Eavesdropping ? !

I was looking after grievances of customers at the city office.We had some medical practitioners who would scrutinize the health related complaints & advise us on further action.One of the doctors whom we consulted on a weekly basis was already on the panel with our registered office.He used to come  to the Head Office on a daily basis one hour before closing time.He would also look up staff who were sick or do a routine check up if the staff went up to him.Generally,the files were carried by our peons & delivered to this doctor with a note requesting him to advise us on the grievances of the complainants.Sometimes, in rare instances,I would carry the files to meet the doctor face to face to explain the problems we were having in those  cases.This was so, as our peons opined that they had the right nah the license to carry  papers,files,folders etal & thereby earn taxi fare as conveyance.This was quite amusing as the staff knew that all went by walk but claimed taxi fare to augment their meagre  incomes.This is  understandable for the people at the bottom but even Managers & above also take this conveyance issue seriously - albeit  for pocket money !

Once,my boss asked me to meet this doctor to sort out some two to three long pending complaints.In Public sector,unless the matters assumes extreme urgency (that is  top executives or any Government agency,etc  starts pounding the office about any files ),files are forgotten or better still misplaced ! Thankfully,we had some order still in the department & we located the files .Relevant notes were prepared for the doctor to peruse & reply.I carried the files to the doctor at the end of the day, that is, almost towards the closing time.By the time ,I reached the Head Office,I saw a very senior Executive entering the doctor's consulting room.

I waited on the bench outside his room.I could hear  the doctor advising the executive.I was thinking, that, I was lucky, as nobody else was waiting.Just then,I saw another  senior Manager  of our Company walking towards me.I smiled at him & wished him.He asked me," Hello ! How are you ?" He meant, that despite the management's attitude towards people like you ,how come you can smile .I replied that I was fine .He remembered my reply & hence in a few days,I was transferred to another State !

He just knocked on the door & went in .I was shocked that he had no qualms about just going in when I was waiting sorry when someone is waiting.But then to expect any such  decency from the upper crust is a fallacy & that too for a person much below their ranks in the corporate ladder is a crime !

I could hear loud exchanges of hellos from the cabin.Then there was a discussion about how Mediclaim was not being handled properly at Divisional & branch offices.This was so as one of the  relatives of the executives was denied a claim & the doctor was being ordered to settle the claim in review.Otherwise,the executives had been indifferent to all queries,suggestions on improvising claim settlement in all departments.Just goes to show how nepotism can turn you against your own employer.I was able to hear almost  everything .I had no intention to overhear   but as I was sitting so close by,there were no options left.I could not get up & go as somebody else could gain entry next.I wished, our executives could refrain from talking so openly when they knew that a junior was just outside.Or the least, they could have done was to be magnanimous & allowed me to go in first.After my work was over,they could have all discussions openly provided no one else like me was around. But since this possibility was a big improbability,they had to pursue this actuality. My wait was increasing by minutes now & I  was getting irritated as I had to rush back home to my daughter.

Then,there were  check ups done.The doctor told them that they were both in good health.This perhaps prompted the executives to tell," Lets have a drinking session one of these days ." I  was flabbergasted - I knew that many claims,& delicate issues are debated only during such sessions but this was just like the official seal  ! But thankfully,the banter ended in a few minutes after that & both the executives walked out of the cabin.I knocked on the door & let myself in.I told the doctor about the files in brief & he promised to give his replies in the forthcoming week.My work over-I walked to the bus stop to catch my bus home.

The next day,I narrated to my boss the  whole episode & requested him that he never depute me for such work.This was because I did not want to lose whatever little respect ( if any ) I had for the top management.He just smiled & left it at that.

Encounter.

This happened whilst I was in my first year of college.I was studying at Pune & had come home to Narora,as it was Deepavali vacation.Narora is a small village in Uttar Pradesh.My dad was posted there at the Atomic Energy power plant.

All my school friends were also in college but they were not yet home for Deepavali. I was getting bored with no friends around.One day ,my dad announced, that, a vehicle was leaving for Delhi on some official work on the next day.One of school friend's dad would also be going in the vehicle,he said.I was delighted.I thought,why not travel with my friend's dad & go & meet her at Delhi.She was studying in a women's college in Delhi.So all was set.

We left the next day - it was a Matador.I was seated in the row behind the driver with Uncle,my friend's dad.There were one more person seated in the front besides the driver.He was travelling to make some purchases for the Grocery stores.We were all from the colony, set up, to house the people, who were working at the Atomic Energy unit.So,we were all known to each other.

We reached Delhi.The vehicle dropped me & Uncle at the college campus.I was thrilled to meet my ex-classmate & we gossiped non-stop.Uncle meanwhile, attended to his errands.He returned in the evening by about five.The vehicle had also come back with the driver & the other occupant.We were told that we have to pick up an executive from the airport at around ten.My uncle suggested that we all should stay back in Delhi & proceed home early next morning.We requested the College authorities to let me stay for that night but they refused.So,it was decided, that we will depart after the executive joins us at the airport.

After the arrival of the executive,we started on our home journey.It was quite late in the night & not recommended as there had been reports of looting en route.We kept praying as we travelled.Most of us had dozed off.Suddenly,the vehicle came to a halt.I woke up & tried to make sense of what had caused the driver to hit such a strong brake.I saw that we were on a road & just parked ahead was a small goods carrier -a tempo.It was standing in such a way that our vehicle could not get a way.The road was too narrow.On one side,was a valley not too deep but quite wide & another side was a tree .So our vehicle was struck.The driver got down .At that moment ,four to five persons sprang up from the shadows.We were aghast ! They had pistols & choppers.They prevented the driver from getting into the vehicle.They surrounded the vehicle & demanded that we hand over all the valuables.

