An Headache

He couldn't sleep through the night. He turned several times, counted hundred from backward, sat up and tried to meditate, yet had no effect on his insomnia. He was not an insomniac; rather, far from it he could sleep instantly, like babies. Since two days, that is, since His boss Mr.Pramod called to announce his visit; he right away lost his peace. The tiredness of sleeplessness didn't have much effect on the first day, conversely on the second day it started showing its signs. He irritably got up to silence the ringing alarm, frowning at it, his most angry face yet. It fell from the computer table next to his bed and broke into several pieces. He got up and sat on his bed, moved his hands over his head and sat with his face covered, in total despair. He soon started to get a headache.

Mr.Pramod and he were like eternal adversaries, albeit, it was Mr.Pramod who had brought him to work for this company. He had an interview with him and Mr.Pramod fairly liked the way he answered several of the corporate quandaries put forward to him, fairly with ease. But after the very first week, Mr.Pramod said to him, "I feel sorry about my decision. Don't make me regret the decision to hire you and bring you all the way from India." He had looked shamefully down, baffled at his condition.

The last time Mr.Pramod visited, he had had a dreadfully harsh day. Since he met him at the airport, which was at ten in the morning, he was shouted at in the most malicious of all languages. Mr.Pramod found faults with almost everything he found at the office. From reports to office chairs and from cleanliness to office boy, everything was riotous according to him. By the time Mr.Pramod left, he had a massive headache, had to have four tablets of Panadol to come to terms with it.

He drove towards the airport, having had no breakfast, wearing his best dress and the best perfume. He reached fifteen minutes to ten and waited for ten; that's when his ordeal would start. The announcement was made of the landing of the Gulf air flight from Dubai, and within ten minutes he saw the first glance of his trouble walking on two legs, approaching in the most stylish yet supercilious manner.

He shook hands with Mr.Pramod, his hands almost frozen and wet. His ride started for the day, without his knowledge that it would be the toughest torment he faced in his life.

As expected, Mr.Pramod had a first look at the office and his until then pleasant face grimaced. He had his first shout followed by similar screams throughout the day, or until they decided to have lunch. Lunch time was pleasant; they walked to the nearby mall and had sandwiches at the Subway.

The ordeal continued till four, by this time he had started getting a strong headache. He yearned for a strong cup of coffee and hoped the man too would have similar craving for the caffeinated brew. He had started to feel indifferent to all the screams and lecture he was subjected to, but Mr.Pramod decided to continue and continued till four thirty, just half hour to go until his time to check-in for his six thirty return flight.

Then comes the departing lecture and Mr.Pramod spoke:

"When did you join this company, Three years now? What progress have you made yet. Is there a single day when you don't make me scream at you? What future do you see, why is that you have to be told everything? Am I speaking to some wild animal? Why is that you don't understand my language?See your colleagues, some of them who have joined with you have moved ahead of you. Why are you the least motivated guy I have seen yet? I checked your customer loyalty program file, why is that you have not updated it since last two weeks? Do you know the importance of keeping one? Why are you not following the system we have put in place, after years of trial and experience? You are thirty now, isn't it? And married. Is this what you want in life? I am sorry to say that hiring you was the biggest blunder I have done so far in my twenty five years of career. Am I making myself clear or am I speaking to dead ears? I think I am. I am the friendliest of all General Managers, have I ever not supported you for all the good things you have done? Have I ever bellowed at you for anything, be it personal or professional? It's give back time, I want results and I give you some more time. I too have a threshold and don't test my limits. "

Mr. Pramod looked as if he would weep now; he had a highly distraught expression on his face.

He looked at Mr.Pramod, stared deep into that blood shot eyes and froze.

It was partly a rush of adrenaline and partly yearlong, profound frustrations that he exploded.

"Mr.Pramod, I don't care if I lose my job, but I am sorry to say that you are the biggest mistake I too have done in my life. I wouldn't have listened to your saccharine words and joined this company, to listen to all the garbage I have been taking all this while. You are a pain in my butt, I tell you, you are a big time loser. You are a real big a$$h0?e I have come across and I say it plain on your face. You tell me you are the friendliest GM there ever is on this planet, but I tell you, you are anything but friendly, you are the broodiest man I have known. What have you done in this company; take away all the credit what people like me and junior manager’s toil all the while? If I were to have my way, I would have got you sacked a very long time back. Do you think all this nonsense you have been saying to all the twenty or odd junior managers, that they take it from you? They care a damn about you, Mr.Pramod, a damn."

