Scattered
script
There is this
tree which looks very similar to any other tree. Green and brown, it receives
the same energy from the sun, breathes the same air and drinks the same water. However,
it serves more as a decoration piece; it remains illuminated at night, every
leaf is neat and clean, branches have a disciplined movement. Birds do not nest
in it because of light at night, and also because the tree, despite the endless
flow resources, doesn’t reap, grow or decay any more. Every leaf seems lifeless;
as if escaped death. Its shadows look and function just the same, but the tree smells
different. Life under it grows and goes on.
January 20..
- -- But your salary is far too
high!
-
-- Then please reduce my salary.
Demote me to SSE. I have a family to fend, please do not throw me out Kamala.
-- (Smiling) Why do you always
think of the extreme? Who can throw you out just like that, without any reason?
Besides, you are a very experienced employee. So please don’t think like that.
How can we reduce your salary or demote you, it doesn’t happen like this in
MNCs. It is true that your salary is way too high compared to other
translators, but don’t worry, we will work it out.
-
--
Thank you so much. But if the
question is about losing job, you may consider changing your system, reduce my
salary or demote me. It’s far better than losing my job you see. At this age,
it will be difficult for me to get another job like this.
-
--
Your coffee is getting cold.
Relax (smiles). We’ll try to give you more responsibilities and see how we can
justify your salary. Please resolve your issues with Atif, he’s your
supervisor, just remember that.
May 20..
-- 'Atif, I have tried to explain
this to you many times before, in simple English...’ This is the most insulting
email I have ever received. You are sitting with HR now...can you explain?
-
-- But he has also written like
this to me before.
-
--What? Can you show?
-
--No. I don’t store mails. I have
no business creating issues.
-
--You have to give proof, and we
have proof here.
-
-- Who’s we?
-
--Meaning? Okay you can leave
now.
September 20..
-
--Yes Sundar, tell me.
-
--Why did you change my career
counsellor Kamala?
-
--Are you questioning me?
(Smiles)
-
--No...I am sorry, I know I
shouldn’t do that. But I am curious.
-
-- Relax Sundar, I was just
kidding (smiles). You can certainly ask. We changed because your earlier CC was
not very communicative. This will be for your good. Don’t worry.
-
--But he was the only one who
spoke on my behalf. Can you make Atif my CC?
-
--What? You don’t like him! And
you want him to be your CC?
-
--Who says I don’t like him? He
is such a dedicated supervisor and he’s doing so much good for the department,
and how’d I not like him. We’ve had issues, but we get along well most of the
time.
-
-- Good. Excellent Sundar! This is
what we expect from a very senior person like you. Please relax. There’s
nothing to worry. Atif is like Snape, you will see he’s not a bad person after
all in the end, ha ha ha!!
- -- This is one reason I love to
talk to you.
January 20..
-
-- I cannot handle this anymore,
why don’t you manage my attrition?
-
-- Why do you refuse work? You
have refused work to a very senior SE. Can you explain?
-
-- I did not refuse work. I told
Atif I would want a laptop during my visit to Pune. For client presentation,
you need a laptop, I did not want a laptop for good unlike most Team Leads, I
wanted it only for two days, I said I’d return it to him the moment the
presentation was over. I told the SE that my going depends on my supervisor,
that’s all.
-
-- ‘I cannot go to Pune because of
personal exigencies’, You have written this, I can read Sundar.
-
-- Bidhan, can I have someone who
can speak on my behalf too...HR and senior managers and all of you are on one
side.
-
-- Okay you can talk to your CC
and get back to us with a proper explanation.
-
CC? Who? Prabha? I don’t think
so, She and Kamala are best of friends.
-
-- What? Do you know what you are
talking about? You are bringing an allegation against our very senior leaders?
-
-- Tell me Bidhan, what happens if
I fail to give you a proper explanation?
-
-- We’ll see what we can do.
May 20..
-
-- Congratulations Sundar! You
have done a wonderful job. Your productivity and precision were both high. Clients
have praised you. We have a problem now, they only want Sundar, ha ha ha!! We
want you to take charge of all the projects on translation and localisation. Why
don’t you train others as well so they can also come up to your level?
September 20..
-
-- You have been appraised
by your clients many times, and we really appreciate your for streamlining many
of our projects. If it’s Sundar it’s going to be successful. Good going Sundar,
way to go. But the only thing is that your team members are not very happy with
you.
