Sinner's Game: Karma will chase!

by Sandeep Sharma

  ‘I am quite convinced. I feel that you will understand the pain that I went through only be meeting more people like me.’

  ‘Alka I get it. I am sorry for everything.’

  Vyom decided to meet an astrologer. He was too shaken up and wanted to live.

  The astrologer looked at his hand and said, ‘You have money but no peace. Tell me what is bothering you.’

  Vyom then narrated his last night’s experience to the astrologer.

  ‘Vyom, Yamraj has his own ways to warn people but if you think you have seen him even in your dream, there is something to worry about. People are afraid of different things in life.

  However in general, fear of death is common to all.’

  ‘So what should I do?’

  ‘I think you need to work on your good karma and start praying more often.’

  The Message

  Few weeks before the party, Akshay, Founder of Hailthy, was tossing and turning on his bed for quite some time but the sleep was far away from him. Some light was entering into the room from the balcony through the thick curtains but that didn’t bother him. It was about 1:00 am and typically by this time he would be fast asleep.

  He remembered those days as a kid when he used to sleep easily by looking at the ceiling fan. There was no fan in his room now. He looked at the AC remote and the temperature was set to the right level. He wanted to open his meditation app but then did not want to get distracted by the other apps. He decided not to pick his phone. However, even from a distance, he saw multiple notifications blinking on his phone’s screen. He put his phone in silent mode and thought about whether installing WhatsApp had been a good decision.

  Akshay was excited about his upcoming office party. The party had become almost like a ritual, after any new funding round for his company, Hailthy. While most employees looked forward to such parties for fun, booze and dance, for Akshay it was a celebration of the company’s new milestone. His thoughts went back to his first office party after ‘Series A’ funding of Hailthy - a big moment for him and all his employees. Hailthy had twenty employees at that point of time. Now Hailthy had more than 1000 employees and was growing. From the first round of funding, it had taken Hailthy just four years to reach this new milestone.

  Akshay still could not get any sleep, he took a trip to the washroom. He could not resist the temptation and glanced at his phone one more time. A new WhatsApp notification got his attention. The message was from a completely new WhatsApp group named ‘The Final Destination’ that he had been added to. He thought that one of his friends may have created this group and maybe it was about a vacation. However, the word ‘Final’ seemed out of line to him. Just out of curiosity, he opened the message: ‘All sinners will have the same fate!’

  Tired and wanting to sleep, he decided not to respond to the message. He thought it was a poor joke. He put his phone back on the table finally managed to sleep.

  The next morning, Akshay got up a little late and was feeling rather lethargic. He vividly remembered the WhatsApp message that came last night but did not look at the phone. He was strict about not checking his phone just after getting up. Despite his curiosity about the message, he did not break this ritual.

  His wife Garima came in to the bedroom. ‘Good morning! Tea is ready; let us go to the balcony. The weather is beautifully calming today.’

  Akshay smiled and tried to look outside.

  ‘Akshay your eyes are swollen? Did you sleep late last night?’

  Akshay yawned and said, ‘Yeah for some reasons I couldn’t sleep last night. I wanted to watch TV but it would have disturbed you. Let’s go.’

  Akshay got out of the bed and walked slowly to the balcony and sat on a chair for his morning cup of tea. A cool breeze was blowing and it was refreshing. His apartment was on the 30th floor and faced a huge Golf course. The view was simply breathtaking.

  He reached out for the morning newspaper. It was their morning ritual – sipping a cup of tea while enjoying the view and catching up on the news of the day. But today his mind was somewhere else.

  Garima asked, ‘something is definitely bothering you. You don’t seem to be paying attention to the newspaper. You’re flipping pages.’

  ‘Maybe somewhat. Sometimes WhatsApp can be really distracting.’

  Garima teased him, ‘So who is chasing you so late these days?’

  ‘There are so many groups that it is hard to keep track. Have you finished your yoga session? I hope not!’

