Cindy Furtado @ KadamWadi Dafan Bhoomi

The official address of BVIMK or My MBA College includes the words Dafan Bhoomi. We actually had a Christian graveyard next to the college. I had to often walk through the grave yard past midnight when everyone was afraid to go there just to take a shortcut back home from my long walks to the STD (telephone) booth. In those days this was a common practice among hostilities with shallow pockets. These late night trips to the STD shop were done with a view to avail the quarter plus rate applicable on phone calls made after eleven thirty in the night. Many times in the day too during breaks between classes I often would wonder into the graveyard to read interesting inscription on the graves. This meant I was well versed with some of the names of people buried there. Cindy Furtado who according to an inscription on her grave died in 1987 was one such name that intrigued me. I liked Cindy Crawford the model and maybe that’s why the name stuck on.

Chintan was my roommate for the 2 years I was in Kolhapur. We lived in Sidiqe hostel which was very close to My MBA College. Chintan was a compulsive grade ‘B’ wannabe skirt chaser. He was hardly successful. He usually ended up putting us fellow hostilities in a lot of trouble with his misadventures. One night a huge gang of sword brandishing goons was banging at the door of our room. The moment Chintan heard the loud thuds he was scared. On the other hand I was a little angry as I had no idea why they were banging our door. So with a serious grim face I opened the door and started giving the guys dirty looks. Although they had swords, they did not look hostile or maybe it was my size that made the difference. They were not expecting such a huge guy at the door. So one of them who was behind asked in a gruff but meek voice “Where is Chintan?” I turned around to point towards Chintan who by now was almost smiling and pointing towards me. I immediately realised that the goons did not know who Chintan was but had been hired by someone to beat or threaten Chintan. Fortunately the guy who ran our hostel had stepped in by then and we were saved a scuffle.

We later realised that Chintan had tried to make friends with a girl form the new MCA batch. The girl’s brother did not like this and had brought over his friends to give Chintan a stern warning. This is something we had got used to but what surprised me was the fact that to escape Chintan had pointed towards me. I wanted to teach him a lesson.

The new MBA class had just joined in and among our juniors was a Goan girl called Seema Rodrigues. She was the best looking junior that had arrived and as I was a Goan, she befriended me for help in finding her a hostel. She was cute and we hit it off as friends almost instantly. To save herself from being ragged she would invariable be with me. So we became very friendly. Chintan being what he was (and most probable still is) came up with an indecent proposal as usual. He wanted me to introduce him to Seema. At first I did not want to introduce him but later that night when I saw the Grave of Cindy Furtado I thought of a plan to take revenge.

Years ago I had seen an episode of a Doordarshan serial called ‘Honi UnHoni.’ I remembered the plot where in a guy goes for a date with a girl only to realise she was already dead years ago. The next day I took Seema to Cindy Furtado’s grave and explained to her my plan. I told her I would introduce her as Cindy Furtado to Chintan and later we would show this grave to Chintan and scare the shit out of him. Seema was apprehensive at first but later agreed knowing how much fun this would be. To play her part Seema would have to be like one of those easy to date girls and in fact go for a date with Chintan. I also promised her full protection from Chintan in case things go out of hand. Moreover I knew Chintan well and could guarantee that he did not have the guts even to touch a girl.

As planned I introduced Seema to Chintan and left them alone. As expected Chintan walked her around the college showing off and later asked her out. Seema agreed and our plan was on its way. That day when Chintan came back to the rooms all of us in the hostel pounced on him for details. He was so eager to share them that we did not have to try hard. It looked as if this was the first girl who had ever given him so much time and attention. Seema had also played her part of an easy to get date girl real well. Chintan was exited, and anxious. He was dressing up for the date at 5 itself when the time decided was 7. I advised him to put on a jacket for the evening and told him how he could share it with Seema if in the evening it started to rain or become cold. He liked the idea so much that he borrowed my steam iron to iron his leather jacket.

I did not want to miss Seema’s side of the story so I rushed to her hostel before Chintan. Seema was afraid of things going wrong and I had to first put her at easy making her laugh. I just had to tell her how exited Chintan was. After laughing our guts out I explained to her the plan for the evening. To play her part she would have to wear a sleeveless top and act as if she was conscious about the mistake she had made while choosing her top. If Chintan does not naturally oblige she would then ask for his jacket and enjoy the rest of the date in the jacket. In the end she should tell Chintan that she will meet him the next day in college and if he is so dumb to ask for his jacket back she should tell him she will return it on the next day as the hostel warden would suspect if she went back in the sleeveless top.

That evening I along with Syric followed Chintan and Seema. Chintan had a Bajaj FE Scooter and I had a Kinetic Honda. We ensured that we maintained a good distance from them so that we would not be noticed. Seema played her role real well. She stripped Chintan of his jacket within the first 15 mins of the date. The date ended in around 90 mins and Seema was back safely in her hostel by 9. I then went back to my hostel and waited for Chintan.

Chintan when he came back was so elated that he didn’t suspect us at all. We too pushed him for graphic details and like boys are he faked all the details. I used a dicta phone to record what he said as I knew this would be cannon fodder that could be used to ensure Seema gets angry enough.

