THOSE FOURTEEN DAYS (4)

We had desire. We had expectation. We had fear on that day but, didn’t have much hope. We went to the same place without any invitation, without any calls, without any messages and without any information. We found no difference in IOB central office. Once again we had to start from the beginning.

People and staffs had been asking questions, which were not different from the previous visit. This time, wasting no seconds, we directly went in to the personal administrative department to meet the chief manager. Unfortunately, He was not there. The other person was there whom we met on the previous visit, who was discussing with the chief manager regarding our issue. Soon we could reckon that he must be the over all in charge of the issue of transfer.

“What do you want?” He asked my father.

“We came for transfer last Thursday.”

“Okay, but, why did you come today? We said we will send you the letter.”

“You said you will call us. But, unfortunately, we didn’t receive any call till today.”

“Don’t worry. We will send you the letter as we said.”

“Sorry sir. We don’t have sufficient days. Moreover, we can’t rely on our postal service. We are ready to come daily. But, kindly do something for us.” My father requested.

He said something which I couldn’t overhear.

“What did he say daddy?” I asked my father after he came and sat beside me.

“He asked us to wait.”

After letting us waiting for some minutes, Mr. Partha Saradhi came back with the cover.

“You’re posted here.” He gave us the order copy and said.

Neither of us had any word to reply. However, I regained my conscience and said.

“Thank you sir!”

“When are we supposed to join?” My father asked him.

“Anytime before 14^th of this month. When you come, report here. I will let you know the place of posting inside the campus.” He said and flew for his duty. We waited for the chief manager to express our gratitude.

“Why are you waiting?” Saradhi sir asked.

“To thank him if he comes.”

Mr. Ganesh, the chief manager had come, received us, accepted our gratitude and sent us with his wishes. We decided to join on 9^th September. We informed them and departed to our home.

By the time, I informed my brother, mother, Leo, Kishore, Nandhini (my scribe), Saranya akka and the list continued.

My father felt happy, mother felt relieved, and my brother was asking me what I want. He was in a mood of celebration and sharing his joy with his friends.

On 8^th September 2015, I went to the temple with my parents. My mother was doing some rituals inside. My Facebook update regarding my job made my friends happy. I wanted to give some rest to mobile but, my friends didn’t let me do. Shalini called and asked me to write about first day. I called Subramani sir, one of the visually challenged staffs in regional office which is located in central office itself. We talked for more than 40 minutes. He was teaching the nature of the job. Mobility is more important than anything he said. He was jovial, logical, frank and very straight forward in his opinion. His words gave me some confidence. I thought I was lucky enough to get him in my life.

September 9 2015.

The long awaited day had come in my life. I was stepping to the next stage. We reached around 9:40 in the morning. We found no people inside the personal administrative department. Staff started intruding for their work. Saradhi sir also arrived.

“Have you brought all the originals?”

“Yes sir.”

“Okay fine. Fill this form and give us the photocopies of your certificates.”

We submitted the photo copies of my originals.

“You have to produce your physical fitness certificate and community certificate.”

“Originals sir?”

“Yes. We need the original copies of them.”

We submitted them and came back to the seat with the application form, which had to be filled.

My father was tensed and scared to fill that form. Not that he didn’t know English, but, was afraid of mistakes. He hesitated for some minutes. The booklet contained six pages. He kept on reading. I didn’t understand anything in the beginning. All of a sudden, he stopped reading.

“What happened?”

“I don’t know why. The hip starts paining.” He replied.

I didn’t know what to say.

“Wait. Let me go and come back.” He said and left and returned within 2 minutes.

“I should have known English. Had I known, it would have become easier.” He said.

“Don’t worry daddy. You just read it. I will tell and you slowly fill it up.” I said and he began. He was reading some words, spelling out some words, struggling to pronounce some words but managed to complete in the end.