  ‘I was feeling little lazy. We can do it together. Are you free?’

  ‘I don’t have any early morning meeting today. I can read the newspapers in the car.’

  After morning yoga, Garima went into the kitchen to give the cook the instructions for the day while Akshay headed straight to the bathroom. He shaved and examined his face in the mirror closely and then headed for a cold shower bath. After the shower, Akshay combed his hair and again admired his clean shaved face and gelled hair. He dressed further in his closet, sprayed his favorite perfume and was fully ready in formals within minutes.

  Since her childhood, Garima had been very regular with her daily prayer routine, something she learnt from her mother. While Akshay was not so regular with his prayers but he never interfered with Garima’s Morning Prayer routine. After the prayers Garima joined Akshay at the table for breakfast. He asked, ‘Which juice do you want?’

  Garima did not respond to his query as she was preoccupied with her schedule of the day and picked up her glass almost in an auto pilot mode.

  Akshay said, ‘Well, who is pre-occupied now! Is it a busy day today?’

  ‘Not very; just few important meetings. Oh yes, there is a call with the client team today; I will be late. Most probably my dinner will be at the office only don’t bother to wait for me. If possible, do pick my call.’

  ‘Garima, dear, I pick your calls always... unless I am in a meeting.’

  ‘Hmm, I disagree… but only the mobile service provider can prove this point. In any case this is not a topic to begin our day.’

  ‘I agree, do call me.’

  On his way to the office, Akshay picked his phone and started checking his messages. He remembered the message that he received the previous night and clicked on the ‘The Final Destination’ group.

  There was a new message visible now: “Your karma will always chase you.” He was both curious and irritated with this intrusion and had almost decided to block the sender. He clicked on the group but the ‘Block’ button was disabled. ‘Another bug!’ he thought in frustration.

  His attention shifted to other messages and one of them was from Chan, a board member of Hailthy. It was a query related to the latest business plan that he had sent the previous night. He thought to himself, ‘Chan’s ability to stay awake is really remarkable. Last night he was asking me the plan and now he is already asking questions. Can’t he wait until our board meeting? I wonder when this guy sleeps.’

  Akshay’s office was just 15 minutes away from his home. While it was only a kilometer away, Gurgaon’s morning traffic specifically on the Golf Course road was crazy and it ensured that it took longer to get there. The Rapid Metro did reduce some traffic on the road but the rush hours were still bad. He could easily have walked to his office but never dared to due to the lack of pedestrian lanes and the menace street dogs.

  The receptionist greeted him when he reached the office. He responded pleasantly while swiping his card to open the front door. He entered his office thinking about Chan’s query. After customary exchange of few polite greetings with the team, he reached his office cabin. The office had a modern look but Akshay had taken special interest in the layout. He believed in Vastu. Just like his home, an end-to-end carpet covered his cabin floor.

  Akshay took out his laptop from the bag and connected it to a big screen. He saw a note on the table; it was from his Executive Assistant, Monika. It read, ‘Good morning! Reminder about the party venue!’ Despite the age of WhatsApp, Monika’s
still relied on sticky notes.

  A knock at his cabin’s door disrupted his thought process. It was Tanuja. She had been with him for more than two years now and was a part of the management committee.

  ‘Good morning Akshay!

  Akshay smiled and said, ‘Good morning Tanuja! Come in.

  ‘Akshay I hope I am not interrupting you!’

  ‘Not at all Tanuja! I was thinking about the venue for our upcoming office party.’

  ‘Another office party, Akshay! Well our recent fund raise from New York based investors is worth celebrating. Have you informed the PR firm?’

  ‘Yes Tanuja! It is a great milestone for the company. I am planning to announce this round of funding at the party. We can also announce our international expansion and your new role!’

  ‘Sounds good! Where is the venue this time? You know that I don’t like five star hotels.’

  ‘Yes don’t worry. Gurgaon has enough options. I have left this task to Veer and Neeraj; they are professionals in this area. They should be coming anytime soon. Do you have anything in mind?’

