“You should send him a message and thank him.” She had been asked.
“Sure my love.” She picked up her Motorola phone and sent the text messages…..
“Hi Ram, thanks a lot……”
“Thanks for what?……”
“For all that you did today”
“No dear, it was my duty….”
Still you are the best…. I have great feelings and respect for you ...
“Same here… take care… let me know the status…”
“I will. You are my best friend.”
“Thank you.”
“Welcome and my pleasure.”
“Wow, this chat will create a lot of confusion in future and he will be trapped.” She said.
“But are we doing good and fair?” She asked as she didn’t get him busy and engaged with something else.
“Dear, everything is fair in love and war.” She had been told.
She was extremely in the heaven, spending the quality time which everyone desires and living as it was the first time that she was doing something with someone else’s money. And even after getting left in darkness, peace was all around, happiness and internal brightness was around me as I had done something good for someone.
After a day and 2 nights; Sector-15 Gurgaon.
“Ram, you have a call.” Devika yelled as I took a little more in the bathroom while bathing.
“Please pick it up and ask who the caller is.” I yelled her back as she was the only one who was there for me to yell at.
“May I talk to Ram please?” She found a female voice.
“He is in the washroom.” The caller had dropped the call. Thank God! I would have been dead had she let Devika know.
“A girl is calling you in the early morning. What’s the matter?” She was joking and poking.
“Nothing like that. May be for job interview.”
“Hello” I faced a commanding voice.
“Yes, are you Ram?”
“Yes. How may I help you and who are you?” I asked her to come to the point and tell me the purpose of the call.
“Do you know Riya? You know what has happened to her? She has been found dead.” It was a huge shock for me. I took some time to come out of it and didn’t reply to her questions.
“Hey, why are you quiet? I know you were the one whom she contacted for the last time. Wait, where do you stay?” She only knew what she was trying to tell me and she knew if she was telling me the truth or lie.
“Ma’am, I stay in Sector-15, Gurgaon.” I was confused what to tell and what not to.
“We know where your office is, I am going to the police station.” She disconnected the call.
I was not aware of what was going on. I quickly got ready and went out of home to go the office.
I switched the mobile on after reaching 100 meters away from home. As soon as I switched it on, got several missed call alerts from unknown numbers, which made me more tensed and sad.
“Hello, I am calling from Sector-10 Police station, Gurgaon.” The voice was mixed with sorrow, but it was the only pitch which was sounding harsh and rude. I assumed that he was also telling me a lie.
“Good morning SHO uncle, actually I got a call from some lady this morning, she had to say that one of my colleagues was found dead and since she had taken some money from me to admit her mother to the hospital, she was in touch. I don’t know what else had happened. And, by the way you must know Suresh uncle; he is also posted in Civil Lines police station as ASI.”
“Hmm, her father had come to report the FIR. So, you tell me honestly. What was happened, tell everything what you know. Who else, she used to meet and roam around within the company. If you tell the truth, we will let you go.” He asked me to tell him everything I knew.
“Sir, you are most welcome to make an enquiry, you take down the office address and ask everyone. She had taken financial help 3 days before, that’s the only difference among other colleagues and me. Apart from that I don’t know what has happened to her.” I told the SHO everything.
“Ok. We will see. If she calls you, please let us know on this number.” He said and disconnected the call.
The lady who had called me in the morning to make my day had to say that she was found dead and then the gentleman was asking me to let him know if she called me. Something was wrong, I realised that it’s not always good to be good with others, if your time is not good.
When I reached to the office, I heard the rumour of her being missing.
“Friend, give me that money if you have that much.” One of my best friends was telling me that I had done wrong, which I knew by that time.
“She was asking us as well. Oh my God; how much you gave her?” Couple of her best friends came to me and asked me the amount as if they were paying me back.
“I had given her a good five figure amount for her mother’s treatment.” I told everyone.
“Was that give and take deal? Or she just made fool of you?” Another friend came to ask me.
“Oh shut up please. I had helped her. And now her family members are calling me and blaming me about her missing.”
After 4 days of her missing; D*ksh cafeteria
“She is alive; and in Goa with her boyfriend.” Rishi let me know about her existence in the world, which was eagerly awaited by her parents and family members, who had screwed my happiness for 2 days.
“Oh, is that? Thank God she is fine.” I was surprised to get good news from him. I started breathing a sigh of relief as I was scared of the future enquiry as well as it was a matter of life of someone’s daughter. While I was reaching home that day, I was praying for her well being. Because I knew the pain of losing someone in the family after I lost my father and couple of miscarriages that Devika and I had gone through.
“Your money is not coming back.” Rishi said.
