Nirmal Jayasinghe

D, D aand N. One of the best shots of WFPC II

Campus Reunion last Friday. Reunions are always fun. If you know kindof how to accept them. Last Friday’s one was okay type, but would’ve been better if the disc jockey woke up a bit earlier, and I wasn’t already exhausted. These days’ reunions are eagerly looked forward to cause now we’re a bit spread out and especially I only go to school in packed two days per week. Catching up indeed is hard.

Started with the usual workday but storm out of the lab at 1400. Was on venue only an hour late but no one was there and even the event was running more than an hour late. Walk a bit about, go stare at the band, and at last find a cool spot at the other side of the campus while they herd in boys for the men’s beauty pageant. Take out the Wide Field Planetary Cam and check settings. I always feared the lens error screen but seems like it only occurred at home where it spend most of the time boxed. Ring N and he’s more than 30min.s away. Walk walk, watch watch. Phone rings and it’s N, but at the library! Oh gaad, what a place. Command him down. Minutes later I’m greeted by him with D and R, with D’s cousin.

Men’s catwalk is an awful bore. We just watch it, and do small talk till they start the Campus Woman contest. What a far cry from the boys’. Everyone, even Grandpa is toting Cannons, Olympuses and Nseries and is trying to overrun the podium. The haa hoo is so loud no one hears what the contestants are asked or say. The professors must’ve blown their eardrums I’m sure. It’s a blur of whistling, shouting, booing jeering and clicking. Over almost as soon as started, we walk back to our previous haunts and try to find lost people, make calls etc. The Women’s’ contest kinda kick started the thing. Ice broken.

Later, we walk in for a munch and a gulp. Bump into a few long-losts and well-knowns. Spend what seemed like an eternity in cafetaria, snap some great shots and the like until a roar from outside warns the finals of the Campus Woman contest. Me, Dili and Dilesh bunch in front of the large projector display and watch. As usual the tallest wins.

The evening rolls into night, and time we had some music. But all we get is some tribal drumming. R discovers the Three Monkeys, Sarah, Dinu and Lak - atleast we’ve got company. While we wait, I decide to break off and find out what’s going on at the other side. Meet the three gorillas from the research project team. Met some guys from foundation times. The Prawn is late, it seems.

It’s past 9.30 and still nothing very exciting happen. Still the DJ is asleep. I get bored and phone dad for a lift home. We go out to the end of the front lawn and sit under a tree while the rest of the evening spends away in a haze where people eat, dance, drink, fight and kiss. Two bored-looking policemen (no doubt invited by professor’s farsightedness!) sit on plastic chairs and chat. Home by 10.30, milk, bed.

I think the last time was better. N said so, although I kinda left even before it was dark. The music kicked off well after about 10pm. I think we need more partying and must do this atleast once every term. I’ve got a proposal to the students’ union.
 
(Thanks all the same to Sandi Cheeks and Bud Weiser for grant and approval of absence permission)