AS IT IS NOW!

Friday morning. 11:30 am.

Sitting in front of the computer, staring at the nothingness that the internet promises, I decide to write.

Decision taken, I look around, what do I write about? About the posts that I just read in Noyon’s blog? Or about Preetesh’s rock-star T-Shirt? Or about the two empty chairs on my left hand-side… the occupants must have reached Bangalore by now (I can even see Kripa on-line and her status message says ‘Is home!’)? Or about the two girls who landed up at my place this morning, throwing my entire schedule off-track? Or about the phone call that I just got from Victor?

I still am looking around. I turn to the right and see the accounts guys concentrating on two tally sheets. Strange! I have been in this office for 7 months now, but I don’t yet know their names!!! Probably I didn’t need to talk to them ever… but strange that sitting at such close proximity, I never even picked up their names.

I can’t write about them. I don’t know them.

I see Ajay walking across the office with some photo glossy papers in hand, all the time glancing at my comp. I presume that he needs to test-print some of the Bal-Bhagwan posters, so he needs to talk to me. I know how difficult he makes it for himself… when he has to pick up conversations, and ask people to do some work for him. But today I decide not to help, and hence I type away furiously, pretending to be busy, while I’m actually trying to make Ajay feel uncomfortable.

He just hesitates for a second more and he walks in to his cabin… I can hear his phone ring.

I can’t see anyone anymore… the office seems to be relatively empty. Hence I concentrate on the sounds.

I can hear Anup speak. He is one of the few true-blue gentlemen I know… and I specially like him when I hear him use his high-pitched voice to lash someone. I think he’s got a moronic team. And being Anup, I believe it’s a hard task to be the CFO of a company.

I can also hear Anuradha, speaking to someone over the phone. And I wonder how much of her life has been wasted in making conversations over the telephone. Out of need or out of liking, I can’t safely bet, but she seems to have made the phone her best friend. But for a cellular person like her, she aught to have a better handset at least! The one she uses is tacky, to say the least.

Well, the conversation is over. There’s just silence.

Not for long though. Preetesh just walked up to me and asked for the passwords for Kiran’s and Kripa’s computers. I, just to make myself get up from the slouching position that I was in, walked up to their desks and switched them on for him. I think he didn’t quite like the gesture; probably he thought that I didn’t trust him with the passwords. Silly boy!

Now Preetesh has settled at Kripa’s computer. As far as I can see from the corner of my left-eye, he has opened a few Maruti Mera Dosst posters with photoshop. I believe he is resizing them. But that precisely is strange. Why would he need to use Kripa’s computer, when all the files are in the Graphics computers. Hmmm… I’ll ask Preetesh later.

Interruption!

It was Amber. The new Creative Director on Jhansi Ki Rani. He wanted Deepak’s and Rohit’s numbers, and also wanted to know about how many in-house writers we have. “None”, I said and Amber freaked out - “God! Now I have to get in writers too!” “Precisely”, said I, and turned towards my computer, giving him the signal that I was busy and he has interrupted. He muttered something under his breath and walked away. I can’t write anything about this person, I don’t know him, beyond the fact that he’s got a very deep voice.

Here comes my roasted papads! Sanjay left 5 of them on a plate. Sanjay… he has been working in the canteen for the last 5 months. Strange that I never saw him smile. Stranger still is the fact that being a Bengali, he doesn’t talk to me in his mother tongue. He prefers Hindi.

Interruption again!

It was Ajay. He wanted me to ‘help’ him with the Smoke for the Maruit Mera Dosst promos which need to go on air from this Sunday. Strange that he used the term ‘help’. It IS my job to get the promos done. But he asked me to help! No wonder he’s got ten million responsibilities on his head. He doesn’t know how to delegate jobs.

I hate Preetesh! He just snatched my plate of papad and ran away!!!

Interruption again!

Rohit called to ask about the 2D sketches that Deepak was supposed to send. They are not yet in my inbox. So I’ll have to call Deepak. He is too sincere for his own good. Such amount of dedication just increases the average turn-around time. But, anyway, I’ll call him… he possibly can’t miss the deadline.

Well, suddenly I can hear a lot of voices in the office. And a lot many phones ringing. I believe the day has started… I got to get back to work