“It’s not the money which hurt me my friend. It’s the truth, which I lost while helping her; instead of an appreciation, I got blamed of her murder. I don’t know what and how to tell all this to Devika.” I asked for the suggestion whether to tell home about it or not.
“Why should you tell your family? See; my suggestion is that you don’t have to tell all this to your family, assume how they would feel after knowing about it.” Rishi tried to justify his opinion.
“I am not feeling good to keep such horrible incident secret. Devika won’t trust me if she gets to know about it in future by someone else’s mouth. And I don’t want to lose her trust my friend.” I had my own reason.
“It’s up to you. However, what will you say? You gave a honeymoon package to one of your colleagues? Or you would tell her that you are innocent enough to be fooled, and people think you are a j*rk? Or you want to tell her that she is insecure with you as you may donate your body organs if you see anyone demanding for them? Come on my dear friend. The time has changed; changed itself and the thought process of people has also been changed with that change. It’s not 2000 BC, it’s 2000 AD; wake up and be practical; be practical enough so that you can survive in this selfish world. See, I am not asking you to be selfish, but don’t give any more opportunities to anyone to fool you.” He was right too.
“Then what should I do? I had this inborn helping attitude, which helps me to feel good that I am human being, slightly different than others. I have principles and moral values in my life; due to these values I feel proud, this attitude is the reason of my happiness. And you are asking me not to help people who come to me and ask for their mother’s treatment?” I wanted solution.
“Are you feeling good after helping her with the honeymoon package to Goa? Are you happy that you compromised with bread and butter of your family? It was bloody a month salary that you donated! Trust me friend, you do not understand what I am trying to tell you. So do whatever gives you pleasure and spiritual satisfacti
on.” He went out leaving me still confused.
“Hello, you got any news of Riya?” I called her sister who had made me to take my tongue between the teeth that morning.
“It’s none of your business. It’s our family matter. So better you stay away of it. And by the way, she was in the surprise trip to Goa with her friends.” She had crossed the Everest of rudeness and reached in China.
“I heard that she is in Goa with her boyfriend. When she was out, it was hell my business to give you information about her, you blamed me and said she is murdered! Now, when you faced the reality that she flew with his boyfriend, why the hell this is none of my business? She had to say that her mother was in the hospital and needed money, I gave her a month salary, I don’t have money to feed my kids and you say this is none of my business?” I said.
“Go to hell.” She disconnected the phone.
I went for tea, thinking how bad people are. In fact; I was comparing Rishi’s being practical opinion with my being helpful; giving importance to decisions taken by heart and by mind. I was completely lost in that debate which was aching my head.
“Hey Ram!” I got a call from the same number who had claimed himself as SHO of Sector-10, Gurgaon.
“Yes, SHO uncle.” I thought he is SHO, so addressed him with his position in the police station.
“I am from Riya’s home; you said she took a month of your salary? Take it back, I am sending my son there and he will give you that.” He said and made me understand that he must be her father.
After couple of hours, when I left for home, I had been invited to collect the cash at near Sahara Mall, Gurgaon.
I had no choices, I took half of the amount in my hands and half of it was smuggled by that guy, who asked me to call him later for that. So, finally I had got the prize, the surprise, and an opportunity to learn lesson in life. I could not say ‘no’ to her father, though I had sympathies for him. After all, I am a human being and I knew what he was facing at that moment.
Riya’s number was changed, later I got to know that she had left the office, and with no surprise, she made me fool, left me with a lot of mental injuries, took the key of the trust room, left me alone to curse myself for that, and at times; feeling awesome for whatever I had done.
Not only from office, she had gone away from my mind, I thought I would never ask for rest of the money and never talk to her in the future. I was upset as I had to hide something from my life partner, and also because of her, I would think twice before helping a needy one.
***
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The Countdown
January 2013, D*kash Office, Gurgaon.
“I don’t want to be here anymore. It’s not making any sense.” I told Rishi.
“What happened? Did someone say something?”
“I applied for leave and they say they can’t approve leave. When I asked for the reason, they don’t have any reason.”
“Then why don’t you tell the senior manager about it. He might help you.” Rishi suggested me to escalate the case.
“But, I feel it is like spoiling own image by escalating the case. Last month only, he approved leave for 4 people for more than a month and now when they are back, he says he can’t.” I said.
“It’s because they are his favourites. Don’t you see them going out for dinner, weekend parties and movie together? They even go for smoke with him. They are best friends. You are nowhere for the manager. Sycophancy works best there.”
“But what is the solution for that?” I asked.
“Escalate it.” His answer was short, but I thought it would work.
“What if they ask me to leave?” I showed him fear of losing the job.
