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Prof Sai Kumar (Kaaka from JLK)
It is the last day of Prof Sai Kumar’s teaching career, just as he’s about to leave the lecture hall with a melancholic feeling in his heart. All the students have excused themselves, except for one. The young man with a sweet smile, dark long locks, and a bright red hoodie, approaches him.
“Prof Sai, thank you for the lecture, I’m grateful for your lifelong dedication to teaching and if you could spare me some time, I’d like to share a lollipop moment you initiated that changed my life.” the man says.
The Professor, despite not fully understanding what the student meant by a “lollipop moment”, he replies, “Sure, young man, I appreciate your kindness, go on.”
“Sorry, I didn’t catch you name,” he adds
“Harsha, My name is Harsha, Professor,” he offers a smile and his hand for a handshake.
The Professor gives him a firm handshake and gestures him to continue.
Harsha begins, “It was the first day of university, I was queued up for registration for hostels, with a myriad of bustling and boisterous students all around me. In an unknown city, without my friends and family by my side, having never left my beloved ones and the city behind, it was all very new and overwhelming to me. It dawned to me that I’d made a grave mistake coming here, and I was just about to leave everything and go back to Hyderabad.“
“However, just when I’d made up my mind on leaving once and for all… I saw you, Professor.” he looks up at the Professor with a great intensity in his eyes and the latter can only look back at him, with confusion.
Harsha continues, “You were there, dressed in a colourful suit, with a sign on your hand, promoting a meaningful cause — “the safety and inclusion of LGBTQIA+2S students”. You were handing out lollipops from a basket to the students in the line. When it was my turn, you stopped and stared, it was rather unsettling,” he lets out a chuckle, making the Professor grin in the process.
“Then you looked at the guy next to me with a smile, pulled out a lollipop from your basket, holding it out to him, you told him, “You need to give a lollipop to his handsome young man standing next to you.” I was rather taken aback by that.”
The Professor nods, indicating that he’s listening.
Harsha continues, “I swear I’d never seen anyone get more embarrassed faster in my life. His handsome dark features turned beet red, he wouldn’t even look at me… He held out the lollipop out with his hand stretched but he was trying everything in his power to not look my way. Naturally, I felt very bad for the poor guy and took it instantly.” the Professor nods again.
“Once I’d accepted the lollipop, with a stern face you said, “Look at that, not even the first day away from home and you’re accepting candies from a stranger!” That comment made me, the guy, and the students around us burst out in laughter. And at that moment, I made up my mind that I am not going back, that there’s more to life, more risks and unexpected sweet moments to experience with strangers… as they’re only individuals that have yet to become more than just strangers.”
“Harsha?” a voice echoes through the lecture hall, a broad man, with a grumpy expression and an intimidating air, clad in black from head to toe is seen entering the hall.
Harsha turns and grins at the sight, “Jai, you’re here!!” he exclaims excitedly as Jai makes his way next to him, pulling Harsha closer by his waist.
Harsha flushes a bit and continues, “In fact, the guy who gave me the lollipop, Jai,” Harsha gestures to the man next to him and Jai lightly bows in acknowledgement of the Professor.
“He’s my partner, we recently tied the knot. And it’s all thanks to you, Professor!! I truly couldn’t thank you enough.”
The Professor feels a sense of love, effervescence, and pride bubble inside him, at a loss for words to describe his emotions. All he can say is, “Thank you for sharing this with me, Harsha…”