I then went to Seema’s hostel mess on the pretext of dinning there. Boys were not allowed in that hostel but her warden – Lilly was a Catholic and a friend of Syric. I too had met Lilly a few times at the very few Sunday services I had attended. At the hostel, I played out the tape in my Dictaphone. Seema was furious on listening to the exploits and wanted revenge. I played out the tape again after explain what had happened to Lilly too. She too felt sorry for Seema and pledged her support to any plan that would bring revenge.

Now the plan was very simple: Seema would now bunk college for the next two days. Seema had done enough to ensure that Chintan would want to meet her again and if he does not meet her for a few days his anxiety would increase. We boys on our part too would have to ensure we keep asking Chintan about his date and when it would happen again. If for nothing Chintan would want his jacket back. 48 hours would be thus enough for us to drive Chintan believing unreasonable things.

That night when I went back at almost 12, Chintan was still bragging about his exploits to some fellow hostilities. The next day too in the morning his session started at 8. When we all reached college at 9, Chintan’s eyes were looking out for Seema. In the first recess Chintan almost jumped from the bench to go out and look out for Seema. By lunch time he was desperate. I casually told him to stand near the ladies loo as most girls in the college would visit the loo at least a few times a day. Poor Chintan bunked the rest of the day and stood close to the ladies loo hoping to get a glimpse of Seema whom he knew as Cyndi. At the end of the day he went around asking some of the juniors about Cyndi. They obviously did not have any idea who he was talking about.

That evening Chintan was in a real bad state. We at the hostel left no stone unturned to provoke him and I on my part constantly reminded him of the jacket. Frustrated and not knowing what to do, he came to me for help. Well he had approached others too and they had advised him to go to her hostel. Going to a girls’ hostel at such an unearthly hour and knowing his reputation was a daredevil act. Even if he smuggled himself in, once caught, none of the girls in the hostel would vouch for him. He could be handed over to the police. So when he came to me for help I advised him to wait for one day.

The next day too our Seema and his Cyndi did not come. Chintan bunked all his classes and loitered around the ladies loo the whole day. As soon as the classes were over he came over to me and requested me to help him with the entry in to the girls’ hostel. He knew I knew many girls there and they would help me. I asked him to go back to the room and wait patiently. I promised him I would help around 5 in the evening.

I then went straight to updated Seema and Lilly. After graphically describing Chintan’s anxiety and his picketing outside the ladies loo, I quickly got to business. I explained to Lilly the rest of the plan. Lilly would now meet Chintan when I bring him to the girls’ hostel. I instructed Lilly to start to put on an act of fear as soon as Chintan asks about Cindy Furtado. All Lilly had to fake was fear and tell him that Cindy Furtado was a hostel inmate long years ago but had died doing her course in dentistry. Lilly would also have to inform him that she is in fact buried right next to the college. I made her practice her part a few times and then took Chintan’s jacket from Seema and left.

On my way back from the girls’ hostel I went to the real Cindy Furtado’s grave and put Chintan’s jacket over one side of the cross. I then went back to my room and met an over exited Chintan. I left Syric there and he knew what he had to do.

At the hostel Lilly did a little bit of overacting but Chintan was awe struck and never realised the few giggles that uncontrollably erupted from Lilly. I knew Lilly could not put on the act for long so I quickly acted dumb and told Chintan if he knew of a grave yard near the college. He was a little surprised that I was acting this dumb and decided to show me the grave yard on our way back.

So on our way back when Chintan pointed out to the entrance of the grave yard, I suggested we go and check out the graves to see if we could find Cindy Furtado’s grave. At first he did not agree but when I assured him safety as it was not even 6, he agreed. I behaved I did not know the grave and wondered around in a direction opposite to Cindy Furtado’s grave. Chintan the sissy followed me and I realised that until I discover the grave there was no hope. I was afraid that my discovering the grave would look too obvious so I tried to lose Chintan behind me but it did not work. Finally I had to reach Cindy Furtado’s grave. I honestly cannot describe Chintan’s expression when he saw his jacket. On the one hand I thought he was happy to find it back but on the other he was frozen with fear. I took the jacket in my hand and asked Chintan a very dumb question. He was so scared by now that he wanted to run. As we turned around, my friend Syric had played his part to perfection. He had brought Seema right to the gate of the grave yard. She was standing there looking at us and laughing. Chintan almost collapsed. In a few seconds the rest of my class and the juniors descended in to the grave yard laughing out really loudly. Syric had used our information dissemination systems to perfection and ensued that all except Chintan knew about the practical joke being played on him while I was with Chintan at the girls’ hostel.

I put my arms around Chintan’s shoulders and started to laugh myself. Chintan had no clue until Seema walked towards him playing the Dictaphone in her hand. She gave the Dictaphone in Chintan’s hand and he with trembling hands took it close to his ears to listen from it. Seema in the mean while took position and gave one tight slap to Chintan as if to snap him out of the trans. Chintan soon realised the joke was on him.

For a few days Chintan was normal but then went back to his old ways again.