Episode 306 : Two days from a memoir

It was one of the many certificates I had accumulated over the years. But it was special.

This is to certify that Edward Hyde... completed .... in first class ...

I do not remember the exact wording, but I remember the elation I felt when I held it in my hands and read the words over and over again.

This is to certify that Edward Hyde... completed .... in first class ...

It was a result I had expected, because I knew I had finally earned it. But seeing it in writing gave me a different feeling. But more than the elation, I felt relief at having partially redeemed myself from my previous misjudgements and bad decisions.

* * * * *

It was something that I felt I should have gotten before, but secretly also wondered if I did deserve it. When it wasn't forthcoming even after a year of back-breaking labour (comparatively speaking), I wasn't sure if there was anything left for me to do.

'Edward has been promoted to the next level' the manager said in a meeting last week. 'But I also know he did not believe me till he got the system-generated email' he added in a lighter vein.

The others laughed. I laughed too, not out of politeness or amusement. But it was true. Till I got that email, I had to sustain my interest at work while battling doubts, suspicions and hopelessness. That morning, a system-generated email confirmed what the manager had been trying to do the last 4 weeks- convincing me that he had kept his word.

I felt relieved, elated and somewhat more confident than before. I had a stupid grin on my face all day, and it seemed nothing could make it go away.

In the Gateway Of India scene in the movie Bluffmaster, Dr. Bhalerao asks Roy to count the number of memorable days he has had in his life.

I may not be able to recall 30 memorable days right away, but I know of two that I will never forget.