Scattered script

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