02-01-2019, 04:17 PM
Ramesh 3/4
Success! Ah, sweet success, at last! No sooner had the news hit us, the whole office seemed to have gathered up at my cubicle. Everyone starting from the junior most executive to the two Senior Managers had trooped in to my cubicle, one by one, to offer congratulations. All with the exception of Mr. Rao and Preeti. The ensuing half hour was total circus and I tried hard to keep the gloating off my face. Later, when last of them had filed away; I walked over to the two junior colleagues who had been part of my team.
“Hey, do you know for sure that the thing is in the bag – I mean, you know it is official for sure?” I asked in a low tone.
“Hey relax boss. When two Senior Managers Sekhar and d’Souza walk over and congratulate us, of course, it has to be authentic”, one answered me.
The other one was grinning. “You know, you could be the next Senior Manager now. Keep us in your division then.”
“Aw shut up!”, I said and turned back to my seat.
It was a half hour later, the intra-mail brought the announcement. Mr. Rao would be addressing us all in the conference room – just before lunch. Accordingly, we had all trooped in and were seated when Mr. Rao arrived. He took his seat and began immediately.
“Congratulations! H K Corp has accepted our proposal.” There was clapping all around. “Credit goes to each and every member of the team …”, he started reeling off our names and started commending our efforts for the project. It was a brief speech, heavy on officialese and the usual bullshit about hard-work team-spirit. I had heard similar speeches several times before, each time trying to stifle a yawn while looking away. Today, it sounded like a symphony. I sat stock still.
“And finally the most important part”, this time he smiled, “London has agreed to my proposal that the entire office should get a fifty percent salary bonus this month for our efforts. All for one and one for all.”
The cheering erupted. People were getting out of their seats to pump my hand. It was a crazy five minutes before Mr. Rao got up to leave. He paused as he passed, “Er Ramesh, meet me at about seven, shall you? I am heading out now and will be back then. We have things to discuss.”
I started seeing stars. All the hard work and toil, seemed justified then. Dreamily I walked away with my still congratulating colleagues. Though lunch break was almost over and people were hurrying away to put in something; I felt no hunger. The appetite was simply gone. I made my way slowly to my cabin and would have settled down but for the two juniors of my team who practically dragged me out for lunch. Happily I endured their jibes about the certainty of my promotions on the way.
“Hey, shouldn’t we ask Preeti to join us as well?”, one of them remembered.
“Sure”, I said.
He put in a call to her and his face tightened as he listened to her. Then he disconnected. “She says, she is tied up with something urgent that the big boss wants. Anyway fuck her. We celebrate here now and in the evening we hit a bar”, he looked at me questioningly.
“Of course boys”, I replied happily, “But not today. We will do it tomorrow night or in the weekend. Today I have a meeting at seven with the boss – you know.”
“Nothing doing boss”, they had chorused, “Tonight itself, after you yank out the fat hike from him. We will wait for your call.”
“Alright, you win” I said slapping my head in mock exasperation.
* * *
The afternoon wore off in a happy daze. After five, I watched people get up and leave for the day. All along I was wondering what it was that Mr. Rao would be telling me. One thing was certain – there had to be a rise, the question was how much it would be. Logically, they should be putting me in exclusive charge of the project as I was the face that H K Corp knew. But given the size of the wallet involved and more importantly, the potential scope of future business with such a large conglomerate; it was very likely that a whole new division dedicated to this business. And that pointed to a serious promotion in the offing.
It was half past six. Mr. Rao hadn’t returned, as I checked. My floor was almost deserted. I decided to put in a call to Kajol.
“Hey honey. Good news. HK Corp has accepted the proposal”, I told her.
“Oh that’s so great”, her excited voice sounded from the other end. “Where are you?”
“Still in the office. Sir has asked me to wait for him … … you know … to discuss”, I said trying to keep my excitement under control.
“Oh honey, I am so happy for you”, her voice bubbled. “What do you think he wants to say.”
“Can’t say, may not be any important”, I said trying not to raise her hopes, “Anyway, shall tell you at night.”
“Goodness honey, I can hardly wait”, she said.
“How is Riz?”, I asked.
“Oh you know, the usual. Arrives home late, sometimes after nine or ten. Won’t even eat unless I force him or threaten to move out. Other times, cooks all kinds of fish dishes for me, you know he doesn’t eat any. A couple of times, he has taken me out for shopping and wants to purchase the whole shop – madcap fellow – you know.”
I knew. The only weekend, I had spent there after Kajol had moved over, he had been practically crying the whole time that I was there. He was so happy that Kajol was there, it was like he had a home for the first time in his grown up life. We had drunk away the whole weekend from my arrival to departure. There was a spare bedroom in his apartment, which Kajol occupied now. A smaller room existed also. There she had kept all of her books, notes and research papers etc.
“Ok honey”, I said “See to it that he eats properly – the least that we can do for him. And let me call you later in the night. Have a party later on.”
