Time: 2:00 AM
Place: Guindy, Kathipara Bridge
Pale and pleasant moonlight, kind touch of a gentle breeze, quite and peaceful night made me to write a song, the thing which I haven't done in a very long time.
This is one of the advantages of working in an evening shift. Others include a free meal and a free ride back home. I always wanted to work in an evening shift which is not a common thing among the corporate companies. There are only two kinds of shift. Morning shift and night shift. Former is your regular company timing and the later is about working all night and reaching home by six in the morning. But the timing of an evening shift is weird. It's starts at 4:30 PM and ends at 1:30 AM, midnight (for most of us). I feel that this is an interesting timing as I get to watch the peaceful sound sleep of a magnificent city.
At the very first day, I was so excited for the experience I was about to have. Busy office hours started at 5PM and time raced in its course. In no time a short break, a small meeting and a delicious dinner passed away. We got out for our 11:30PM break which I totally enjoyed. I came out of the glass doors and air conditioned space to drink some coffee and I watched the day, slowly coming to an end. A hot coffee in a cold night tasted too good. The ten minutes break ended and again I got back to my work. The moment when the clock struck 1:30, I shut down my computer, got my cab's number and went down to the car park along with all the other staffs. The parking lot was super-busy. People ran back and forth to find their respective cabs. The word people was so generous to include me to its list. Finally I found the cab and I was so happy to find my old friend, 'The window seat.'
The cab started to depart from the parking lot after six of my cab mates got into it. Everyone had their headsets plugged into their ears. By the time when the cab hit the road I gazed out of the window to find some beautiful sight. A 'two minute rain' had already soaked the road. The wet and empty road, chill and howling wind, closed stores and restaurants added their beauty to that silent night. I found it surprising to spot the moon in a rainy night. The cab dropped three of my cab mates and raced into the night. That's when the most exciting thing happened!
Time: 2:00 AM
Place: Guindy, Kathipara Bridge
We were travelling on the top of the Kathipara, a fascinating high bridge in Chennai. The car stopped moving suddenly. Driver turned back and said "Flat tire!!!"
That was the most happening night of my life. I came out of the car which was parked in the left corner of the bridge. I never imagined that I would stand on the top of an empty bridge in the middle of a night. I watched the entire city, sleeping like a tired baby after some long hours of playing. I can't stand at the same place in daylight, where I stood that night. The place would be filled with smoking bikes, noisy auto rickshaws, racing city buses carrying people who would do anything to reach their respective offices in time.
KATHIPARA BRIDGE - DAYLIGHT VIEW
But now, it's just an empty bridge with a lonely man standing on it's top. Of course, the driver! But he's replacing the tire. The night had everything. I enjoyed each and everything I saw, but somehow it made me feel lonely. A melancholic mood, I guess!
I thought about someone who left me for no reason, I thought about my only best friend who passed away years back. I don't know why? It may be because of the pale and pleasant moonlight, kind touch of a gentle breeze, quite and peaceful night. But something made me to write a song, the thing which I haven't done in a very long time.
Driver replaced the tire, the car moved from that place, but my song stayed there.
I wrote the song and threw it out of the window. The gentle breeze, I told, took it away ...
Okay ... So, Why exactly did I write those words ???
I sincerely apologize for those who got pissed off by seeing the sentence "TO BE CONTINUED." It's because, I dozed off while writing the last paragraph. But I had a target of finishing at least one post for the day. I've been told that the best possible way of ending something abruptly is to add that magical sentence, "TO BE CONTINUED."
Coming to the point, where I left, I was shocked to hear that! 'Twenty minutes walk from Taramani Railway Station.' I replied to that staff with the same phrase "I'll get back to you soon." I spent rest of that afternoon thinking about that station (Why??!!). Later that evening my friend Pavan Kumar called me. That conversation took an entirely different direction.
Pavan "What are you doing? It's so ****ing boring"
Me "I got an offer for an interview. I'm in a dilemma!"
I shared my past experience about that place with him.
He said "I have a bike and I need a job"
After an hour or so, myself, Pavan and his bike reached the gates of a eleven-storey building. I didn't believe my eyes. The building was magnificent! I totally didn't expect that. We went in and met with Human Resource Manager. I asked about the job, instead she said something about a written test. I was a bit nervous. We were seated in an air conditioned hall and the test began!
That computer based test consisted of hundred multiple choice questions covering all the aspects of English language. We finished the test within an hour and finally found that the internet was connected. We could have googled those answers !!!
Within a day's time both of us were called for an HR interview. The same bike travel again, same building and same time as the previous day. It was a personal and professional interview. HR manager asked about my future plans, my past experience etc. She checked my memory. She made me read a huge passage from the newspaper 'Los Angeles Times.' She asked some questions based on that and finally she offered a gentle handshake and said 'Welcome Aboard.'
She then explained about the job (Confidential !!!)
It was better than I expected. The company had that so called 'Corporate Atmosphere.' The company has two branches. One, in Chennai and other one in US. There were lots of foreign faces including our Managing Director. The job is a 'nine hours-regular job.' It required lots of writing. I was okay with every terms and conditions. But, I had a question. I usually have this question when am new to some strange place or atmosphere. "Would I fit in here??"
As I already stated, I was nervous. But then, I was happy to know that Pavan got the job too. We treated ourselves in the nearest restaurant. Within the next day Pavan managed to piss of the HR Manager. He had an argument with her about quitting the job. He decided to reject the job offer. I was left alone !!!
On the date of joining, I had lots of questions and confusions. I reached the office on time (Bus travel). I was seated in the same room where I took the test. That floor had a centralized AC. The room was severely cold and I started shaking. Soon, few others joined me in that room. At first I was so hesitant, to even ask the time. Things started happening then. A corporate trainer joined us in that room. He seemed like a jolly guy. He started taking marketing class. It covered self marketing, personality development blah blah blah .... We underwent two continuous weeks of training and finally hit the production floor yesterday. So, what could have possibly happened in that two weeks ??? Well, according to me, lot of things happened!
To name a few, I earned few good friends, I slowly learnt the job, My English grammar was refreshed, I earned a friendly smile from a cute girl, I finally got over my fear of 'TARAMANI RAILWAY STATION.' (because I travel by train and I have to set foot on that haunted station on a regular basis!)
What more one could ask for ??!!
NOW, SOME OFFICE PICTURES ... EXCUSE ME, FOR THE POOR QUALITY. IT'S A 'VGA CAMERA.'
Finally everything is shaping up in a good and unexpected way! I assume that it is fair to say that my job hunt started and ended in Taramani Railway Station.
Now you know the story of 'How I got my job ???'
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