There are creatures more imaginative than the entire creative teams of Ogilvy put together - in our families.
It is a perfect game of Chinese whispers. Only that there are adult people involved. And, they do not whisper. And, for them this is NOT a game. Several MBs of data transferred across telephone lines for several hours a day is not a game - it is a full time occupation! And there are people in my family who have nothing better to do than play this 'game' of chinese whispers.
But now, let me get to the point which tipped me off.
I would not describe myself as a genius ir Einstein, but I joined NMIMS' MBA Tech program on national merit. In fact, I was the first one to sign on the rolls of Shirpur campus for my batch. Not an achievement by any measure - considering I had average scores in JEE and AIEEE, or even otherwise (Not everyone wants to be an IITian - but at that time, were there enough choices for students to pick?)
But, my academic profile had never been so miserable that I would have trouble getting into a good college. My enrollment into NMIMS brought a deluge of dramatic gasps, happy cheers and yes, a good amount of speculation.
It was speculated that I had gotten into the college by paying a donation amount. Donation practices in India are not common in India and are usually taboo. But there are humble ways to enquire, accuse and establish (in that order) any person who is thought to be unworthy of anything. So these relatives (I wish I could take their names here, it would be so much fun to see them having a run for this!) not just accused me of succumbing to a donation seat, they went all over public gatherings and social events - acting as my unpaid PAs bellowing the triumphs of what my unseemly (and apparently secret and classified) academic record couldn't 'buy'.
They were miserable at their jobs. I came to know what they said to whom and when. And worst of all, they get to face me now. When I graduated, top of my class in both my undergrad and grad, landed an internship and job on my own and by the grace of blessings, am doing pretty well in life.
And guess what, I am at a place from where I can see them in a situation my parents were when they had to experience such things.
Someday, I'll tell you about people who literally put chillies in someone's ice-cream for revenge. :D