-
- - And what did you say to Atif
the other day? That you worked in his career level 10 years ago? Even if it’s
true, why do you hurt his ego like this all the time?
-
-- I am sorry, but does it warrant
termination?
-
-- No way...how? I am not saying
that.
-
-- But I have this feeling you are
going to throw me out.
-
-- Why don’t you look beyond then?
Anyway, I think we are deviating...
-
-- Yes, I tried to tell Atif he
needed to give importance to the points I highlighted to mitigate some risks in
one of the projects. But no, nothing justifies my saying that.
-
-- Sundar, it will be good if you
said sorry to him...no no you don’t have to send him a written apology, but say
sorry, if you can.
-
-- I will send him a written
apology, and I will also try to sort differences with my colleagues.
-
-- Great!
January 20..
-
-- Your chargeability is very low.
-
-- It’s because most of the time I
am idle, I have not been assigned any project since long. I have only been
doing odd jobs, I don’t get to use any charge code. Can you please put me on
bench?
-
-- What? Why? We cannot put people
like you on bench, you are not a technical person.
-
-- Then what should I do? Atif has
stopped giving me projects.
-
-- It’s because no one wants to
work with you. Your quality of work is also poor, can you explain.
-
-- You see the jobs I do now are
without any charge code, clients ask me to churn the documents through the tool
because they are in hurry.
-
-- And like this you have given
proof of your poor quality of work, do you understand?
-
- -- What does this mean? That this
is reason enough for me to be thrown out?
-
-- No Sundar...relax (smiles). You
are such a valued employee and we do not want to lose you. Just resolve your
issues with Atif and other team members and we’ll see what we can do. You may
be very talented, but if your behaviour hurts others, then you need to think
again.
-
-- I am not able to understand how
am I hurting so many people when I do not even talk to them. What about me
being hurt? I am without any project, I come and go, my chargeability is poor,
and you are saying others are hurt. I am sorry but I really don’t understand
who the victim is.
-
-- (Smiles) Sundar! Just relax!
We’ll work it out, don’t worry, you have not done anything that calls for a
termination of your service. All I am requesting is to talk to your colleagues,
try to be familiar with them and see that they are comfortable working with
you.
May 20..
-
-- You need to be conscious while
sending personal texts to your female colleagues..
-
-- But that was just a simple
text. You know I have my own blog. I asked her to read what I wrote. Besides, I
did not text it to her alone. I sent it to Ahalya, Susmitha, Anirban, Animesh,
Arjun and Anirudhha.
-
-- Can you prove it?
-
-- Yes I can.
-- But you have sent the text at
11.30 pm? Why!
-
-- I am sorry for that.
-
-- Sorry! Her husband has taken serious
exceptions to that, threatened to divorce her. Most important is that she has
complained, and we can do nothing if anyone complains.
-
-- You are labelling me as a
person who is capable of doing this? If such husbands who doubt their wives for
such simple things and threaten to divorce their spouses for this, then it’s
good you know.
-
-- Whatever you say
-
-- So this means I will be losing
my job for a heinous crime I can never imagine doing!
September 20..
-
-- I am sorry I have not connected
with you so far. You are my CC.
-
-- I know Sundar why you have come
to me now, but there’s very little I can do. You may be from an urban
background, but she is from a very conservative background. She felt very
embarrassed.
-
-- But I was more embarrassed than
her. She stopped talking to me. I requested Kamala to change my facility from
HED3 to HED1.
-
-- But you said you need to work
from there because of your personal problem. Now you are saying all this!
-
-- What do you mean? If you want
to match the time with my transfer, you will see it has been done during the
same time. Time doesn’t lie.
-
-- Okay Sundar, if you’ll excuse
me now.
-
-- This could be a ploy, she has
become friends with a lot of managers as far as I can see. I am sorry, but I
can explain. You see...
-
-- No, no Sundar, who will do
this? What do you mean? Of course she has every right to complain and I can
completely understand her. Bye Sundar (leaves the chat)
December 20..
-
-- You have 50% mistake in the 20%
text we have corrected so far. I am sorry but we have zero tolerance for
underperformance. Your English and French are very poor and per the test, you have
not been able to frame one sentence correctly.
-
-- Really! Who has taken my test I
pray! You are calling me a poor performer, but just a year ago, you appraised
me for my quality.
-
-- You also remember you had
issues with Ahalya and Susmitha. And we have zero tolerance on that as well.
