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This Friday evening almost feels just like another regular weekend. I think it will take until Monday, when everyone goes to work, and I sit alone Jobless to comprehend this completely. I have ended my tenure at Bosch and looking ahead at uncertainties.

Last Day at Bosch

I was greeted with Gobi Paratha in the breakfast. It was as if Bosch was giving a farewell treat. I have written about my love for Parathas in Two Parathas and Pongal.

Following the lovely breakfast, I logged in early as usual. I just had to get my final clearances today. I waited for the Teams window to light up with green dots as colleagues logged in.

I received pings and calls from friends who could not join the farewell meeting call yesterday. So many kind words flattered me.

My colleagues planned a lovely farewell lunch. We clicked a few photos before we started

After some confusion about the restaurant between Empire and Aromas of Biriyani we settled with the latter. There was the usual banter, Deepak messing with Debanjan and Nitesh. Nitesh could not dodge Deepak’s teasing in spite of strategically choosing to sit the farthest away from him.

I was then presented a Titan Smart watch as a farewell gift which I loved.

Luckily, I also got an opportunity to meet my ex – team mate. She presented me a bouquet.

Finally, the time came to submit my laptop and ID Card and bid farewell to Bosch.

Conclusion

For the first time I deviate from the normal and I feel like a maverick. There is thrill in this adventure and it is making me euphoric. For the longest part of my life there was always a template and I walked on it meticulously:

School -> Graduation -> Job -> Marriage

Finally, the day came when I broke away from the template. But with me today my wife, my parents and my rest of the family also broke away from a standard template of their expectations from me.

I don’t know if they feel scared and anxious or adventurous and euphoric as me. But I’m deeply grateful for their unwavering support.

Octillion!

A 7 year old kid told me this. On my return journey from Goa to Bangalore I met this kid and his brother. We struck up a conversation.

I still struggle with names up to a trillion. I would first divide the number of zeros with 3 and then determine the name of the number. The 7 year old boy on the other hand could tell me the name of any number up to 70 zeros promptly!

I tried figuring out how he does that but he couldn’t say. I asked him if he memorized it or if he divides the number of zeros as I do. He didn’t answer. He is shy and speaks very less and doesn’t know what division means.

His parents told me his earlier school had asked them to consult a psychiatrist. I possibly witnessed Asperger Syndrome.

This kid might grow to become the next mathematical genius. He enjoys numbers and watches math videos in YouTube instead of cartoons.

Rubik’s Cube

His elder brother was smart as well. He could solve Rubik’s cube under 15 secs. He taught me to solve it too.

I now understand that there are standard procedures, called “Algorithms”, to solve a Rubik’s cube. He taught me the basic Algorithm. It is slow and solves one piece at a time. But it is easy to remember.

It took me about an hour to learn it and now I can solve the cube. Thanks to this helpful boy my time was spent in learning a fruitful skill.

I was then curious if this is all there is to solving a cube. He told me that the advanced solvers use several 100 algorithms. They can look at a pattern and choose the proper algorithm which can simultaneously solve several positions instead of one at a time like the beginners do.

Nevertheless, I am now content with the method I learned. I am now in need of a Rubik’s cube for myself so that I don’t forget it.

The method he taught me closely matches this method described here in the youtube link.

The version I learned is below

One previous memory

22 years ago, when I was in my 10th standard, I had learnt filling up the magic square from a school security guard. I can’t even recollect his face but what he taught me remains with me.

Similarly, I didn’t get the mobile number or social media handle of these guys. I might never be able to meet them again. But what he taught me would remain with me for years to come.

This post will one day remind me that the boy who taught me to solve Rubik’s cube is called Varadraj and is studying in 11th std in 2025. He is aspiring to be an engineer at an IIT. His younger brother is Vedant.