I think this happened on Day 5 of my Knowledge Transition. I remember it was a Friday. I think Savita was having PMS (The girls out there would probably know what I am talking about here! For those who don’t – a.k.a guys - Google for it!). The ordinarily well mannered and silent Savita had become a bitch with a capital B today!
I just couldn’t think of any better reasoning for this sudden change in behavior except for the PMS theory!
Ok … Lets move on with the rest of the story instead of repeating PMS … PMS … PMS over and over again!
So, that day – sometime post-lunch, when I was sitting an Orkut’ing in full josh, Savita asks me the status of a document that she had asked me to work on.
Me: “But that is due for delivery by the end of next week – right?”
Savita: “So … does that mean you shouldn’t start working on it right away?”
Me: “Chill … I’ll get working on it in another hour. Don’t worry, I’ll ensure it’s done before its deadline!”
Savita: “No … I want you to start working on it right now. And I want you to give your transition more importance and seriousness than you are giving it now! And moreover I want you to stop checking your e-mail and Orkut so often!”
Now, I do agree that I was probably not being very “serious” about the whole. But, that’s my nature. That’s how I work. What’s the whole bloody point in keeping a grim face all through the day while you’re at work??? I prefer to monkey around and still ensuring that the work is delivered on time. And till date – I was always able to do that.
And on top of that – I was not about to take orders from some dumb babe! Call me a chauvinist if you want to – but I hated being bossed. Especially by someone of the fairer sex! And this babe has just done that!
Whatever I said after that was not planned. It was purely by reflex.
Me: “Listen Savita … I don’t give a shit if you’re a senior to me here at Diapro and I give two big balls if you’ve been on this project longer than me. And just so that you know – You don’t have the bloody authority to tell me what I should and when I should do it. If you want me to do something – give me a deadline and see whether I do it on time. If I don’t – then complain or bitch all you want. But – before that deadline, keep your butt-ugly, long nose out of my business. And as for my e-mails and Orkut – If nobody sends you an e-mail – that’s because you’re social life sucks. Don’t take your anger and frustration out on me! You got that!”
Savita: (With an I-was-just-struck-by-lightning look) “I’m going to tell Vrunda about you not working properly!”
Me: (Still fuming like mad!) “Tell you what – I’ll do you a favor – I’ll tell Vrunda that I can’t work with you!”
Savita: “What? Why?”
Me: “You’re not even my manager Savita, and you’re trying to order me around as if I were your servant. Just so that you know - I don’t take orders from anyone! You better get that into your head?”
Savita: “Yeah … Whatever”
Me: “Yeah … Whatever!!!”
With that said, I got up and left. When I turned back, I saw her sitting and sulking at her desk.
She was obviously pissed at me shouting at her. She probably thought that her being a “senior” in both the company and the project would act as the leverage she’d need to boss me around.
I hadn’t let that bully Sujatha boss me around – and atleast she looked intimidating. This gal looked like a twig! She had picked a fight with the wrong guy!
The rest of the day, we didn’t even look each other in the face. She was busy typing some mail or the other. Maybe they were complaining mails to Vrunda, or maybe she was just trying to prove that she too had “friends” and a “social-life”. As for me – I spent the rest of the day Orkut’ing - Just to tick her off!!!
As usual, I left for home at 5.00, and she stayed back – obviously because she would’ve wanted to “complain” to Vrunda about me and my impromptu behavior.
I didn’t give a shit … If Vrunda called me and tried to boss me around – I’d give her a piece of my mind too. I was determined to not let myself be bossed – COME WHAT MAY!!!
The following Monday when I came back to work, the first thing I did was check my e-mail to see if there was some reprimandel e-mails from Vrunda. But, to my surprise, there were none.
As for Savita - she was back to her cheerful self. Either Vrunda had convinced or cajoled her during their call, or, she was done with her Periods!!!
Either ways – I was in the safe zone … And that’s all that mattered to me.
Just to ensure that she had indeed burried the hatchet, I went up to her and said
Me: “Hey Savita … Sorry about what happened on Friday … I should’ve apologized on Friday itself, but I was full of hot air back then.”
