'So feeling homesick from the first day, huh?' Mitali asked me.
'No, no,' I said. 'Nothing like that,' I tried to hide my feelings.
'Don't worry there, it happens,' Munmi said. 'When I first went to stay in the hostel in my school days, I had the same condition.'
She comforted me.
'I am also new in the hostel,' Mitali said gleefully.
'And now here we can start our own kitchen,' Munmi said, looking at my baggage of utensils.
'Yeah, yeah…' Mitali supported.
They chuckled.
I smiled.
'Actually, my mother insisted that I keep all these stuff…' I tried to clarify.
'Don't worry, there,' Munmi said. 'When we feel like vomiting from the hostel menu, we will cook our own food.'
'Do you know how to cook?' Mitali asked, pointing at Munmi.
'Of course I know,' Munmi replied.
'And you?'
'A little bit.'
I smiled.
'Oh, I've forgotten to tell you one thing,' Mitali said, tensed.
'What?' Munmi asked.
I didn't figure out anything. I looked at them blankly.
'Let's hide these kitchen stuff inside our beds,' Mitali said, alarmed.
'Why, Mitali?' Munmi asked.
'I've heard that our hostel warden, Mrs. Saikia, is very strict,' Mitali said, tensely. 'She regularly comes for checking.'
'Okay,' Munmi said.
I was confused. I didn't know what to do.
'Come fast!' Mitali said.
We hurriedly hid the kitchen stuff inside our beds and covered it with our bags and suitcases.
I've told maa many times that I didn't need this stuff in the hostel. But she didn't hear me. Now look, the trouble is waiting for me, I complained in my mind.
Just then, somebody knocked at the door.
'Suman, you go, open the door,' Munmi said, adjusting my stuff.
I was nervous. I could not respond properly.
'Go, go,' Munmi commanded me.
'O-Okay,' I said in a quivering tone.
'Wait,' Mitali stopped me.
I looked surprised.
Mitali and Munmi both arranged my stuff again.
'Yes, now open the door,' Mitali said.
I went to open the door.
But I couldn't open the door. I fumbled and hesitated.
I felt my hands and legs were numb and locked.
'Open,' Mitali said again.
I tried harder and harder, repeatedly, then at last, I opened the door.
When I opened the door, Mrs. Saikia was standing in front of me.
Mrs. Saikia was looking like a very strong lady of age around 50 plus.
'What the hell are you doing?' Mrs. Saikia roared. 'You took so much time to open the door.' Her eyes were like a hungry beast, ready to clutch me.
'S-sorry, ma'am,' I said in a dry voice. 'I was busy in…' I could not complete my explanation.
'I know very well about you girls,' Mrs. Saikia said. 'What are you doing inside?'
I could not say anything. Mrs. Saikia's hoarse voice sealed my mouth.
'What the fuck does she know about us?' Mitali whispered in my ear; she was standing by me.
'Is she an astrologer or jyotishi? She is saying so confidently.'
'Just away from home for a few days and out of sight of parents, you girls start busy talking with boyfriends on mobile phones and are busy with unnecessary stuff?' Mrs. Saikia said, charging us.
'How do her husband and children digest this wild woman?' Mitali murmured in my ear again.
I giggled, covering my mouth.
Mrs. Saikia entered our room.
'Good evening, ma'am,' both Mitali and Munmi wished her.
Mrs. Saikia started scanning our room from one corner to another as if she were looking for a fugitive criminal.
If she finds out about my utensils, what will she do with me? God knows.
I was scared.
'No short form here,' Mrs. Saikia growled.
'No ma'am. Only full pronunciation: MADAAM. I hate short forms. Is it clear, girls?'
'Yes, MADAAM,' we replied in unison.
'Good. That sounds better,' Mrs. Saikia said.
'I came here to tell you about the rules of our hostel,' Mrs. Saikia said.
We stood silent and listened to Mrs. Saikia's instructions.
'We strictly keep rules in our hostel,' Mrs. Saikia began. 'And those who don't follow them can leave our hostel on the first day.'
'Rajen, read out,' Mrs. Saikia said.
'Yes, MADAAM.'
Rajen was the hostel caretaker.
'Morning at 6 am - tea. You will get tea in your rooms.
8 am – 8:30 am - Breakfast time.
9 am - Your college hours.
12 pm - 1:00 pm - Lunch time.
4 pm - 4:30 pm - Evening tea and snacks.
7 pm - 9 pm - Study hours.
8 pm - 9 pm - Dinnertime.
9 pm - 10 pm - Study hours.
10:30 pm - Your bedtime.'
Rajen read out everything.
'Now some important rules,' Mrs. Saikia said.
'How many more rules will she tell us?' Mitali said under her breath.
I listened silently.
For the first time, I heard these timetables for tea, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and bedtime.
I am sure I've made a grave mistake while staying in this hostel, I thought to myself.
Mrs. Saikia continued.
'In our hostel, you're not allowed to use more than two buckets of water because there is a great crisis of water here.'
Every word of Mrs. Saikia struck me hard like bullets.
Oh my God! I exclaimed in my mind.
Only two buckets of water! How can I live with only two buckets of water? In my house, I used one bucket of water just for washing my mouth and face. And for bathing, I used at least four to five buckets of water, I thought.
'You're not allowed to stay outside the hostel room after 7 p.m.,' Mrs. Saikia added. 'Your electric lights must be off after 10:30 p.m. sharp.'
'No visitors from outside. Only your local guardian and your parents are allowed. And, haan, no boyfriends inside the hostel.'
'You're not allowed to cook inside the hostel room.'
My heart started throbbing hard.
I felt she would catch me red-handed at that very moment and throw away all my stuff straightaway.
'You're not allowed to smoke. You're not allowed to drink alcohol. You're not allowed to take any intoxicating substances in the hostel,' Mrs. Saikia said.
'If anybody is found using any of these forbidden substances, I'll take strict action against them. They will be immediately thrown out of this hostel. Is it clear, girls?'
'Yes, MADAAM,' we replied.
'Okay, best of luck, girls.'
Mrs. Saikia ended her long instructions.
'Thank you, MADAAM,' we said in unison.
After giving us her strict instructions for more than thirty minutes, Mrs. Saikia left our room.
'Rajen, let's go to the next room,' Mrs. Saikia said.
'Yes, MADAAM,' Rajen said.