-
-- So what is my fault?
Underperformance or sexual harassment? Can you justify?
-
-- Justify! We’ll see what we can
do. Don’t worry we’ll work it out.
-
-- What are you going to work out?
A week later
-
-- Is today my last day?
-
-- Yes. We’ll have Srikanth to
escort you out.
-
-- Escort me out? Why! Am I a
criminal!
-
-- It’s just a process. Post your
resignation letter, this process will be followed.
-
-- But I am not going to write my
resignation letter.
-
--Then we will take legal action
against you.
-
-- What? You will take legal
action against me! I think you can do that, and still be the best employer.
-
-- What? You want me to escalate that? We have enough proof against
you Sundar. But we don’t want that; you should maintain your dignity now.
-
-- O yes, losing my job on grounds
that assassinate my character and candidature, I should indeed maintain my
dignity. Okay, I will write.
The tree appeared
sad to Sundar.
Where will he go!
At this stage?
But no he can
manage.
A zombie in
falsities and truths
Despite figures and
proofs
He is strong, he
needs to know.
...
Scattered
script
But I know their
hunt is on
To write some structured
text
Craft a plan on
the comical next
He will also die,
is he still born?
But the hunt is
on
Who’s next, to be
gone!
I don’t have to
take on the labels
People give me
They must have
their reasons
I cannot see
But the hunt is
on
Who’s next, to be
gone!
My dead
enlightened tree
Under you there are
these scattered scripts
Brown fallen
leaves
I will collect
them and stitch them as prayer beads
But the hunt is
on
Who’s next, to be
gone!
Wish that the
hunt ends here
With me, that the
Hunter
Drops the gun
Stops firing at
those terrorized sheep
Checks on points to
paint them black
Wish they took an
experiential leap
And changed the
system with holes and cracks
But the hunt is
on
Who’s next, to be
gone!
I look at the
helpless tree
Its leaves are
clean
Barks neat and
clear
With chains of
brightness, a prisoner
Its standing wide
shadow, frozen with fear
Let it be reborn,
let it be free
But the hunt is
on
Who’s next, to be
gone!
But for heaven’s
sake let this end with me
As it had, with
the outcast tree
-
I
will not get into a victim mode. Victims are cruel and insecure. Yes you knew
how I disapproved of your type of discussions. You are managers representing an
organisation that encourages diversity and respect for individuals. I was
always silent with you, and now I know why you interpreted silence as violence.
But does this change anything? What! My perception on women? No way. Here I am
a victor; I connect with women more than I do with men; women empowerment is
slowly seeing light, real light, not synthetic lights; similarly time is coming
when there will be worker empowerment, civilized and really enlightened people
are now talking about servant leadership. So mangers without genders, you are
defeated, you have not been able to change the way I look at women empowerment,
despite hiring some ladies for firing me! I have always written and believed
how horribly women were subjugated by men. In every walk of life, women are
excelling; it’s a pity that they are still are violated and objectified. Times you men, times you managers, times you terrorists!!! You think firing is
natural; you don’t even understand what you have done. If you thought my
support for gender equality would be compromised by your orchestrated effort,
you need to think again. I look at my situation like this: women have always
been the second sex in society; their role per Simone de Beauvoir was glorified
and restricted to mère-mari-maison (mother-husband-home) since time immemorial.
You have buried and burnt them alive, you have lapidated them to death. Now,
after waiting for eons of years, they succeeded in getting there well-deserved
acceptance in society. It is their turn now. So in this episode, one or two
cases may be unjust towards men, but so what. I must be proud that those two women
could walk over me, at least for once. It was a victory for women, so it was my
victory too. Here’s wishing women all the very best. I think I am a victor
here.
Sundar joined another organisation on contract in
three months, from where he was terminated in 25 days; he was considered a poor
performer there. However, he maintains that he was being evaluated on something
his candidature did not offer.
Years later, he is busy collecting scattered scripts
from others, from here and there. He is trying to write more intensely now, sees a forest of
opportunities in front of him. He is also a counselor and helps people get out
of their victim mode. He is filled with kindness for all, even for those
managers. He is beginning to appreciate and accept and, therefore, feels light
and illuminated. He is happy abandoning the tree for good, the tree that was
deserted by birds, fruits and flowers tortured by plastic lights. He has a forest now; wild smell,
challenging opportunities, unending warmth and freshness.
©Supratik Sen
©Supratik Sen