We filled and gave it to the staff. She guided us to fill the rest. We did it patiently. Finally, she said okay and asked us to wait. However, the overall process took nearly 2 hours.

Mr. Partha Saradhi came. He asked me to put my thumb on the paper and gave me the order copy.

“All the best. You’re posted here. Go and give it in the general administrative department (GAD), and, join there.”

“Thank you sir.” I said and got the copy from his hand.

We walked to the next building. They said the general administrative department was on the 5^th floor. We reached and gave the order copy. The officer shook his hand with me and sent me to the place. One of the staffs held my hand and guided to my seat. My father followed as if he completed all his duty. In the corner, there was a small room. We entered inside where a woman was eating.

“ma’am?” The staff who came with me called her.

“Yes?” She replied.

“You’ve got a new appointment.”

“Here?”

“Yes.”

“Good after noon ma’am.” I wished.

“Good after noon.” She wished me back and asked me to come in.

We went inside. The room was very small. Four computers with chairs and table on the left, and, a small table and a chair on the right corner of the room. I noticed nothing in the beginning. My father showed me the second chair and waited for the staff’s consent.

“You can sit sir!” he said and turned towards my father.

“Who are you to him sir?”

“I am his father.”

“Feeling proud of you sir. You can stay with him for ten minutes and leave.” He said and left.

I sat in the chair. My father stood behind me.

“Do you finish your lunch?”

“If you’ve brought you can have it here sir.”

I got up from the chair, turned towards the table and sat on the other chair. My father opened the lunch box, placed in front of me and I started eating.

“Is there any computers to work ma’am?” I asked her.

“Yes it’s here. But, they’re only for calls and, no other work can be done.”

“Aren’t you eating sir?” She asked my father.

“No ma’am. I will have outside.” He said, stayed for some minutes and decided to leave the place.

“Call me if you want anything.” He said while leaving.

“Okay daddy. I will let you know and come at 5:00 to pick me up.”

After his departure, she began her conversation with me.

“We’re two women working here. The other one has gone outside. She will be back soon. Both are partially blind. Our job is connecting calls. I don’t think you can get your needs. You’re asking new software to install, which is not possible in this system. This is not the product of Indian overseas bank. I don’t know why they have allotted you here. You say you have learned system. I will talk to engineers about this. If they say they can install any software here, we shall proceed. I don’t think they will say.”

She called someone and asked him to report there. He was busy and told her that he would come on the following day.

By the time, a middle aged man entered.

“He’s newly appointed sir. They’ve wrongly sent him here I think. He’s over qualified. Better we’ll ask them to place in some other place. Don’t say that we’ve told all those things. Else, they will mistake us. Let him talk to general manager. He hasn’t turned up today. Has he?”

“No ma’am.” He replied and went.

I was mystified of everything.

“No problem ma’am. If telephone operating is my work, I can happily do it.”

“Don’t worry Vinoth. We’ll do some favor to you. Here you can’t work, for you may have to remember more 10,000 intercoms and other branches numbers.”

By the time, the other lady also came in.

“She’s Mrs. Chandra; working with me. We’re working together for the last eight years.”

The lady went again for some other work.

“Don’t worry Vinoth. You are very young. You have long way to go. Why do you want to suffer here? Else, you can go to cathedral branch, located inside the campus. You’ve joined. Nobody will disturb you. You will not go out of central office. However, you may not have any work to do today. Relax yourself.” She said and started answering to some calls.

“What kind of work they will give in cathedral branch ma’am?”

“Telephone operating! There was a visually challenged, working over there and recently retired. You may have only 20 numbers to memorize. Nobody will disturb you. You will be left alone. You can be very happy.”

I understood that she considered me as a new problem to her privacy. I didn’t even want to talk to her. She looked very cunning to me, or, I thought so. One side, she was calling people regarding system and software. On the other side, she was taking some silent action for my departure.

Chandra ma’am entered again.

