Pappu SE Bangaya...

After two weeks of my stint with the ‘billiards’ practice at the cafeteria and after increasing the radius of friend circle with other colleagues on bench and the sodexho staff, I finally got a call that I am locked into a project.

I did not know what the ‘lock’ means but was happy that I will have something to do. Incidentally and accidentally, seven of us from the same training batch joined the same project.

First two weeks were fine with most of the time reading the documents. But the actual struggle started after the sweet honeymoon of two weeks. I had to renovate myself as a good programmer. Now, I need to be hard-working from hardly working nature, as was in my old good college days.

It was the last day of august month. The only discussion everywhere, in chatting, mails and everything was ‘how much we are going to get actually to hand’. Everyone had their own perspectives and fundas (as we were able to get only zilch out of the Finance session at the Induction).

On the exciting last day, we checked the balance in the salary account. Though, everyone of us got the same amount, we could not resist asking each other..’How much??’ . On the spur of the moment, I decided to buy many gifts to my family with my first salary sparing a thousand rupees which my mom promised to donate to Tirupati Hundi. As I went on calculating, I realised the fact that I would be bankrupted the next day if I dare to buy gifts for all the 20 of my combined family. So I postponed that for later months.

I understood the HR word ‘Fun at Work’ as the days passed. Food at my Pilani mess was better than that at the cafeteria as I hate something hastily and return to work looking excitedly if the program has completed its run. I was an outsider in our room as I go early in the mornings (before anyone wakes up) and return late in the night (Sometimes next morning ...After everyone sleeps) On Sundays (If there is no work), my friends (room mates) were feeling as happy as relatives feel on the release of their kin from a jail.

I continued to work because I liked to (of course I have to). On one fine day, we were called to a meeting by my manager. I thought that it would be the routine status meeting as how far/near from out timelines. I cannot believe my ears when she said ‘All of you will be leaving to UK the next month’.

I was ecstatic, joyful and had a feeling that I was the happiest person in the world at the moment until Dennis asked us in a serious tone…’Man, I have just shifted my house. What should I now?’. Then one of my friends replied ‘Abey pure jindagi ke liye nahin jarhe hain…bus do mehine ke liye’ (Buddy..we are going there only for two months..)

I called my parents and was lost in thoughts until my Team Lead asked me ‘DJ..Is that issue resolved?’. I replied ‘Haan..Ho raha hain’ (Yeah..Its going on!’). Then after a month, I had my first flight journey by flight, reached UK and became a mere observer of the shifting sands of time.

With my eyes wide open, I am waiting for my promotion and also for the compensation letter for the next financial year. Hope this time I can carry gifts to all of my friends and relatives. :-)

Cheers
-DJ