  ‘Well I have a lot in mind Akshay. To start with, will I get your attention in this party or not?’

  Akshay knew that she was teasing him so he did not react immediately. Akshay and Tanuja had always maintained a strict discipline at office parties. While he mingled and interacted with most female employees and guests at the party, his interaction with Tanuja had always been limited. A lot had changed between them after the recent visit to New York. She wanted his attention and more so now.

  Akshay said, after a while. ‘Yes of course the party should be fun for all! I need to boost the morale of all employees, including yours.’

  Tanuja looked at him sarcastically but didn’t utter a word.

  ‘Tell me what you want from me as I need to review party arrangements.’

  ‘Relax Akshay. Nothing important. Don’t stay aloof during this party.’

  Akshay was confused but opted not to react at this point of time. For him office was a risky place for any discussion on this matter and he wanted to deal with it later - may be during the party.

  He looked at Tanuja quickly and looked at her once again. She was looking very attractive in her dress. The black dress was accentuating her curvy figure, without too much exposure. Akshay wanted to say something but instead said, ‘You are sounding different these days. Let me focus on our corporate presentation right now.’ Tanuja rolled her eyes and left the room.

  Akshay continued to check his important mails. He again started thinking about his journey as an entrepreneur. It had taken exactly three years and few rounds of funding for Hailthy to reach this milestone. The recent round of funding was different as it came from a renowned strategic global fund which would take his company on to a different trajectory. Tanuja had advised him the other day over dinner that he should discuss the future plans of Hailthy with all employees. Akshay liked this suggestion. Since Tanuja was good with people, he had full faith that Tanuja’s suggestion would workout.

  Akshay had already captured the essence of his communication in his presentation but every slide on his presentation had to be excellent and concrete. He wanted the employees to participate equally and make this session interactive and lively.

  Akshay had mostly employed the smartest people from universities across India and many of his employees came from small towns. These employees were familiar with alcohol but they had never seen parties of this scale. A lot of them were too awkward around girls, Akshay once heard one of his employee’s walk up to a girl and say ‘You are as fair as the cow in my old village’, Akshay almost spat out his drink in laughter. He was never the king of flirting but did have the decency not to compare a girl to a cow.

  Hailthy was good in selecting party locations and with every year the locations got better. Every new nightclub or pub that was popular in the city would invariably approach Hailthy for offering a good package to host its parties. Many South Delhi socialites who would often feature in Delhi Times were always present in these parties to make them glamorous and they would also bring along some A-list celebrities at times. No wonder that all leading newspapers eagerly covered this event, he thought. Hailthy at its peak was now advertising heavily on television and leading Bollywood stars were vying for brand’s attention.

  Akshay believed that parties were for fun and not meant to cross limits of any kind. The younger male employees had a completely contrasting view on this. They always were testing limits in one form or another. Akshay never worried about them but drunken girls were always a cause of worry, mainly because of safety concerns. He took the right precautions usually in ensuring their safety by allocating few employees dedicated for this. Tanuja always stayed calm and composed. Party after party almost everyone tried hard to make her drink but she never agreed. She never drank even though she danced and flirted the most. Akshay had also tried to make her a drink once before however she never gave in even to his request. With multiple Mumbai visits with Tanuja, drinking with her was no longer an issue.

  Neeraj, a known Casanova, who was in marketing knocked on Akshay’s cabin door some time then. He wanted clarity on logistics and finalize allocation for drop offs. A teetotaler, Neeraj was always in charge of ensuring post party logistics specifically of girls. He was also famous for his dance moves and eyed a new girl at every party and was mostly successful. Since he had managed all parties in the past without any major incident, Akshay always relied on him to support in party related logistics.

  Neeraj said ‘Sir I have planned drop off routes of all taxis; you needn’t not worry about anything!”

