What's in a name?

“The circuit has three resistors in series and two in parallel…”

Mrs. Kulkarni, the Electronics teacher, lectured in a dull monotone. The classroom was a large one. The students of the last five or six rows were busy writing the Networks assignment that was due later that day. A group of girls occupying the middle benches were engaged in idle gossip. The students in the first two rows appeared somewhat attentive. Mrs. Kulkarni went on reciting the subject matter, seemingly oblivious of what the students in her class were doing.

As is the norm in most engineering colleges in Mumbai, one misguided student had actually written the Networks assignment himself. The rest of the class would then process to mindlessly copy it word-for-word. Seated in the middle of the third last row, Marvin was eager to get his hands on a copy of the assignment. Having just made the transition from diploma to second year engineering, he was halfway through his first month at Thadomal Shahani Engineering College. Before walking into class that day, he was not even aware that there was a Networks assignment due, let alone what the questions were for that assignment. The student behind him had just about completed writing. Marvin borrowed a ball pen and some blank assignment sheets from another student. Taking a copy of the assignment from behind, he began writing rapidly. The assignment was ten pages long.

“Stop writing assignments in my class,” Mrs. Kulkarni bellowed from the front of the class.

Marvin was nearing the end of the second page. So engrossed was he in writing that he took no notice of the teacher.

“You. Stand up!” The teacher’s voice was even louder now.

Now, Marvin looked up and found her staring directly at him. Putting the pen down, he stood up obediently.

“Get out of my class.”

“Why, Ma’am?” Marvin asked innocently.

“What do you mean why? You are not paying attention. Shamelessly writing some assignments in class. Not even looking up when I am talking to you.”

“But Ma’am, everybody here is writing assignments,” Marvin protested.

“Just get out.”

Marvin argued with her for a couple of minutes. He was not used to being kicked out of class. At least, not yet. It was only his first month there.

Finally Mrs. Kulkarni said, “Get out. Write a letter apologizing for your behavior and then request permission to come back in.” and dismissed him.

Picking up his bag, Marvin left the classroom. He found a bench nearby and sat down. He checked the contents of his bag: MP3 player, cell phone charger, motorcycle helmet and gloves. There was no sign of any pen or paper.

“Hey Dude, Can you give me a pen?” Marvin called out to a student passing by.

“Sure.”

“Also, do you have some paper?” Marvin added sheepishly.

“Anything else?” the student asked mockingly as he handed Marvin a pen and some paper.

Marvin smiled and shook his head. He settled on the bench to write the apology letter.

“12th August, 2001.” He wrote on top of the page.

“Dear Mrs.….”

A moment passed. And then another. The realization dawned upon him slowly but surely. He had absolutely no idea who the teacher in there was.

C’mon man, think. You have to know the name of the Electronics teacher, Marvin admonished himself. But, his mind was drawing a blank.

‘Mrs. Shetty? No….Mrs. Sharma? That can’t be….Damn it! What is her name?’

“Dear Mrs. Madhuri,” Marvin wrote decisively after a few minutes of deliberation.

Now, God alone knows why he chose the name Madhuri. Maybe it was a process of elimination. Maybe he was a fan of Madhuri Dixit, the actress. Maybe he simply picked a random name. After all, what’s in a name?

Scribbling a brief apology, he hurried back to the classroom. He entered quietly and handed Mrs. Kulkarni the letter. She read it quickly and looked at him. She looked down at the letter and then looked at Marvin again.

“Who is this Madhuri?”

“Huh?”

Think of something man, Marvin said to himself.

“Who is Madhuri?” the teacher asked again.

“Err….umm…”

Say something. Just say anything now, Marvin thought.

“Ma’am, you are only Madhuri,” He blurted out finally.

“What??” Mrs. Kulkarni was dumbfounded by this response.

The rest of students looked on with puzzled expressions. Then, realizing what he had said, they burst into laughter.

“Shut up, everyone!” Mrs. Kulkarni yelled.

She glared at Marvin.

What does he think of himself, she thought. First, he writes assignments in class without so much as looking up and now this. And who the hell is this Madhuri? Is it some girl from the class?

“Come with me to the Head of Department,” she said, reaching a decision.

Mr. Shinde, the head of the Electronics department, was about to start his lunch, when Mrs. Kulkarni walked into his office with Marvin. After listening to her story, he had a bemused expression on his face.

“Who is Madhuri?” he asked Marvin.

Meanwhile, Marvin had still not come up with a satisfactory answer to this question. He looked towards Mrs. Kulkarni.

“Ma’am is only Madhuri….”

Mr. Shinde looked as if he was not sure whether to laugh or to reprimand Marvin.

“This is Mrs. Smitha Kulkarni, your Electronics teacher for the third semester,” he said, barely able to conceal a grin.

“Now, will you write a proper apology letter addressed to her?”

Marvin nodded, relieved to be let off the hook so lightly. The meeting was over, and Marvin got the hell out of there.