Survival

Money:

My colleagues jump from one company to another, doubling their pay cheques in the process. They persuade me to do the same. It’s no longer cool to work in the same place for more than 3 years.

Then there are people who take a peak at the share market graphs in between their heavy work schedules. There are people who animatedly discuss the prospects of investing in real estates.

It causes me to panic. It’s time for me to find the means to sow a little and reap rich rewards. But surprisingly money is no longer a motivation. Why should I put my time and energy into something that I find no purpose in?

Career:

One hard lesson I have been learning for the past one year- It’s not necessary that career can only grow through honesty and hard work. If you have the capability to push the right button at the right time, you are a winner.

I heard about a simple and petite girl who got transferred to the dream location of every Indian- USA. It was supposed to be a short term transfer that happens cyclically for everyone in her team. Team mates waited eagerly for their turn. All they got was a photograph with the simple girl in simple, tight, low neck T-shirt. She was made a permanent fixture.

Then there are people who work real hard for their career advancement. They dress well, speak corporate language, wear good perfumes, go out for breaks with the right people. They keep themselves updated and learn new things every day.

As for me I find all these exercises a big hypocrisy. Ultimately a screw driver ends up as your manager and you get screwed all day (and night) along. The only thing you can do is to bend yourself a bit to make the screw-process easier.

So I utilize my office hours for recreational activities. I do not button my cuffs, never perfumes, never bother to comb and doesn’t bother to befriend the almighty ones. To make it worse, I never study too. I will have to live with fact of seeing my old friends climb the corporate ladder higher and higher.

A few interesting scenarios in career building:

A few weeks back my sugar-manager lured me to do a task, which was supposed to bring us lots of accolades. I warned him of the consequences of doing it without any proper study. Needless to say all the task brought me was brickbats. Accolades has to be shared, brickbats are to be accepted without any grumble.

There are a few friends of mine working for a prestigious US Compan. The poor outsourced Indians are lured to work on Saturday, Sunday, Easter, Christmas, etc. in return of compensatory leaves. But the only sad thing is they never get to enjoy these compensatory leave. It expires by itself.

But there are guys who outsmart the clever foxes. My friend was asked to come on weekends in return of compensatory leaves. He did come on weekends and took leave for the next Monday and Tuesday without prior warning. On Tuesday, he calls up his manager and laments about his weak health and requests him to reduce the leaves from his compensatory leaves. Howzzat!

Vehicle:

Almost all my old friends own a vehicle of their own. These are not the cheap, second hand ones but the luxury variants of the latest releases on the road. The banks happily help them in their cause. They proudly drive around dropping good looking ladies to their offices, home, tea, lunch, cinemas, beaches, etc. Then there are school kids in swanky bikes with school girls clinging on to their backs.

My lil’ brother has startled me with revelation that he has learned to drive.

I have decided to do my own contribution to the planet earth and the traffic snarls. I have decided to stick on with the public transport buses, bicycle and my legs.

Love:

Every day I see every other guy going out with someone, dating a girl, falling in love, breaking up and ultimately marrying.

As for me, on the fear of re-buff I silently fall in love with everyone I meet.

’By detachment you enjoy everything without possessing anything in particular’- City of Joy.

Friends, after enduring my ramblings do you feel I am fit for survival?