Fuck! I have had enough of this shit.
“Pranav. I am going home. If Martin calls, tell him that I left. I will mail him too.”
“OK”
“I am unable to work. I don’t think I will be able to complete this today even if I sit here for another six hours.”
“Try and come early tomorrow. We need to complete these change requests as soon as possible. We are already running behind schedule.”
Yeah! What nonsense!? The requirements team screws up and it is we who have to slog it out. My average this quarter will definitely be more than eleven hours. So much for the work-life balance crap. And yes, this is what happens when you send idiots onsite. He carried the bucket for the PM and got what he wanted. Sheez! How do people engage in such behaviour? I would rather kill myself.
“Alright, I am done with the mail. I have sent you a copy. I am off.”
“Bye.”
“Bye.”
So, is this how life is supposed to be? Wake up early. Travel for about an hour. Check mail. Call onsite and fight. Slog. Slog. Eat. Slog. Slog. Fight again, this time with the PM. Slog. Slog. I just want to get out of this shit. What should I do? I know for sure that I want to do a masters. Should it be an MBA or an MTech? Everybody says that I should go for an MBA. Anyway, I can decide later. There is no way folks at home are going to let me do a masters now. I could move to a different company though.
“Sir. Please show your bus pass.”
“Argh…”
I have not learnt anything new in the last two years. This is my biggest problem. How the hell can I? I work for about ten to eleven hours daily. I also spend close to two hours in commute. I am simply unable to read in the bus. All that I am able to do is listen to some music. After I go home, all there is time for is to watch a movie or some sitcoms, eat supper and chat for a while with friends.
In the morning, she smiles and then I smile. In the evening, I smile and then she smiles. Will I ever find her name? My “bus stop crush”!
“Ayya.”
I have no change. I will give him something tomorrow. Poor man. Hey, I have to get detergent. Sheez! I have to walk back all the way to main road now.
I am unable to find any time during the weekends too. I get up late on both days. On Saturday, it’s usually pub hopping with Charlie and Siddique. On Sundays, we go for a film with the chicks and then roam around the city. To be fair, this is the only relaxation I get. If it not for the weekends, I will surely go mad. What’s the use of weekends if not for freaking out!?
“Cash or Card?”
“Cash.”
I think it is time for serious change. No more booze party every weekend. I will skip one week every month and then slowly make it two for some months. I have to convince the boys about this too. I am going to sit at home on at least one day of the week and read something. Boring but let me try. I am also going to spend at least an hour every day in reading. Either the TV goes or the chatting goes. I think it is better the TV goes. After all, the same movies are being screened over and over again.
Hey, Ram’s home already. How is he back so soon today? Ah, his mother was supposed to undergo her evaluation today.
“Hi boss.”
“Hi”
“What did the doctor say?”
“They found that she was not responding to chemo. They are most likely to start radiation.”
“OK”
Sigh. I hope she gets better soon.
What’s on TV?
Part I in the series A Culture of Mediocrity.
