Chapter 1 Mrs Skylier

"I will join you in five minutes," Van-da- Darwin said half an hour back. We both are into our books since it was 2 AM  on my wristwatch. Darwin and I have to face Red Hat's interviewers at 9.

It was long back when we are paying guests in Raleigh, North Carolina. It was bloody freezing cold outside. We both were burning the midnight lamps for the last seven months to work with these best software developers. We used to get up every day at 4 am sharp. Then jumps into over notes with a cup of coffee in our hands. We were on the top floor, which was roofed with old slates and it was very close to nature… As the room becomes chilled like a refrigerator in winters and a furnace in summers. But Mrs. Skylier was very kind and takes only 250 dollars per month.

Mrs. Skylier our owner was a divorced 63 years old lady. She was staying with her son in Raleigh since her marriage. Her son is 31 and a layer in the high court. Mrs. Skyler is very rich at heart. With her lean body and big eyes, she looks like some old Hollywood actress. Mrs. Skylier had studied till 5th grade only but by seeing her no one can not make out that. People of the city used to call her 'Head mistresses' …. I don't know why… Might be because of her round-shaped spectacles .. or the way she talks…

Nobody can go empty hand from her door. She used to sit and have a cup of tea even with the beggars who came to her. She used to maintain a kitchen garden in the backyard of the house. Almost every vegetable can be seen there. She used to plant them, water them and at last…. Distribute them.. as it was in bulk…. she was like a child from the inside and people used to take advantage of that. Many people including us had borrowed a lot of small amounts and still had not returned. But one thing is there that nobody used to cross her words. She was well known in our city.

7 months ago….

One fine morning I and Darwin went to Mrs. Skylier's villa with two big suitcases each in our hands. "Ma'am, do you have a place for paying guests?' I asked keeping my suitcase down and wiping my sweats. Mrs. Skylier, "First you get inside and have some water". She was the first person in the last 4 days to ask us for water. Our eyes were glittering like diamonds. She gave us water and a chilled papaya shake.

She took us upstairs and showed us the room…. There was only room… Nothing else… No cupboard, no fan nothing…. 250 dollars per months she said…. We looked at each other and together said "yes." one more thing no advance…and you can use my refrigerator and kitchen. We smiled again.

The study for RED HAT begins… We study, eat, sleep, study, sleep… Every second was counted… And the D – day arrived… We got but at 2 in the Morning and started mugging our books. "I will join you in five minutes," Van-da- Darwin said half an hour back.