 “He’s very young. They must give him a proper work to do.” Said Chandra Ma’am, and she had been saying the same thing.

“Vinoth? If you want anything, kindly let me know. I will be there for you. Don’t feel shy. Talk to us. Be free with us. Okay?” She said.

Time had struck 5. I called my father to pick me up. Thanking them, I left the building.

“How is the pain now?” I asked my father.

“It’s okay. After leaving you in your place, I finished my lunch in the canteen. Then, I saw three people chit-chatting with one another by sitting on the slab. I asked their consent and joined them. They left after sometime. I found none beside me. I slept there and just now woke up. I had no pain while sleeping. But, it starts again. By the way, I informed that Erode officer Mr. Ravi and the temple Priest.”

We got the bus, got down in central railway station, got the train and reached our home around 7:15. With searing pain, my father toppled on the bed without making any noise. I asked him to eat and he did it soon. My mother had gone for an engagement, which was held in our vicinity.

“Vinoth? It’s increasing I think. You stay here. I will go to the hospital.” He said and took the bike’s key.

If I were normal I would have driven him to the hospital. Seeking no help, he drove on his own with the pain.

I was fatigued, famished and worried. I called my brother to inform everything. He said and picked him in the hospital. Doctor had injected him, and prescribed some medicine to follow. He came home with my brother. I was not in a mood to celebrate anything though he felt relieved after returning from hospital.

September 10 2015.

“How do you feel now?”

“Feeling no pain.” He happily replied in the morning.

“You need not come with me daddy. The doctor must have given pain killer which cannot last long. Let brother come and leave me.” I said.

He didn’t take my words serious and decided to go with me. The train was replete with its enormous crowd. We were standing. He got the pain in the middle. He tried to tolerate but couldn’t.

“We shall get down here, buy some medicines and get an auto to the venue.” He said when the train reached Vyasarpadi. As he said, we got an auto. He charged 150 rupees to the IOB central office. He called my brother to join us. He asked the driver to halt at several medical shops to buy medicines. But, No where we found the tablets. My father didn’t want to delay as we were already running short of time. My brother had reached the central office when we reached. He asked him to wait outside as he wanted to drop me inside.

We went in. this time none blocked as I was a staff of the bank. The security enquired. But, we said and ran. My father left me in the department and went down.

“He has severe pain.” I called my brother and said.

“I will take care of him.” He replied.

“Ask him to go home. I come on my own.”

“How will you come?”

“I don’t know. Here I may find somebody to central or Beach railway station. From there on I can manage.”

“Don’t forget to inform me whatever happens.” He replied and hung up.

I was restive but not willing to show it out. After an hour, my brother called and told me that my father had got admitted in the hospital, got treatment, and, departed to home.

The matter of my placement and the problem had gone to the union leader. He came in, shook my hand and asked my problems.

“Hence, you can work if the software is installed in your system. Right?”

“Yes sir.”

“What about his attendance?” The ma'am asked

“Wait. First let us confirm the place of his work.” He said and went.

Doing nothing, I was simply spending the time by listening to their conversations and telephonic communication.

“How did you come? Vinoth?” Chandra ma’am asked.

“I came with my father ma’am. I have to start at 7:30 A.M. from my place.”

“How do you commute?”

“By train and bus. Ma’am? Is there anyone who goes to central or beach railway station? My father won’t come this evening. He had some other works to do.”

“I know a staff. But she goes to Eggmore railway station.” The other one reply promptly.

I didn’t tell anything about my father’s health condition. I didn’t know why. I didn’t feel like letting them know. Both of them started enquiring for me. Meanwhile, Chandra ma’am was offering me Horlicks and chips. It was delicious indeed. I had my lunch after them. Chandra ma’am guided me to the washroom.

“No problem ma’am. I will ask someone to help. You need not come.”

“It’s okay Vinoth. I will take you.” She took me near to the rest-room and stayed out. I thought of learning everything through my father in the morning but, observing his health condition and severe pain, I didn’t disturb him.

