Carpe Noctum... Sieze the Night!

It was early morning 2:00 AM on 7th May 2009. We three : Galli, Dopa and me were out on main road near GC, playing football with a ball of the size of a human testicle. Shouting and wailing in the middle of the night it was not a surprise that we invited some angry inhabitants of the "Staff Quarters" part of the campus.
Soon we came to know that this was what Galli - the 'sentiman' always wanted to do. Actually a part of Galli's "VirGaDo list" - things to do before one leaves the insti. So we proudly checked one from the list.
Discussing the list further he revealed things like losing virginity, getting a girl friend or rather having an emotional relationship with a girl blah blah blah... till he said he wanted to take a dip in the swimming pool in the middle of the night. Now this was something we could possibly do at the dead of the night, let alone losing virginity.
At first it sounded scary... security on the prowl, police guys roaming around in bikes and the possibility and the consequences of getting caught trying to sneak into pool. But then it was Now or Never". It was then we three decided to take a dip in the pool that very night.
All the way to the pool we were convincing ourselves that it would be easy, discussing every possible way of getting caught and rebuilding the strategy again and over again.
Not a minute after we reached the back gate of the pool and were inspecting it for any guards, our first glitch: two guys in khaki on a bike stopped just behind asking who we were. Still sweating from the midnight football, we had a hard time convincing them we were students, on a night walk. We took a complete tour of the perimeter of the pool till the main entrance. Again caught staring over the compound by the security guard. We tried to act casual got our asses back to the back gate.
Now here was the situation:
A guard in front and a room in the pool premises with lights on and more importantly with us having no idea whether anybody was there inside. But the time of reckoning had come, we had to go in. It was decided that me and Dopa go in first and if we successfully go past the room, Galli keeps a watch on the front guard else we run for our lives.
We carefully get ourselves over "an excuse for a compound" adjoining the gate with no barbed wire and land ourselves in the well-lit corridor which leads to the pool. There was no place to hide and more so no reason to do so, Cuz anyone in any corner of the pool premise would spot us anyway. We walked carefully with meticulous steps and straining our eyes to see against the light to check for guards. Slowly we reached the room (with lights still on). Crouching now, to avoid the sight of anyone through the window we reached the door of the room, only to find a pair of slippers outside and the room unlocked...
But 'twas too late to turn back. Dopa had already signaled Galli to go and keep a watch on the front guard. Crouching behind the silhouette of the room , me and Dopa were trying to converse telepathically. But frankly speaking telepathy is not easy shit. Damn, I could not understand a single expression. We had to blurt it out at the end. I ask rhetorically, "Karna hai kya??" bang comes the answer "Ob!". Now this guy has some guts.
I checked my watch, it was 2:30 am. Not a sound, except that of crickets. The water of the pool was dead still , not a single ripple. We could see an impeccable reflection of the diving tower in the water. Except the intermitent sounds made by animals in the bush the only noise I could hear was our breathing.
We mustered courage and as quietly as possible crawled across the room, trying hard to keep our heads below the window of the room. It was apparently a pump or a sterilizer room and we had no freakin' idea what was a guy doing inside it at 2:30 in the morning. With the room crossed we walked on the grass adjoining the pool. It was pitch dark in this region of the pool.
We reach the far and dark corner of the pool. Now, Dopa steps forward towards the pool. Climbs down the stairs and midway we hear a hustle in the bushes. Dopa stops, knee deep in water. A few ripples were already traveling across the Olympic sized pool. We waited for about 30 seconds like statues waiting for further noise from that direction. With none coming, Dopa continues to descend into water. Completely immerses himself in and rises. Slowly climbs up and back to the grass. It was my chance now. Around that time we catch a glimpse of the guy walking inside the room. We stay inert for some time and after a minute or two, its my turn to go. I remove my shirt and advance towards the already disturbed water. I check my watch again. 2:38 AM. I go down as slowly as possible but come out with jerk. The noise of droplets of water hitting the pool surface is too much to be quiet. I climb out, water lavishly dripping from my cotton trousers. It was done for the both of us. But what about the guy who actually wanted to do it. Galli!!
We retrace our path, this time with extra care as the wet slippers were making a hell of a squeaking noise. We climb out of the gate, half scared, half excited. But it was galli's turn now, and don't go by his size, this guy was too terrified to go alone. So it was me and Galli this time. Seconds after I was out of the premise I was in again, this time with Galli. My heart still racing at 120 bpm, we race towards the pool. crouch around the room. And reach the pool. It was one of the 'firsts' for Galli, stepping into the insti pool. And what a way to do it. He pushes his six feet frame into the water creating a din, goes down for 2 seconds and guess what!! The dude comes up gulping a gallon of water. Starts coughing badly, still in the pool. I ask him to keep quiet and make it fast. But poor guy still madly coughing out water. Gathers his stuff and we start running towards the back gate. Well, damn! Galli, still coughing. The room was yet to be crossed and we could sense movement inside. But there was no time to wait with Galli's condition not improving, we clamored to the gate, dripping water all through the way and slippers squeaking and squealing all the time. Moments later we jumped out of the compound. Once out of the gate there was no way we could control our excitement. We had done what no man in insti had done before. Taken a midnight dip in the pool and had come out uncaught. So it was time to check one more thing from "VirGaDo" list of Galli's.
The night was still young and it was time to come back and put a movie!!
They say Carpe Diem...
We say "Carpe Noctum" -- Seize the Night!!

Shailesh R Nadar.
4:22 pm, May 07, 2009.