Coal in the Embers!!!

The University campus gates on Calhoun street was teeming with activity. The smell from the Indian restaurant Krishna, across the street was so inviting. Sameer was famished, but for one, he chose to relinquish himself of the irk of tugging his belongings with him. The well dressed chauffeur offered to help carry two of his enormous suitcases inside the dormitory house which was a short walk from the campus gates. By the time Sameer followed suit with the remaining bags, he was exhausted. After all he also had to usher in his 219 lbs. not too small statuette, along with the luggage. The smart chauffeur greeted him and was ready to depart. Sameer wasn't sure whether tipping was an acceptable norm in US. More importantly, he reckoned that a dollar saved would mean an additional burger gained for himself. After a momentary boggle he greeted back the chauffeur and trudged inside not realizing that he probably needed to trudge the path of etiquette and cultural mannerisms better.

The hot shower was so much needed. Sameer was desperate to don a fresh set of clothes. With the scent of eau-de-Cologne emanating from him generously, Sameer stepped outside to get a real feel of being in America. He started walking towards the main street ahead, all the while trying to figure out a place to grab his first meal in US. Since Bruegger's Bagels on Clifton seemed too inviting, he dashed inside and positioned himself behind the last person in the queue to the counter. The large display boards mentioned different types of Sandwiches. For some strange reason, it seemed Hebrew to Sameer. The names were a far cry from the simple ones he was used to, back in India. Finally, he managed to spot the cheapest on the list and marched ahead with confidence. At the counter, he was in for greater trouble, much beyond what he expected. The person who was making the sandwiches asked for his choice of bagel followed by the celery, pickle, egg and meat that he wanted it to be stuffed with. The last nail in the coffin was when he was asked to pick the cheese type he wanted. Needless to say, with embarrassment writ large on his face, Sameer blabbered what came to his mind, much to the amusement of the person across the counter and people behind himself. By the time Sameer managed to check out and make good his escape from the counter, his hunger had died down. Yes, there seemed to be a lot in cultural mannerisms for him to learn, much beyond a college diploma that he had actually come for, to the US. He felt being the coal in the embers. 

The back-pack slung over Sameer's left shoulder had online rent payment receipts. Sameer had managed to book his studio on Proshop Avenue, in close proximity to his college of business at the University. The lady at the Dazlight Properties office promptly handed him the keys to the letter box and apartment 7 on 3239 Proshop Av. On his way back, Sameer was too weary to walk a mile & half back to the dormitory and hopped on to Metro bus 19. Inserting the dollar bill and three quarters in the machine near the steering wheel was also a new experience. At the dormitory, Sameer was tired enough to hardly wait to catch up on his lost sleep. At the same time he was excited about shifting to his rented apartment the next day. As he lay down and closed his eyes, he wondered how his new haven would be, a house far away, from and being a home. In a few moments he had escaped into a realm of temporary solace!!!!!!!