04 June 2010

The Chennai Story (Part 3)

PG search got over and a new search began. The search for good food. This search is still on. I'll let you know if I find good food. Delhi's Sagar Ratna has better sambhar than the best restro here.


Anyways, let's move on to the next part of the Chennai story. This part is called 'The Rat Race'.

I entered my office at 8 in the morning. There were very few people in the office. I went to the library and started reading Harvard Business Review magazine. I was enjoying it and didn't realize that it's already 10 a.m. I rushed to the office and it was full. People were working with full force. I tip-toed towards my project manager's cubicle and asked him, "Sir, can you please grant me a leave for 2 days on 17th and 18th June? I really wanna go home. I haven't been home since January." He said, "Alright, leave granted but let me tell you something. That guy working there... he hasn't been home since 1 year 10 months. That guy there.. he hasn't been home since 1 year 6 months.. It's just the beginning, so I am granting you leave." I felt relieved that he granted me leave and he is a nice straightforward fellow who can give me an idea about the future. As I walked to my cubicle, my head spun. Every person, every damn person working in my company had a ponch! Oh my God! They don't have time for family, they don't have time for exercise, they survive on junk food to work for hours. I just had a glimpse to the rat race.

In the evening, I shifted to my new PG. I was excited. Finally, my final room. I happily had it cleaned, unpacked my baggage and set up everything. Just as I was about to sleep, I saw a rat race, again. This time, literally a rat race. There were 2 rats in my room who were racing! I wanted to cheer them up if they were my friends but they suddenly disappeared. I had to sleep with lights on. I didn't want to be nibbled by rats while I am sleeping. In fact, I don't want to be nibbled by rats even while I am awake.

Guess what, we have a spectator here. While I am writing this, there is a huge lizard on the wall opposite to me. There is bio-diversity in my room. Wow! Isn't it amazing? I have tears of happiness in my eyes. All animals (including me) living under one roof; Rats, lizards, flies, mosquitoes, ants, sometimes dogs also enter this PG. And to add flavor, it is so hot here that I have to live like Mowgli in the room. Let's rename this part as... "The Jungle Book"