“Why don’t you use your rights? Go to HR and escalate it. Even if they ask you to leave the organisation, they are not putting you in prison. You have a lot of options in the market, and you don’t like this job too. So, go and see some jobs with your interest. Never let this time go by working in a call centre, because you will realise it later.” He said.
“Are you also looking for a change?” I asked.
“No, I have my own business; I have rented out a 30-room building. I do this job as time pass.” He said.
I have sent an email to HR putting my AM in loop, after some time HR person replied and asked me to contact Operations department only; which meant I had no option to use my rights as leave without an agreement of my manager.
After some time, one more email was dropped in my inbox where my AM had sent it out to HR manager; containing my performance report, which included the number of calls so far, duration spent in the office.
“They are playing email-email with me.” I showed both emails to him.
“What are they trying to prove?” Rishi said.
“They want us to work as per their will and wishes. We are not slaves, we are spending time here, it’s very important part of our life which we are giving to this organisation; company is earning 5 times more than it pays us and still they treat us like animals or slaves. It’s not done at all.
They were talking about the leave policy and leave when HR person and AM were smoking outside.” Rishi let me know.
“Ok. That’s the reason they are playing email game with me. Anyways, let me escalate this case to Sr. Manager who is very nice person.” I decided to escalate it further as we had been told to escalate any concern to higher authority as per hierarchy.
“Hi Ratan,
I am experiencing humiliation here as I don’t get any support from the immediate supervisor and today when I requested for leave, he denied without any reason. I am forwarding the email conversation for your reference. I give my 100% to the organisation, never think that I am working for anyone else, it’s like my own work and I do it with passion, dedication and am always ready to support the process, but today when I need leave to take care of my family who is suffering from cancer, the AM says that due to process requirement he can’t give me leave. He gave an example of Gandhi and said he was doing his job, when his wife was dead; I am sorry but I can’t repeat the history. All I can do is write to you with hope of Justice and let you know what is going on.
I hope you will help me to combat this situation.
Yours sincerely,
Ram.”
I realised they were quick enough to reply to the emails even though they had to think many times to support an employee by sanctioning the leave which was available in their leave account.
“Hi Ram,
Meet me at meeting room, 12th floor now.
Ratan Dutt.”
I put myself as NOT READY mode and went out for meeting room with the hope of justice and an expectation of approval of leave.
“Yes, Ram. What happened?” I was wrong to expect justice from him as his tone denied to understand the real time situation.
“My wife is not well sir. I need leave to show her to doctor.” I told him about Devika’s situation.
“Who else is there in your family?” He asked why I didn’t ask my family members to come there to show her to the doctor.
“Forget about leave we can’t even swap the weekly off. And why should you ask for the reason for denial of leave. It’s up to the management if we give approval or not. And what made you to send the email to HR?” He treated me as if I had committed a serious crime. My crime was to take some time from the office to take care of Devika.
“Sir, what is the reason behind blaming me for applying leave. Nobody is ready to understand my problem.” I looked towards outside towards the city sinking into the darkness.
“Look at me Mr., We are not here to understand everybody’s family problem. We are forced to complete the assigned targets and we are answerable to higher management too. I can’t give my boss this ‘understanding’ reason in the review. So, do whatever you want to do.” He was aggressive.
“You know, when you were selected; 9 candidates were rejected who had applied for the same position. So, don’t show us that attitude to scare us.” He showed me my eminence to the organisation.
Now, there was no reason for talking to anyone else, since I had approached my Asst. Manager, his manager and HR Manager for a short duration of leave of not more than a week as we had been referred to The Leelawati, Mumbai for further investigation.
Once I went out of the room, he opened his laptop and as soon as I reached to the workstation and started taking back to back calls for collection, he sent out an email.
“Dear Ram,
As per our conversation in the meeting, you have some family issues and you are looking for leave for a week, which as updated you earlier is not possible. But I have a feedback for you. You are one of the better performers and we want you to continue here, so that we can give you your desired platform to enhance your skills and work for mutual growth. Rest is up to you.
Feel free for any further communications.
Ratan Dutt.”
“Thank you very much for your immense support my brother. It was all fake to come and meet every morning, it was all drama to appreciate for being better performer, it was all spoiled with that meeting including the respect which I had for you, it was all illusion to give some space in heart. Good bye my brother-like Sr. Manager.” I didn’t reply that way; instead I saved it as draft after writing it. Because in that meeting, he had asked me to be professional, not personal. But I chose to become personal, as I would not have been able to take care of my beloved Devika with that professionalism, so, I applied for resignation.
Surprisingly, a fellow from Quality team tried to retain me, they were concerned about their retention percentage that month, and they were concerned about their money, their happiness. But, I had decided to quit as I had to save the life of Devika; and had no more interest to work among such great managers, and organisation.
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