He stopped: his face read and heart thumping loud. He took out his kerchief and wiped his face, he felt he would faint but stood still. He couldn't focus on anything; he just stared plainly at Mr.Pramod.

Mr.Pramod too looked plain, expressionless. He sat on the nearby chair and looked at the ceiling, as if in some deep thought. He stood up and walked towards the toilet. He came back after what looked like a long time and walked towards his handbag, lifted it and walked towards the entrance door. He waved at the secretary and left.

All this while, he was standing where he was. He felt a darkness shroud him and finally he sat. It was several minutes later that he recovered his lost balance. He came out of his cabin, waved at the puzzled secretary and left for his home.

He felt very tired and sleep deprived. He removed his cloths, had a cold water shower and slept the whole night, without a clear thinking or thoughts.

It was the next day at eight that he woke by the sound of his mobile phone ringing. His secretary was on line, "Sir, Mr.Kunal was trying your line and he said he tried several times. He wants you to call him urgently. That's all Sir, Sorry for disturbing."

He sat on the bed and looked at the clock. It was eight, and he had not heard his mobile ringing .he wondered as to why Mr.Kunal, His DGM wanted to hear from him so early in the morning. Has he been sacked?

He was sure that he would be sacked. No one had ever dared to say a word back to Mr.Pramod, let alone swear at him. He had called him an As@#$%e, a feat no one in this company can boast about. He was sure no one had heard him or Mr.Pramod speak, and all would be surprised by his sacking. He would fly within few days, once his papers are cleared.

"To hell with this company, who wants to work like a slave? I was so happy there with ITC when at Bangalore, and they had begged me not to resign."He thought pensively. "He would try calling Suparna Madam-regional HR head; she would like him to be back in the company." He made plans. He opened his Wardrobe, looked at his suitcases and wondered, "I would need few more of them, and I would have to clear everything. What about fridge, AC, new LCD TV? Humm, I would have to call an auction house."

He went to kitchen and got a bottle of water from the fridge. He had several gulps.

He decided to call Mr.Kunal to hear the news. Two rings and then three before he picked his call.

"Hello, hi Samir? I had called, sorry, you were sleeping? Congrats man, your presentation has been viewed by MD and Mr.Pramod has recommended your name for the next week's meeting at Basel, Hey, congrats and prepare for your Switzerland trip." He was giggling non-stop. "It seems, Mr.Pramod liked it very much and is quite pleased with your efforts. Congrats man, what magic did you do on him, aah?"

He kept quiet, yet to recover from his shock. He was relieved, he hadn't been sacked. He could work more and moreover he had been recommended by Mr.Pramod. He felt sorry for him. He instantly regretted his behavior the previous day. He would apologize to Mr.Pramod and say that he went out of his control. He would come out with something, say that he was mentally disturbed by the news of his mother's health and hence lost his cool.

He brushed his teeth and made a coffee. With the coffee he went to his laptop and switched it on.

It took few seconds before the laptop came to life and he opened his MS outlook express. Several unread mails- he stopped at the mail of Mr.Pramod and opened it. He froze in shock as he read. It read:

Dear Colleagues,

Tomorrow will be my last working day with CFM Group after more than 19 years.

I am sure you will find this a shocking news, so early in the morning, but I have had certain personal obligation which has resulted in this abrupt decision.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart for your invaluable support and contribution to myself, my team and CFM Group.

Please bear with me for not being able to meet each one of you personally and convey the above in person.

I wish and hope that you will ensure to stay focused, motivated and last but not the least happy (& healthy) in your personal and professional lives.

If you wish to keep in touch with me, I can be contacted on menon_c_pramod@hotmail.com

Thanking you once again and wishing you continued success.

Best Regards,

Pramod Menon

General Manager, CFM Group.

He wasn’t sure if he should be happy or sad. He dialed a number and spoke, “hi, Babu, Hey, send me one bottle of Smirnoff and one bottle of black label. Deliver by six, at my office.”He stared at the laptop. He wondered if he should celebrate, he was quite ambivalent.

Disclaimer: Above Mentioned is a true incident and is autobiographical, though the names are changed and made into a short story. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely intentional.