Chapter 5

Captain O Captain
Chapter - 5



It was the day of the last exam. The seating arrangement was such that Akshita and Manoj were sitting in different rooms. After the exam ended, when Manoj went to Akshita’s room, he found out that she had already submitted her paper and left half an hour earlier.
Manoj’s heart shattered into pieces. He had worked so hard and read all five compositions. He had fulfilled Akshita’s condition. But everything went in vain. She had already gone. Now how would he tell her how much he cried, how much he laughed, how grateful he was to her for giving him such a task?
Thinking all this, with his head bowed and tears in his eyes, Manoj was just walking out of the school when suddenly he caught a familiar fragrance—the scent of Vaseline. Akshita’s Vaseline. He started looking around like a madman. Then he saw Akshita coming from behind.
Manoj’s dull face lit up instantly. As soon as their eyes met, Manoj shouted, “I read everything! I read everything, Captain!”
Akshita couldn’t believe it. She had deliberately given him a task that he would never be able to complete. But Manoj had done it. Now what should she do?
At first, Akshita asked him many questions—what was in those compositions....—but when Manoj had answers to every question, she fell silent. She had no choice but to believe him.
“But Captain, you’re very clever. Holidays start from tomorrow. How will I talk to you now? Oh.....And you had already left after finishing your paper early—so how are you here?”
Now Manoj realized all these things and asked her. Akshita replied, “My van will leave at its usual time. So I was sitting in the fields for a while. And now, coming to the matter of talking—look, I’m still not interested in talking to you.”
Manoj’s face fell.
“But I was the one who made the condition, so I can’t go back on it now.”
Manoj’s face lit up again.
“Hm... I’m giving you some more books. Read them. The school will remain open during the holidays. If you ever feel like talking, I will come to school every Monday. You can talk to me then. Is that okay?”
“More books?” Manoj asked.
At this, Akshita gave him that same sharp look. He understood and agreed.
From then on, they started meeting every Monday. Manoj would always reach school half an hour early. His feet barely touched the ground. One reason for his happiness was also that now he got to see Akshita in home clothes instead of her school uniform.
The librarian, Sonia ma’am, had been observing Akshita for years. It made her very happy to see that Akshita was finally talking to someone about books.
At first, Manoj discussed in detail the five books that had been given to him earlier. Then they talked about the books that were given later. After that, Akshita began giving him a new book every week.
Manoj had only two words for reviewing books: “liked it” or “didn’t like it.” Sometimes, carried away by emotion, he would say, “Captain, I cried so much reading this,” or “Captain, I got so angry reading this.”
The initial days were spent discussing Sharatchandra and Baby Halder.While talking about Baby Halder’s *Aalo Andhari*, Manoj’s eyes filled with tears. And while discussing Sharatchandra, he would often stand up involuntarily.
Akshita would listen to him very calmly. She spoke very little herself.
Within just two to three months of holidays, Akshita taught Manoj how to read between the lines. She also taught him how an author’s life influences their writing, and in what ways. She even made him understand how deeply patriarchy and Brahminism are embedded in Hindi literature.
It was the effect of Akshita’s teaching that Manoj did not blindly idolize books like *Gunahon Ka Devta* and *Nachyo Bahut Gopal*.
One day, while discussing a story by Premchand, the topic of 'names' came up. The story itself had begun with a discussion of names. So, while talking, Manoj suddenly said:
“Yaar, Captain, your parents gave you an amazing name. ‘Akshita’—it’s such a name that one might even have to Google it. And then there’s my name—Manoj. You’ll find 70 Manojs in one village!”
At such remarks, Akshita would either laugh or just stare at him blankly, as if to say, “How innocent this boy is.”
Even now, she looked at him like that. Whenever she did, Manoj would get shy and avoid eye contact. Today too, he looked away.
But just then, a mischievous thought crossed his mind. He said, “Captain, I want to change my name.”
Akshita kept listening.
After a pause, Manoj said, “What if I keep my name Akshay?”
“Akshay... Akshita.”
At this, Akshita burst into laughter. Manoj laughed too.