My First Crush

Crush!!! what is this…I never had heard before that one fine day..!!!

First-time, I heard about it, when I was in my first job. One of my colleague who was a Kannadiga girl, told me to get her introduced with one of our seniors, who was from my hometown, Sambalpur, Odisha…As we were belonging to the same place, he used to talk with me.

I told her "Do you know that he is already married and the Bhabi is a very sweet girl".

Then she told me, "Who cares…! Let her be… it doesnot matter for me…I just want to talk with him. Who knows tomorrow he may not be my crush".

I asked "what do you mean…?"

She said, "Tomorrow I may have crush on some other person, like yesterday I had crush on my manager. I enjoyed all the moments, as he was my manager and was sitting beside me. So, I didn't feel bad when my crush moved to this new guy, as I had completed my fantasy tenure with my manager. But, if I don't get chance to talk with this guy, I will feel bad, that I missed out my days of fantasy world."

Then I realized, "Oh okay..! So this is the crush… then, I was also in crush!!! But I didn't know that this is named as 'CRUSH', as I was growing in a very conservative culture…".

My first crush had happened when I was in class 7th, towards the International cricketer Debashish Mohanty. I was not able to understand what was happening with me, started taking interest on cricket, don't know why, before, I was thinking this is the most boring sport of the world…became like a druggist to watch cricket, became my father's mate in watching cricket, was giving cricket updates to my father over the phone in hourly basis, started analyzing his bowling style in my class along with other two guys of my class, as that time girls were not able to understand this sport. Those two guys got surprised what happened to me, at least they are getting chance to talk to me, as I was a very reserved girl and was not even talking to any girl of my class. I was losing my interest towards studies when his matches were going on TV. After his first international match, NALCO offered him employment offer and he started working in NALCO at Bhubaneswar office. As my father was also an employee of this organization, I started flying in cloud nine after seeing his photo in NALCO's monthly magazine. He also used to come for any inaugural functions those were happening in another branch of NALCO, i.e; Angul, where we were staying. I was not missing any chance to see him…used to go, standing among the audience and I used to see him…

By this time, I had joined my class 11th. Oneday, I told my father, "Papa lets go to Bhubaneswar office and I want to know, what all are happening there beside the finance…"

My father asked me "Besides finance means what do you want to know…?"

I said other department like Personnel…

My father told "My sweet daughter you have to be an engineer, and you are surrounded by all engineers here… why are you taking interest in other things like finance and Personnel…".

How can I say him that Debashish was working in Personnel Department?

Then I kept quiet.

By seeing me disheartened like this, my father told me that I have to promise him to get a good rank in OJEE in first chance, so that he will take me there while counselling in various engineering colleges. I said yes, definitely, I will do it.

Then I started preparing for OJEE. But, it was a heartbreak for me, when I got news that Debashish is going to get married!!! I started feeling jealous towards the girl!!!Anyway, he went…, leave it…, that's it….done…over…lets concentrate on studies…

Though this news was a rumor which I came to know later. Debashish got married many years later than this.

As promised, I got a good rank in OJEE and we went to Bhubaneswar for counselling of my admission.

Also, my father didn't leave a single chance to make me happy by fulfilling all the promises he had done to me in return of my achievement.

He took me to corporate branch of NALCO.

I said "Papa, why to waste time, in knowing about finance, personnel and all. Anyway, my admission is done and I am going to be an engineer. I am all surrounded by engineers, so let's visit to Angul branch and start learning from you and all of my uncles."

Then I realized that how come a branch topper (Not always, even though for few times) electrical engineer think about an undergraduate…!, how come the daughter of an engineer think about the son of a peon…! Points to be noted… where was the emotion flying…I was thinking about him as he was a very hardworking player, who had struggled a lot to get selected in Indian National cricket team. I got inspired myself to do hard work from him. A single heart dedication that he had given towards his passion had motivated me a lot and had inspired me to do hard work to reach towards my aim. I was a free bird without having any personal commitment or responsibilities while he was overloaded with personal responsibilities...I was always a thirst of knowledge and power, whereas he didn't have a minor general knowledge. I love books, but he hates books. I can never think about him with some any other meaning. My life is different and his life is different. But, yes, I will always have a great respect for that hard working and disciplined spirit...!!! Later, I had an encounter with him and he changed my life!