I woke up to the daily hum drum of the cleaning lady. It was one in a series of weekday mornings I couldn’t quite recollect. Which one was this? My life is a series of unavoidable chores to be done one followed by another. Thursday! Yes thats what it was. This dreary gray sky laden with white rainless clouds could be nothing else. Somewhere in the beginning of the current month I think. House Rent Check, Electricity Bill Check, Water bill check, pay the Maid Check, pay the Cook check. But there is something I am forgetting. Never mind I’ll figure it out eventually. Getting up and going through the motions was a rehearsed ballet I usually performed half asleep. Ever since I moved out of my parent’s house and moved into this unknown faceless town of strangers to ‘pursue my dream career’ I’d just gone from one day to another. The glorious virility of youth and the enthusiasm that follows now long swept under the rug, replaced with phony drunken weekends to forget the drudgery and frustration of the calamity that is my life.
All cleaned up and in my semi-formal working attire I head off to my daily commute on the company cab. Followed by a tea/coffee session at the workplace with co-workers who are cut outs from the same piece of paper. The day follows the well known sequence of meeting, delegate work, ‘research’, cut copy paste, email report, time-sheets. With no actual joy to be taken in the work this was yet another chore to finish. Back at home the cook has come in during the evening and made food that would never pass mother’s quality control but would hold the fort till tomorrow.
Thank god the cook made 5 chapattis I’ve got some work home the extra chapati will help if I need a midnight-snack. Watch some TV chat online, talk on the phone, have dinner now lets get to some serious work. 1…2 buckle my shoe 3…4 shut the door, snore, snore, snore. Damn it didn’t finish the report. Boss is gonna be mad. But then what can he expect for the meager salary they are paying me. I’m not their slave 24×7.
7:30 – at home – time to visit that ungrateful bastard. I have to get up at 5 am to catch the bus to get into the city his chauffeur driven taxi arrives at his door step at 8. And look, he’s thrown away food again. What have his parents taught him. Uncultured youth these days. They drink on the weekends and have hot-shot jobs but when it’s festival season they can’t even spare some good food for a poor soul like me. I wish to god that they would wake up to reality for they are blinded in thier wants and needs and self importance.
8:00 – in the car – What does he have that I don’t. I’m stuck driving him to and from office while he’s in there sipping coffee and surfing on the internet. He would have the same college degree as me if his father had not pulled the right strings and then he went in for some professional course paying an obscene sum of money. Got himself a diploma of sorts and now look at him. I’m sure he’s not worth a penny but looks like a million dollars from afar. I will not get anywhere with this dead end job. I have to do something to boost my income.
10:00 – at some office in the city – Such a bright young fellow. But seems to have gone all bad lately. No sense of time or integrity. Last time I called him he promised to come visit but did not. I think it was day before yesterday. It’s a shame I’ll need to call my friend(his father) and inform him that I have to take action. I remember him fresh out of college. So much promise. His thesis work was acknowledged by all in his field. He had a first class with distinction all through. No wonder the college gave him a scholarship. And today I have to foreclose his educational loan.
. We hit it off immediately.