Betwixt, the other one actively working on my placement. As a result, the person called me and introduced him as a computer engineer. It was around 3:00 in the afternoon. After listening to my whole explanation about my qualification, he said that he would help me definitely. I said I have no objection in telephone operating also. He said okay and left me in the room.

Getting no one in the office in a span of time, Chandra ma’am came forward to leave me in Beach railway station. Fortunately, my brother called and said that he was waiting outside central office.

“What happened Vinoth?”

“My brother is waiting outside the central office to pick me up.”

“Oh! He came? Good!” She replied.

Meanwhile, the other ma’am was explaining about the procedure of obtaining the identity card and opening the staff account. She also said that she would help me for my new account through someone in the next day.

It was exactly 4:45 in the evening. My brother called again.

“Where are you?”

“I am in general administrative department located on the 5^th floor. In the annex building.”

“I reached; standing outside the door.” He told.

I told Chandra ma’am and she took me outside.

“No problem ma’am. I’ve learned. I can go alone.”

“It’s okay. Don’t feel awkward. I will leave you with your brother.” She said, held my hand, guided me to the door and did as she said.

I came out with my brother, got the bus, got down and reached central railway station to catch the train.

“It’s very difficult to commute right?” My brother asked me after getting the train in central railway station.

“Yes. I have to learn.”

“We’re planning to arrange an auto. Daddy is deciding to buy a new bike to receive and drop you from central railway station. Mom is saying to shift the house to Chennai.”

We reached home. The discussion lasted even in the night. Tainting Calculus in my father’s kidney, we asked him to go for scanning next day. Meanwhile, I called Subramani sir and shared my experience. We planned to meet on the following day. He asked me to come to the 3rd floor, in front of the lift.

“How was the day?” My father asked.

“Chandra ma’am is simply superb. But the other one seems dangerous. It’s look like she’s trying to fix me. I keep quiet for everything. But, the grapevine gets created that I am the one who is not interested in working there.”

“Be careful.” He replied.

My mother asked me to inform our relatives regarding joining. I was little fatigued. My brother and she were calling everyone. My uncle wanted to talk to me. I reluctantly went near to the telephone. Not that I didn’t want to talk to anyone, but I was not in a mood to express my joy.

“You say it to your uncle. He will feel very happy.” My mother said and gave the receiver.

“Hello.”

“Hello uncle, I got the job in Indian Overseas Bank.” I said.

“Happy birthday!” He shouted from the other end. His children burst in to laughter.

“Hey. What to say?” He asked them, corrected himself and spoke to me.

“Congratulations! Congratulations!”

Then, I spoke to his children and said the same thing. They also felt happy. Then, finally, my aunty. She didn’t want to talk to me. But, my uncle forced her to talk.

“Hello?”

“Hello. You said you wanted to say something.” She replied. Actually, I didn’t want to talk either.

“Mami, I got the job in IOB.”

“Okay.” She said and gave back the mobile to her husband.

I talked to my uncle and hung up.

“Mummy, that’s why I didn’t want to talk to her, you only compelled me. Else, I would have talked to my uncle while he’s at his office.”

“Everyone knows about my sister-in-law. Why do you take it serious? She had never expressed her joy on other’s growth.”

I thought of calling one more important person on that day.

“Are you busy Lincy?”

“No da. Tell. How are you?”

“I joined in IOB.”

“Okay.”

Her expression hinted me that she was in a deep trouble.

“What happened?”

“My sister is in Chennai. She’s need of money. I gave my salary to my nephew. Now, I don’t know how to send her. She doesn’t know that I’ve given him. Now, she’s believing me that I would send her.” She said and shared the exact situation, which I am not supposed to write it in public. After listening to her predicament, I said.

“If she can wait for two days, I can go and give it to her.”

She agreed and I disconnected the call.

 September 11 2015.