We hardly had any money with us.We told them so, but, they refused to listen.We pleaded with them to let us go .We informed them that this was a sarkari gaadi( government vehicle ).This was because it was Friday midnight then. On Fridays,it is customary in that area for businessmen & traders to travel on business. But our pleas fell on deaf ears.The executive was carrying a suitcase & the robbers had seen it.They demanded that he hand it over.He refused ,"I can't give-all documents are there,"he screamed.They got angry & started firing.I was just staring & my Uncle just shoved my head down on the seat before ducking himself.I could hear some more shots.Uncle saved me from the pellets which were being fired. We now pleaded with the executive to hand over the suitcase.This was when the robbers were reloading their country made pistols. The executive had got hurt & blood was oozing from his injury.He was unable to protest as we handed over the suitcase.The robbers broke open the suitcase & finding the contents useless threw it back at us exclaiming,"When nothing was there,why so much fuss !?"Next,one of them demanded, that, I hand over my earrings-Uncle replied,"She is studying in college away from home .So she wears fake gold earrings."They seemed satisfied.The executive was crying as he was in great pain.We requested the robbers to let us proceed.They agreed but said that we turn back & go.We had no choice .The driver got into the vehicle & drove it at breaking speed.

All were talking at once as we were too excited by shock.The Grocery store assistant was thanking his stars that the money he had carried for the purchases was safe.He had not been able to buy all things & hence a balance was still there.I informed Uncle that I was wearing real gold earrings- though they were a tiny pair.We were thanking God that we escaped without any major mishap.We concluded that the robbers were small time thieves out to earn a small amount of pocket money.

Actually,we had the encounter very near to our colony & so the robbers wanted us to turn & go back.They were sure that if we were to go ahead ,then very soon,they would be behind bars as they won't get time to escape. We reached the district headquarters after an hour.We landed at the Government hospital.The executive was taken in & attended.The police arrived.They said that we should not have travelled so late in the night.All formalities were over .It was early morning now.The news about the encounter had reached the colony.But my dad was kept in the dark.A vehicle had started from there to pick us up.The executive was to stay in the Government hospital for a day because of his injuries.He had escaped almost unhurt.

The vehicle came & we all started homewards.I asked for my parents & was told that they had not been informed .Maybe,nobody wanted my parents to be alarmed.Or it was not known that I had also travelled in the said vehicle. We all reached home.My parents were anxious as they had also heard about the incident by then. We had to keep repeating the saga umpteen times to avid listeners.All were of the opinion that the executive had asked for trouble by refusing to hand over his suitcase.Anyway,we were all glad that we were all safe & sound.The executive was discharged the next day & he went around the colony telling that he had saved the day for all of us !

Court appearance

Recently,I got a call from an office, wherein, I had worked.Well,the call was from an ex- colleague.She made the usual discreet inquiries as to my being disturbed & I replied in the negative.I was surprised, that she had taken time off during her lunch hour oops, wasted her time to call me.She then proceeded to enlighten me that she had a job for me.I was flabbergasted !

She told me the reason she had called me up.There was a document signed by me when I was an employee there.So,I was expected to go to a town which will require me to travel overnight & give evidence in a matter before the Judiciary in favour of my erstwhile employer.Her boss had been kind enough to inform her which she passed on to me by telling me that my traveling expenses as also my expenses for staying in that town would be reimbursable.

I told her that as my daughter's exams were on,I would be unable to attend to the request for court appearance.Moreover,I reminded her, that as there was no one who would baby sit my daughter,I have to refuse.She was immediately apologetic & said that she was doing as directed by her boss . Her boss had told her that my evidence would make the Company's case air tight & save quite a substantial sum.He also opined that the company was going to win the case.I was quite impressed that persons like her boss were so concerned about their employer as very few in this age care more than a damn though I still harbor doubts about pretended loyalties et al.

I spoke my mind & let her know that as the company was so sure of a win,my evidence was unnecessary- maybe just a formality.I also brushed aside her suggestion that I left my job to look after my kid.

The whole talk left me quite amused.When ,I was in employment,I recall some of our senior colleagues being reprimanded in open court for deposing in court.The reason was though they were employees of the company,the judge was fed up of the stand taken by the Company that the people appearing in court were not authorised to give evidence or take a stand about the department.The court stated that the public sector just seems to believe that the case can go on & on without any of the executives of the Company stepping into the court as they were too busy & so high up in hierarchy that if they attended court,they stature would diminish in inches if not feet.

When senior employees whilst in office could be taken to task in the court during their service,I wonder, how I can make a court appearance after resignation?Do I have any locus standi at all ?Moreover,my travelling & other costs would be paid back but what about time spent by me leaving my family ? If any evidence is needed to demonstrate that time has little value in public sector then,this is it- there is no value of time -neither yours,nor mine & about theirs of course -was there ever any doubt ?

But one thing is certain- the manner in which my terminal dues were settled ( the time,the procedure etc ) had made me doubt if I was ever employed by the company but now, that has been laid to rest.But still,being answerable for a decision taken more than ten years back is just too much to digest ,isn't it - the decision to sign a document & that too in public sector ?!