Savita: “Hey … Its ok … I didn’t realize that I was bossing over you! Sorry about that …”
Me: “Yeah … I just don’t like it when anyone tries to boss me. It’s just my nature you see … Anyways … Past is past … Let’s put this behind us - shall we …”
Savita: “Sure … Let’s get on with our work …”
Me: “I’m cool with that … Lets get started on the transition! “
Savita: “Ok … Give me 5 mins … I need to get a coffee …”
Me: “Mind if I join you … I need to get my morning dose of caffeine too!”
Savita: “Sure … Challoe then!”
Me: “Ladies first …”
With that – our enmity had come to an end. Atleast for the moment !!!
It was not something I expected – but I was happy that it ended this way. After all – as the wise say – “We all have short lives … Instead of making enemies – make as many friends as possible … You’re life will be a lot better that way … ”
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Can I have some money please?
If you go back a couple of chapters, you might recall that I was talking about the dilemma I was facing - About not having enough money to pay for my guest house. Well, let me continue on that.
On Day 2 of stay at Bangalore – I was too much in awe of being in Bangalore on Day 1 that I completely forgot about it on Day 1 – I realized I need to talk to Pak about this financial pothole I had got myself into. So, I decided to send him an e-mail. This is how my e-mail went.
Dear Pak,
Hope this mail finds you in the best of cheers!
This is with regards to the travel advance disbursed to me for my relocation to Bangalore. As you are aware, I have been given Rs. 5000/- as cash advance for my visit to Bangalore.
I would like to bring to your attention that I have been given accommodation in a referral guest house which charges me Rs. 1600/- on a per day basis. Given this background, and that I have to be here for a period of 13 days, the rental cost alone would amount to Rs. 20,800/-. Ergo, please authorize the disbursement of a sum of Rs. 20,000/- to aid me in paying the costs incurred for this official trip.
Looking forward to hearing from you shortly!
With Best Regards,
Sharath Kumar R
And this is the reply I got from him:
Sharath,
Use your Credit Card!
- Pak
I think to myself - “What a sick bastard … I ask him for money, and he tells me to use my credit cards! As such Diapro never pays even my salary on time. Now, if I make all my payments for this trip on my credit card, and as sure as hell – Diapro will delay the re-imbursement of the same, then I end up paying 3 % of my outstanding as interest charges!”
On that thought, I bring up a Microsoft Excel Worksheet and do some quick math to see what my expenses for this trip would sum up to.
That immediately gets me thinking - “Oh Shit … 3 % of Rs. 26000/- is Rs. 780 /-. No chance is hell I’m taking on that sort of damage. And that too for this fuck all company!!! “
By this time I had decided, I was not going to use my cards and I knew that the best course of action was to call Pak and tell him about it. But, I couldn’t tell him the real reason for my not wanting to use my cards – could I!
But, the scheming genius that I am, I had a plan … A master plan!!!
Muhahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!
I picked up the VOIP phone and dialed Pak’s number in Chennai (Oh … For those wondering what VOIP stands for – It means Voice Over Internet Protocol. It’s a technology IT companies everywhere use to make dirt cheap STD/ISD calls to clients/onsite teams. Btw – It’s the same resource IT employees – me included – “mis”use to call friends in the US and ask them how this weeks visit to the strip club went!)
Pak: “Hello …”
Me: “Hi Pak … Sharath here …”
Pak: “Hi … How you doing?”
Me: “Great … Thank you!”
Pak: “So … What did you call about?”
Me: “Pak … It’s about the e-mail I sent you earlier today.”
Pak: “Oh yes … The money disbursement eh!”
Me: “Yeah …”
Pak: “Well … Like I said in my e-mail earlier … Use your credit card. It’s got many benefits you see …”
With that statement, he proceeded on to explain the benefits of having a credit card. For the next 5 mins, I was wondering – “Am I talking to my Program Manager or a freaking Credit Card Sales Man???”
5 mins later, when he thinks he’s done convincing me, he gives me a chance to speak
Me: “Pak … I don’t have a credit card!”
Pak: “What?”
Me: “I said – I don’t have a credit card!”
Pak: “Oh shucks … That sucks!”
Me: “Yeah … Now you know why I need the money!”
Pak: “Sure … Raise a request for the same – I’ll approve it later today.”
