhere?"

"Yes sir I am in the government service. We can go up to sixty and even get an extension if you try hard at the right time in the right manner."

"What do you mean by trying hard?"

"We got to show that we are wanted and that we are qualified and that we are hard working over and above others and that's all."

"So once again you are in the rat race."

"That's how things stand with us."

"I am not finding anything wrong with you but I am just observing things as they happen."

"Sir I am also studying two languages."

"What are they?"

"English and French".

"That is good".

"I think I can at least be a tourist guide after retirement."

"That is good what else."

"I want to study law".

"But it takes time don't you think so?"

"No sir there are various ways of studying law". "Anything else?"

"I want to write a best seller."

"That will take lot of your time won't it?"

"No sir I have written the first draft and I am out for a publisher."

"So have you got time for all these things?"

"Yes sir my two sons are living abroad and my husband is retired. I have a chat with my two sons daily."

"How do you do that?"

"Why sir I have a computer and we have all the facilities including e mail."

"That's nice."

"We want to collect as much money as possible and go abroad."

"Are you in good health?

"Oh yes sir we are in the best of health and we go swimming every other day and then we go for a morning brisk walk".

"Do you check up your health through any clinic or hospital?"

"No sir the necessity has not arisen in our case."

"You are very lucky."

"Yes sir we too believe that we are happy and contented."

"If that is so why do you want to overburden yourself with these examinations?"

"That is because there is some sort of vacuum."

After a severe drought there were signs of a rainfall with thunder. On winding the long telephone conversation Kusum said.

"Sir please help me. There is the sound of the thunder I should not go on talking to you and thanks for listening to me."

"Thanks for answering some of my questions," was my response.