“Laters”, she said and hung up.
Success! Ah, sweet success, at last! No sooner had the news hit us, the whole office seemed to have gathered up at my cubicle. Everyone starting from the junior most executive to the two Senior Managers had trooped in to my cubicle, one by one, to offer congratulations. All with the exception of Mr. Rao and Preeti. The ensuing half hour was total circus and I tried hard to keep the gloating off my face. Later, when last of them had filed away; I walked over to the two junior colleagues who had been part of my team.
“Hey, do you know for sure that the thing is in the bag – I mean, you know it is official for sure?” I asked in a low tone.
“Hey relax boss. When two Senior Managers Sekhar and d’Souza walk over and congratulate us, of course, it has to be authentic”, one answered me.
The other one was grinning. “You know, you could be the next Senior Manager now. Keep us in your division then.”
“Aw shut up!”, I said and turned back to my seat.
It was a half hour later, the intra-mail brought the announcement. Mr. Rao would be addressing us all in the conference room – just before lunch. Accordingly, we had all trooped in and were seated when Mr. Rao arrived. He took his seat and began immediately.
“Congratulations! H K Corp has accepted our proposal.” There was clapping all around. “Credit goes to each and every member of the team …”, he started reeling off our names and started commending our efforts for the project. It was a brief speech, heavy on officialese and the usual bullshit about hard-work team-spirit. I had heard similar speeches several times before, each time trying to stifle a yawn while looking away. Today, it sounded like a symphony. I sat stock still.
“And finally the most important part”, this time he smiled, “London has agreed to my proposal that the entire office should get a fifty percent salary bonus this month for our efforts. All for one and one for all.”
The cheering erupted. People were getting out of their seats to pump my hand. It was a crazy five minutes before Mr. Rao got up to leave. He paused as he passed, “Er Ramesh, meet me at about seven, shall you? I am heading out now and will be back then. We have things to discuss.”
I started seeing stars. All the hard work and toil, seemed justified then. Dreamily I walked away with my still congratulating colleagues. Though lunch break was almost over and people were hurrying away to put in something; I felt no hunger. The appetite was simply gone. I made my way slowly to my cabin and would have settled down but for the two juniors of my team who practically dragged me out for lunch. Happily I endured their jibes about the certainty of my promotions on the way.
“Hey, shouldn’t we ask Preeti to join us as well?”, one of them remembered.
“Sure”, I said.
He put in a call to her and his face tightened as he listened to her. Then he disconnected. “She says, she is tied up with something urgent that the big boss wants. Anyway fuck her. We celebrate here now and in the evening we hit a bar”, he looked at me questioningly.
“Of course boys”, I replied happily, “But not today. We will do it tomorrow night or in the weekend. Today I have a meeting at seven with the boss – you know.”
“Nothing doing boss”, they had chorused, “Tonight itself, after you yank out the fat hike from him. We will wait for your call.”
“Alright, you win” I said slapping my head in mock exasperation.
* * *
The afternoon wore off in a happy daze. After five, I watched people get up and leave for the day. All along I was wondering what it was that Mr. Rao would be telling me. One thing was certain – there had to be a rise, the question was how much it would be. Logically, they should be putting me in exclusive charge of the project as I was the face that H K Corp knew. But given the size of the wallet involved and more importantly, the potential scope of future business with such a large conglomerate; it was very likely that a whole new division dedicated to this business. And that pointed to a serious promotion in the offing.
It was half past six. Mr. Rao hadn’t returned, as I checked. My floor was almost deserted. I decided to put in a call to Kajol.
“Hey honey. Good news. HK Corp has accepted the proposal”, I told her.
“Oh that’s so great”, her excited voice sounded from the other end. “Where are you?”
“Still in the office. Sir has asked me to wait for him … … you know … to discuss”, I said trying to keep my excitement under control.
“Oh honey, I am so happy for you”, her voice bubbled. “What do you think he wants to say.”
“Can’t say, may not be any important”, I said trying not to raise her hopes, “Anyway, shall tell you at night.”
“Goodness honey, I can hardly wait”, she said.
“How is Riz?”, I asked.
“Oh you know, the usual. Arrives home late, sometimes after nine or ten. Won’t even eat unless I force him or threaten to move out. Other times, cooks all kinds of fish dishes for me, you know he doesn’t eat any. A couple of times, he has taken me out for shopping and wants to purchase the whole shop – madcap fellow – you know.”
I knew. The only weekend, I had spent there after Kajol had moved over, he had been practically crying the whole time that I was there. He was so happy that Kajol was there, it was like he had a home for the first time in his grown up life. We had drunk away the whole weekend from my arrival to departure. There was a spare bedroom in his apartment, which Kajol occupied now. A smaller room existed also. There she had kept all of her books, notes and research papers etc.
“Ok honey”, I said “See to it that he eats properly – the least that we can do for him. And let me call you later in the night. Have a party later on.”
“Laters”, she said and hung up.
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