My brother took and left me in my office. He thought me some of the important places inside the campus. It was not very tough as I’ve already learned in the previous day.

 We were very earlier to the office. Both Chandra ma’am and the other ma’am came on time. I asked Chandra ma’am to verify my name in the register list. She verified and said no.

“Do you operate through system to connect calls?” I asked her.

“Yes Vinoth.”

“Only mouse can support?”

“I use only mouse, vinoth.”

“Will my system work ma’am?”

“Yes it works. Shall I switch it on? We’ll try this once.” She said and switched on the computer.

The computer engineer had come luckily.

“I also can work if the calls get connected through key-board.” I said curiously.

“Usually, I look at the screen and attend the call through mouse. Let me try it with key-board. Let me press enter key when call comes.” She asked the computer engineer to call and she pressed the enter key.

“Hey! It works Vinoth!”

I was happy.

“How to connect calls then?”

“Wait. Let me try.” The computer engineer interfered and began discovering.

“Okay. If somebody calls you, attend the call by pressing the enter key, press tab twice and enter key to put on hold, then, type the intercom number, finally press the enter key again and, it will get connected.” He found and said.

We tried it with his intercom number and it successfully worked.

“Wow! Super ma’am! It works! So, I also can work. Right?”

“Yeah! But you must remember many numbers.” She said.

“Why both are you in a hurry? He’s a new comer. Not even three days! I was jobless for one year after joining here. Many officials will come online. The HR will come online. What will you do if anything goes wrong? Why are you in a hurry? Why are you doing this Chandra?” The other ma’am, who was sitting beside me, snarled.

Three of us kept quiet for some seconds.

“Yes Vinoth. Officials may come online. It will create a mess.” Chandra ma’am was consciously uttering the word. I understood her situation and said okay. Actually, Chandra ma’am wanted to teach me and make me work. But, the other one didn’t want to.

Mr. Kannan the other service engineer had come in. After listening to my supplications, he decided to take me to his system.

“Let’s check the configuration in my system.” He said and guided to his system.

“Are you Vinoth?” a staff interfered and asked.

“Yes sir.” I said in the tone of mystification.

“You are called in personal administrative department (PAD).” He replied and asked Mr. Kannan to take me.

“Why do they call you?” He asked me while walking.

“No idea sir. Mayhap, they call me to issue my identity card.”

“What is your preference? Lift or steps?” He asked.

As I wanted to learn, I said steps. Descending five floors, walking some distance, we had successfully reached the venue.

“Where are you going?” Somebody asked us. We didn’t reply and kept clambering.

“Hello! Stop there! Here I am asking you. Where are you going?” We both turned towards him to reply.

“I am a staff.” I said vehemently.

“Where is your identity card?”

“I am a newly appointed staff, joined two days ago.”

“Where are you working?”

“General administrative department.”

“Why are you going up?”

“They’ve called me!” I expressed myself with little anger, and walked before his reply.

We were searching Mr. Partha Saradhi for I knew none except him. He was not there. Both Kannan sir and I sat in the same sofa where I sat with my father.

“Vinoth? Can I tightly hold your hand for some time? I have a breathing problem. It increased as we came by steps.”

“Sir! You could have told me right? I thought you had no issue in using steps.

“It’s okay. No problem.” He firmly held my hand and started heaving. After some minutes, he was unconsciously crushing my fingers. I didn’t show my pain. Mr. Partha Saradhi had come. I was waiting for his recovery.

“Are you okay sir?”

“Two more minutes Vinoth.” He said. He took more than that. Finally we got up and went near to Mr. Partha saradhi’s cabin.

“What do you want?” He asked.

“I am Vinoth, told that I was called.”

“Yes. We got a complaint from GAD. They said you can’t work there.”

“Sir?”

“So, we transfer you.”

“Sir!!!”

To be continued.    http://www.slvinoth.blogspot.com/2016/01/those-fourteen-days-5.html