Hook, line and stinker.

I've only ever endured the misadventure of going fishing once or twice in my life. Notwithstanding the environmental affronts to the "philosophical pastime" which array themselves before someone who by design or compulsion has spent his whole life in Calcutta, I found out very early in the exercise of baiting a fishing rod, configuring tangents of pivot and the general good feeling of standing under the beastly summer sun of West Bengal that I wasn't particularly suited to such pursuits. Never mind the fact that I was desperately overcome by clumsiness each time I'd to cast the rod, the simple fact was (and remains) that I'm extremely unlucky in these ventures, as it were. I've never caught fish in my life. Thus, I've never had curry.

Therefore, for those astute readers pondering how this impoverished blogger shall sustain his quest of retaking tests, ordering 50 sets of (undergraduate and graduate) transcripts, pay application fees and mail supplementary materials, don't think that that's a headache which doesn't consume many afternoons of thought. When one needs something close to a hundred thousand Indian curries, even the paucity of good fortune isn't a strong enough discouragement from going fishing again.

I already had the hook, though. During my sojourn last year, it was recommended that I apply for a well-regarded internship. The line was drawn in that I had, for whatever my beliefs are worth, excellent credentials. But after applying and waiting on it for quite some time came the stinker. I got a mail last night, which read:

"Unfortunately, we are not able to offer you a position. I wanted to let you know that your application was very good; you were very close to being a finalist. So I hope that you will keep the program in mind for the summer of 2008."

Thank you very much. One thing though: I did think that I'd kept the program in mind for the summer of 2008!! Fucking idiots, using year-old form mails. And I'm not even good enough to get in there.

And just a footnote: the money from the internship would've paid for my ticket to ride on the RTU. To manage the significant setbacks this accrues, I'll have to import yet another change to my character and become something I've never been: stingy. Don't me get wrong, I hardly spend on myself except when indulging in books. But based on my calculations last night, I'll have the benefit of $10/month for the rest of the year, if I get a raise in May. Jeez, reel me in already!