Me: “Thanks Pak … I’ll raise the request right away!”
Pak: “Is there anything else you needed from me?”
Me: “Naaa … Thanks for your time … Bye!”
Pak: “Yeah … Bye!”
I had won the argument … Yahooooooooooooo!!! Once I had the money in my bank, I’d pay using my credit card anyways. I thought to myself “You’re a smart arse Sharath …”
;-)
On Day 2 of stay at Bangalore – I was too much in awe of being in Bangalore on Day 1 that I completely forgot about it on Day 1 – I realized I need to talk to Pak about this financial pothole I had got myself into. So, I decided to send him an e-mail. This is how my e-mail went.
Dear Pak,
Hope this mail finds you in the best of cheers!
This is with regards to the travel advance disbursed to me for my relocation to Bangalore. As you are aware, I have been given Rs. 5000/- as cash advance for my visit to Bangalore.
I would like to bring to your attention that I have been given accommodation in a referral guest house which charges me Rs. 1600/- on a per day basis. Given this background, and that I have to be here for a period of 13 days, the rental cost alone would amount to Rs. 20,800/-. Ergo, please authorize the disbursement of a sum of Rs. 20,000/- to aid me in paying the costs incurred for this official trip.
Looking forward to hearing from you shortly!
With Best Regards,
Sharath Kumar R
And this is the reply I got from him:
Sharath,
Use your Credit Card!
- Pak
I think to myself - “What a sick bastard … I ask him for money, and he tells me to use my credit cards! As such Diapro never pays even my salary on time. Now, if I make all my payments for this trip on my credit card, and as sure as hell – Diapro will delay the re-imbursement of the same, then I end up paying 3 % of my outstanding as interest charges!”
On that thought, I bring up a Microsoft Excel Worksheet and do some quick math to see what my expenses for this trip would sum up to.
| Food | 1500 |
| Rent | 21000 |
| Travel | 3000 |
| Telephone | 500 |
| | |
| | 26000 |
That immediately gets me thinking - “Oh Shit … 3 % of Rs. 26000/- is Rs. 780 /-. No chance is hell I’m taking on that sort of damage. And that too for this fuck all company!!! “
By this time I had decided, I was not going to use my cards and I knew that the best course of action was to call Pak and tell him about it. But, I couldn’t tell him the real reason for my not wanting to use my cards – could I!
But, the scheming genius that I am, I had a plan … A master plan!!!
Muhahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!
I picked up the VOIP phone and dialed Pak’s number in Chennai (Oh … For those wondering what VOIP stands for – It means Voice Over Internet Protocol. It’s a technology IT companies everywhere use to make dirt cheap STD/ISD calls to clients/onsite teams. Btw – It’s the same resource IT employees – me included – “mis”use to call friends in the US and ask them how this weeks visit to the strip club went!)
Pak: “Hello …”
Me: “Hi Pak … Sharath here …”
Pak: “Hi … How you doing?”
Me: “Great … Thank you!”
Pak: “So … What did you call about?”
Me: “Pak … It’s about the e-mail I sent you earlier today.”
Pak: “Oh yes … The money disbursement eh!”
Me: “Yeah …”
Pak: “Well … Like I said in my e-mail earlier … Use your credit card. It’s got many benefits you see …”
With that statement, he proceeded on to explain the benefits of having a credit card. For the next 5 mins, I was wondering – “Am I talking to my Program Manager or a freaking Credit Card Sales Man???”
5 mins later, when he thinks he’s done convincing me, he gives me a chance to speak
Me: “Pak … I don’t have a credit card!”
Pak: “What?”
Me: “I said – I don’t have a credit card!”
Pak: “Oh shucks … That sucks!”
Me: “Yeah … Now you know why I need the money!”
Pak: “Sure … Raise a request for the same – I’ll approve it later today.”
Me: “Thanks Pak … I’ll raise the request right away!”
Pak: “Is there anything else you needed from me?”
Me: “Naaa … Thanks for your time … Bye!”
Pak: “Yeah … Bye!”
I had won the argument … Yahooooooooooooo!!! Once I had the money in my bank, I’d pay using my credit card anyways. I thought to myself “You’re a smart arse Sharath …”
;-)
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