  Akshay smiled and replied ‘Just have fun and don’t cause too much trouble yourself. I am aware of your fondness for the new employee Trisha.’

  Neeraj had nothing in his defense and smiled back. Akshay looked at notifications on his phone and decided to reply. One message was from Garima who had asked him to call back and another one was from newly added group ‘The Final Destination’. He was irritated and decided not to open it.

  The Sinners

  It was two years back when Himanshu joined Hailthy with some help from Priya. Himanshu was married to Aditi and had a three-year-old son. Himanshu belonged to a business family of Muzaffarnagar who had come to Delhi for his graduation. His father, Ramesh, wanted him to join the family business but Himanshu had other dreams. Himanshu had heard a lot about Delhi from his school seniors and had no interest to pursue his graduation in Muzaffarnagar.

  While he did not have good enough marks to get admission in the top colleges of Delhi University, he managed to get admission for his BBA. Himanshu told his father that he would pursue MBA after completing his BBA and then join the family business. Convinced, his father allowed him to study in Delhi.

  Delhi’s glamour and attractions were a big temptation for him. He made good friends in his hostel and some of his friends were from the city. Since Himanshu always had money to spend on booze and food, adding more friends was never a problem for him. His problem was his unpolished communication skills which became the biggest hurdle for him. He tried to solve this problem by throwing lavish parties where more than anything else, the venue and variety of booze mattered more. He got lucky with few flings but nothing lasted more than few days. Delhi girls, who overwhelmed him with their beauty, were too smart for him. Soon he became frustrated and started asking for more money from his father. Something that his father didn’t approve of.

  While he was in his second year of BBA, he got a call from his father asking him to come back for an important meeting back in Muzaffarnagar. Without asking for too many details, he visited his hometown. His father greeted him with a big hug and said, ‘Beta you look good and handsome now. It seems Delhi has taught you a good fashion sense. Take care of your waist size. Anyways let’s discuss tomorrow.’

  ‘But papa you never call me like this. What is this meeting about? Whom are we meeting?’

  ‘Look you have become quite busy
in Delhi and we never tried to bother you. Shiv uncle wants to meet you tomorrow and he is coming over for dinner. Aditi is also here these days and she will be completing her graduation next year. You remember Aditi right?’

  Himanshu understood where the conversation was going but did not intervene at this point of time. Himanshu vaguely remembered Aditi and he never had any interest in her. In any case, Delhi’s life had changed his expectations. A girl from Muzaffarnagar could never meet them.

  The next day, Shiv Uncle came to meet him. Over drinks, the conversation soon shifted to Himanshu’s marriage plans. Shiv asked him directly, ‘Beta it must be tough to live alone in Delhi without family support. What are your plans?’

  ‘Uncle, I will pass out next year and then will look out for a job. After few years of job, I plan to pursue MBA and then join our family business. I am confident that we can take our products to the Delhi market and expand.’

  ‘Himanshu, you are like a son to me. I think you can do your MBA anytime you feel like but you must learn your father’s business first. Do not mind my suggestion but you need to settle down in a timely manner. This is your age to enjoy family life.’

  ‘Sure, uncle, I will think about it. I need to refill my glass. Please excuse me.’

  Himanshu took a break and went outside to smoke. He understood the drift of the conversation but was not in a mood to discuss further.’

  After Himanshu left, Ramesh picked up the conversation with Shiv and said, ‘Look I will talk to him tomorrow but what are you thinking? You can tell me.’

  ‘Well Aditi is also here and both of them should meet. I was in Delhi recently and I have bought a nice flat in near South Extension. I am sure both of them will like it.’

  ‘Yaar Shiv, you have always been like a family member for us. Aditi has grown up in front of our eyes and she is a wonderful girl. I have no objection to this wedding. With Aditi as his life partner, Himanshu will also have some stability in his life. Otherwise, you know, kids of this generation. I will talk to Himanshu tomorrow and get back to you. I think he has gone out intentionally to avoid this discussion.’