Top of the World

It reminds me of the “Top of the world” song by the Carpenters. Nothing describes the feelings of these days more aptly and more succinctly as this song does. In fact I have been literally humming the song for a while now. It has been exceptionally good for a while. The reasons – my clearing of the final hurdle of ‘student life’– the Civil Services Examination – with ranks to spare, and my shifting from B-702 Pali Hill to 11, Grant Road. No prizes for guessing which one is the bigger elevator, but the smaller one has its own merits. So let me describe it in short.

4^th May, 2012 began with the impending results pretty much last on my mind. If any examination related thing was on my mind at all, it was the RRC examination for ‘erstwhile’ Group ‘D’ recruitment. I was to act as centre in charge on 6^th May, and the administration had deemed it that we should learn on the job, and with a little training and almost no manpower, I was to hold the fort at Malad. I had to recruit my trusted lieutenants amongst a mass of festival-crazed reluctant subordinates. Also, my DMS Receipt had been on a long leave, and hence I had a huge back log of pending receipt cases. To top that, it was the day of the Depot festival / ceremony as well as the visit / inspection of the Controller of Stores, Western Railway. I, as the Depot officer, was totally torn between my examination duties and my duties to the Depot. In the end, in all honesty, I could do justice to neither. Still, the COS inspection went almost alright. The ceremony was proper. The Controller was able to find faults in the best depot of the whole district – the EMU Mahalaxmi Depot. Then he was able to find something amiss in the best kept ward of my Depot – the 41 Ward. So much was the tension in the air that it turned the strong and dependable CDMS Raut ji into a mumbling fumbling schoolboy. However, no great harm was done. The worthies were dropped of at tea as I worked behind the curtains. It was then that I started getting insistent calls from Vineet, a friend in the IRSE. Not the right time for some friendly chat, I disconnected, many times. Still the calls persisted. Finally, as the dignitaries were shepherded back to their vehicles and things started returning to normal, I called back. A breathless Vineet informed me that someone, who might be my namesake, was there at Rank 16 on the merit list of Civil Services Examination 2011, which was, by the way, out. Exchange of Roll Nos. confirmed it was me. A check up on the internet was the eaten proof of the pudding.

Now I had always fancied what such a moment would be like. Not that I thought I had any realistic chance of being amongst ‘those guys’. Still, I had imagined it. Yet, when the moment came, it was totally different. Before the interviews, I had known that I had a chance this time. By chance, I meant getting into 400’s, or if my luck ran so far, into the 300’s. The interview was a disaster by any standards, so the figure was reduced to 500’s. But then, beating all odds, there I was perched in the top 25. And no, there were no jubilant somersaults, or excited phone calls to home. I sat with my trusted DMS Receipt, clearing the cases, as he became the second person to know my result (or third, counting Vineet). I was feeling light headed and confused. My work life had gone to dogs in past few weeks, and I was in the middle of it – and I had this miraculous opening. Then the torrents of calls started. Friends, from IRSS, RSC Foundation were the first. Then a short chat with my family. Then I actually switched off my cellphone to concentrate on the examination work!

By evening the word was pretty much out – and many people from village were calling, giving the reference of their spatial location on the Rampur garh thoroughfare. By next day, it was the local media of Gorakhpur and Patna area. Soon I had made it to the covers of Hindi dailies in these cities. While the papers sang paeans to me on 6^th May, I was waging a losing battle against disorder, conducting the RRC examination. By the evening of this day, I could have cried in desperation – so tiring was the task. It was only after the dusts of the RRC exam settled that I came to savour these moments of joy.

The joy comes from multiple sources. The first and foremost is from the fact that one does not have to study for another cycle. The whole CSE process can be really draining. Spread over a year, involving 27 hours of writing, it can break the most weathered pen warriors. Strangely, even my faculties have understood it – they say that after selection the IAS officers become knowledge proof. I do hope that’s not true, but I must admit that I am unable read the very educating editorial pages of the Express since that day.

Next is the feeling of leaving a rather monotonous job for hopefully something new. Not that this was bad here. Still, there is no job as diverse and fulfilling as the one on the offer.

Finally, there is the glory of it all. Deservedly or undeservedly, this result has given the persons I care about the most, immense joy. The folks, the grand folks, all are really happy. That’s good, isn’t it? Plus, there have been a lot of news articles, and one radio interview too. Had I been in the heartland, I would have been hot cakes. After many days such a time has come when calls from unknown numbers turn out to be positive and uplifting!

Not that I am not worried. I know that for a self confessed lazy boy like me, leaving a staid 9 to 5 job in Mumbai for a 24 hour shift isn’t the best of moves. I have a really nice house (more on that later), and a really good work going on. My whole ‘financial plan’ compiled with great efforts last year, to be implemented from this year, was premised on my continuing in Railway Service! Plus, the whole single working guy routine had been nice. A return to schoolboy life of probation will have its pitfalls. Still, on the whole, it has been a joyous occasion.

Now coming to my other source of joy – my new flat at 11, Grant Road Station. First of all, the mere simplicity of the address is appealing. No messy explanations to the cabbie – just a curt “Grant Road Station chalo!” is sufficient. The flat sits atop the station building. So, in the morning, I simply climb down the stairs to catch my train. Compare that to the mad dash for auto / bus at Pali Hill. The train ride is just 2 stations. So I can stay longer, cook my own breakfast and be nice. The markets are nearby, and cheap as hell. The whole area is very interesting – downtown markets, slummy yet thriving. It hosts the famous Irani restaurant, of whose famed Mawa Samosas I’m yet to take a bite of. (They do have a really unearthly timing – 5:30 to 17:00!!) To top it all, I have finally succeeded in getting my airconditioner installed. So now I sleep like a baby, unlike the tossing and turning of 702 Pali Hill.

Amongst other news, my short Railway career has already yielded two prizes. GSD Mahalaxmi was adjudged the best depot of all Western Railway. I personally received a District Officer level award. Of course, this area was dimmed when I heard from a person who heard another person who heard one of the CMM’s say that I was a useless officer who “came in at 11 and left at 4”. Coming after 6 months of relentless 9 to 5 and sometimes 9 to 6 service, that had potential to hurt. But it didn’t, because I am on the top of world.