The adventurous and unpredictable journey of life becomes more interesting when every time you try to change your track, someone gives you the reality check: “What are you good at?”
The first time I faced this question, when my parents decided to threw me out of home to some completely residential boys school (And what a timing! Just after 10th, when one is supposed to have the best chance to get famous among opposite sex. And some thought, capital punishment is the cruelest one in this world!) The principal of my school while interviewing me, asked let us show, what you are good at! I showed him my mark sheet. Impressed by my scores, he thought I am good at studies; I wanted to tell him I am good at duplicating mark sheet, but looking at his designation (retired army major) I decided to keep quiet.(After all I didn’t lie also, I gave him what I am good at, his perception was different!)
Being a “new boy” in boarding school is like hell, you are been ragged by juniors, seniors, teachers and house keepers, almost everyone until and unless you become at least 6 months old(In our school, seniority is counted by number of years you have spent in that school). And as part of ragging again the same question popped up, this time by so called seniors, “Don’t tell, just do what you are good at”. Some danced, some sang, other acted and few were good mimic. And when my turn came, I kept quiet, silent, I was all ears to them. And before clock could complete one full revolution, few fingerprints were already of my cheeks. No one bothered to ask me, I was good at listening to others and that what I was doing, listening to them. But honesty is best policy only in moral science books; no one cares for it in real life!
The time goes on, I grew up, the college life began and with it, the ragging was back. And the same question again, “What you are good at!” And the first time someone asked me to tell it. Learning from previous experience, I tried to be innovative and yet honest, but messed up with the language of British. I told, “I am good in bed…” and even before I could complete my sentence, the things turned out to be hot. With some beautiful senior girls sitting with hunk bosses in front, you were not supposed to act smart and later, in hostel, senior bosses made me to do things which I can’t even mention! All I wanted to say was, I am good in bed, I can sleep for hours but seniors took it as if I was trying to act smart and tell girls that I am good at sex. See English will always be a funny language!
And then comes the most important phase of college life, placement season! Many high profile person but same low profile question, “What you are good at!” Being my career at stake, I tried to better, and said, I think I am a good writer! And with the grace of devil, HR selected me for the post of Technical Writer in his company. And when asked, why others will be coder and I will be documenting their code, she told, you said you are a writer! Damn! I left wondering does honesty always comes with a price! Well! Thanks to someone up there, I got another offer to be a developer! (NOM to technical writers, I just hate this documentation work!)
Just when I thought this question will no longer haunt me, in recent interview to a college again someone threw it to me, tell us what you are good at. I thought this is it! I have to make it good this time. Having few best actor awards, I told them I am good at acting. But lesser I knew I have screwed up myself again. After this answer, if I stammer at any other answer, they simply say, don’t fake, don’t act, be honest! I tried to be as honest as possible and they only thought what a natural actor! And finally made a new universal truth, I am good at nothing.
Don’t know how long this question will keep bothering me! I don’t know how, other than born singer and dancer, manage to answer this. Who knows even at the gate of heaven or hell, the guards will ask the same, “Son! What you are good at!”
But why doesn’t anyone understand that I am good at nothing and that’s why I am there with them to learn, so that they can make me good at something. There should be some process at the last day of all such school, college or company, where we can ask the same person, tell me, what good you done to me!
Unexpressed Feelings! 