Part 4:FC-18 (Chapter 3)

I love my job as a software engineer, not because its easy to get if you completed your engineering in any discipline, in any number of attempts from any, just any, college or because the pay is better then the most available options; I like it because I can be happy, ecstatic, crazy, cranky, dreamy, reflective, enthusiastic, indifferent, sad, devastated, hurt, jerk, confused, in love or out of love… my mood, on a good day, it is exposed only to my computer.

“Abhay Manchanda” boss called me. Oh ok so today is not a good day!

He had loads of complains with my work. I am not really aware of the details as while he professed the code of conduct of the work place I was distracted on the motivation of him choosing to adorn a bight red full sleeved t-shirt on his dark, short body cursed with extra fat. I was both amused and absorbed by my thoughts, which I deemed to be more important then his.

I returned to the lonely confines of my cubicle which I shared with four more team members. I checked the mails hoping to find some interesting forward. Just then Aarti came in silently and sat at my desk, next to my monitor. “Hey you” I smiled unable to conceal my surprise. She smiled wearily as her eyes kept looking for the hurt, she knew, existed.

“Today forgot my wallet and now I am starving, so come buy me breakfast” she lied and jumped off the desk. She started walking, giving me no option but to follow to the FC.

It was obvious that she observed me too closely all these days and was aware of my feelings and heart break. She was worried about me. Now I knew why but couldn’t tell her how much better I was after she showed me the unabashed disloyalty of my heart. I so wanted to talk to take away the tension caused by the flurry of questions on her mind. After few failed awkward efforts from my part to start a conversation, she took up that task. We talked long, about everything except the gang and Anjali. She cracked up at my description of my bull-inviting boss … hehehe

Normalcy prevailed. I was really happy at returning the favor of helping me out by pacifying her doubts on my state of mind. Obviously on my return to my desk, my boss was exasperated. I was, for him, the little stubborn boy with wall around me, through which he could not reach and put anything in my head. And since the little boy was not so little … his frustration was justified just like my unreasoned but feel-good rebellion to his authority.

I decided not to push my luck today and settled to work.

The phone rang just then. “I need to talk. Come to FC” it was Anjali. She sounded weird. I darted back to the FC, almost running unmindful of my boss by now.

When I saw her, all my fears of facing her vanished. They were displaced by a deep sense of concern. She looked pale and in a lot of pain.

“How are you?” I asked. She broke into tears in response to my question, inconsolable tears. Shit. This was totally unexpected. I panicked. I had no clue what to say to do, what to say. I looked around; others at the food court were staring at us. “Anjali, control yourself” I pleaded in the lack of more sensitive words.

She tried her best. But the pain and frustration was too much. She did not want to marry. She simply hated the guy. “He is gross. He burps so loudly even at a crowded restaurant. He is manner less. He puts his feet up on the seat in front in a movie theatre. In all public places he shoves and pushes and preaches me to do the same. He bargains at all shops…” her complains were many; though not all seem serious but it was obvious that she had little respect or love for the man her family chose for her.

As I patiently heard her pain and agreed with her in the hope to pacify her, the voices in my heads soared to a new high, my feelings slipped into a new muddle of confusion and I dreaded to evaluate this new turn of events, in the light of my own emotions.