The Last Hurrah

Yesterday was the culmination of plans. Plans to break the shackles of monotony and boredom that had overtaken my life, plans to do four hours of integration in the morning, so I wouldn't have to feel guilty about breaking the shackles of monotony and boredom that had overtaken my life, and plans to go to Delhi College of Engineering for one last final quiz before I head off to college, where I probably won't ever get the chance again.

Where was I? Yes, the plans culminated, but not without their own individual disasters. A team, I was short off, so I gave the kid, Ishaan Chugh a ring, and he in his youthful exhuberance agreed, unlike the rest of the lot who said no. So, with a free car, desire to get out, and a quizzing partner, I set off to a faraway land, where few living in South Delhi will step foot: Rohini.
Now, North Delhi is a whole new world, from the south, or even East. It's large, first of all, really really large. There are vast amounts of space, great expanses of unused land, waiting to be built into megamalls(because that's what all the signs say). There is not a movie theatre in sight, a seeming abscence of a major market, and nobody in the whole place seems to know directions, either that or they just don't want to tell you. What these people do for fun, one wonders.
Anyhow, after searching through the vast cow eaten fields and long nalas of the north, we finally arrived at DCE, where negotiations started with the organiser, Kunal, over getting us a third team mate. These negotiations eventually failed, and we entered a three person quiz short one. Such is how it was meant to be.
The quiz started, punctually, only an hour and a half late, and one must congratulate them in this regard. Now, the quiz "Spectrum" itself was really nice. It is the only quiz I have ever been too that has combined spectator fun, showmanship and good questions. Normally the above two just simply don't go together. But the prelims started off with a cool fireworks display, as would the finals, and the final result. There was a laser light show running all the time, and there was constant music, which we forced them to shut off, because the showy nature was starting to interfere with ze thought process.
Anyhow, prelims get over. We do very well for ourselves, scoring 14 on a possible 23. We're confident we're through. So they announce the finalists. We're not one of them. We raise all hell with organisers, only to find out ....they've lost our SHEET!
Well, the matter eventually, and thankfully got resolved, and we got to go up on stage, edging out a fresh from UC Faculty of Law, Delhi Univ.
Joining us on stage were a fresh from winning University Challenge NSIT, a very stud St. Stephens outfit, a bunch of Budddha quizzers from beyond, DCE, and a North Campus South Campus superteam. The stage was set for a great showdown, especially after the QM kept reffering to us as "school ke bachche".
We started off a bit slowly, and quickly settled into third place. Midway through the quiz, on the back of a couple of great answers from Chugh, we worked our way up to joint first. Then, the subject round sealed it for us. We took F1, and between us answered nine of ten questions, and that was the final nail on the head.
Y'know what that means? We won! Us, along with a motley crew of ex-dipsite DCE chaps who were rooting for us were pleased as punch. We won, we beat the UC winners, we beat the Jhola waalas, we beat the home team, nyah nyah to em all.
Ah, now to the spoils of war. A crystal set(please don't ask me why), a few books, a CD with the soundtrack of Sapnay.
Oh, I forgot to mention. Rs 2500 as well.
So guess what? I'm going to be spending quite a bit once these boards are over.

You'd think I'd forget to mention it, wouldn't you? Well, I haven't.
Maria continues her unbroken winning streak, never has RKP even come second under her reign. Hail Maria.