A Coder's Cocktail -‘I’m back, sweets at my desk!!’

A Coder's Cocktail There was just one thing common in all these mails, the subject line.

It read, ‘I’m back, sweets at my desk!!’

Monday was often when the festivities of sweets descended in the cubicles of our workplace. The reasons were many. Some would have got back from long holidays from their natives and in turn would have come loaded with heavenly caskets. There were few who would have returned engaged as the days of vacation often turned lethal for the bachelors. Their homes would have ensured a coup d'état where in the bride would have been selected and the guy emotionally abducted to the wish bones of the judicious elders. Then there were some who would have rejoined from onsite and would be busy flaunting their videshi collections to much dislike of the hardcore Netajis around.


Scanning the ‘sweets at my desk’ mails, I could smell the sweets as if they were there in front of me. These pictures of the confectionaries were so alluring that I had already galloped a few roshogullas on my way to cat-scanning the mail item. The spittle were gargling my mouth. The patent appetite for the angelic candies, the laddus and the pethas had an out-of-court settlement with the logics to hide the same from Pankhuri. I wasn’t allowed much to enjoy the Dairy milks and other sweets. If I did the lady warden had to be informed about the treachery.

‘Hey Sandy, are you coming for the sweets!’ I asked my neighbor who was reading his sacred holy book, the prima facie matter with which he started his day. Nodding his head and muttering his morning prayers he signaled me to wait. The mail had been sent a few minutes back. But I could see a swarm already hording towards the destination.

The exiled IT guys would ogle at such relief packages in their self deported refugee camps and compete with one and all. There would be chaos and cannon would fly in all directions. The voiceprint of the stampede would reach the head’s office and the next round of mails warning masses to behave in an orderly fashion would be floated out, the HR code of conduct.

‘Come fast man, the sweets will get over.’ Adi said while crossing me. Netaji was also with him. Looking at Sandy, I didn’t see him much interested in the sweets as perhaps he was in midst of attaining something far greater, worshipping his deity. Hence leaving him to his gods, I too proceeded for the kill.

From the novel ; ‘A CODER;S COCKTAIL’

‘I got a call from the delivery manager, Mister Bhatt. He
asked me to come straight to this meeting room. You know I
thought, maybe it’s regarding some event or something that he
wants me to host…’
‘Hmm hmm…’
It’s fun to share your pain. If you haven’t tried it, maybe
one day give it a shot.
‘As I entered, I saw the HR head, Smriti the security dude
and Bhatt seated around a laptop. Looking straight at me, he
announced…
“Mister Maqbool, you have been found wanted in your
duties towards your work product. The inconsistencies and the
dependency in your work leave us with no option but to
discontinue your services. The corporate hereby has decided to
lay you off. You have two options: one is to give us in writing
that due to some personal reasons you are resigning. I would
suggest you take this because then the corporate wouldcompensate you with three months’ salary and furnish you your
work experience certificate…”
“And what is my other option?” I didn’t know what else
to speak, so I asked.
“The second is that we terminate you. I would strongly
recommend you not to take this or it will hamper your future
career.”
Forwarding me an Infosys letterhead, they handed me a
pen.
“But I don’t know what to write?” tears were guttering
down my face as I was facing my destiny.
“I’ll tell you what to write.” Smriti sitting alongside spoke.
“Ok…”
“Write…” And she went on; not stopping to even catch her
breath. She was my friend I thought. Perhaps firing me was
a job to her and she was but doing her duties, I am sure.
After I was through with this, the Bhatt guy threw in
another bomb…
“Maqbool, Mister Amit here from securities would escort
you to your desk. You have roughly ten minutes to clear your
personal belongings and fill up your separation documents. All
the best for your future.”
You know in just a few minutes I was thrown out of the
premises I thought of as my second home. The same guards
who used to smile at me and treat me like I was someone,
snatched away my ID card like I was nobody. Why was the
need of the escort required in the first place? After working two
years for them, I was not even given a chance to bid farewell
to my colleagues. They kept an eye on every movement of mine.
I must tell you SJ, it was so humiliating that I just wanted
it all over. I caught up with Adi on the way down. Crying like
a fool, he was filling up his separation form. There was no point
troubling you guys. We came outside, took a bus back to city
and got ourselves drunk.