Attachments

Chapter 7

I didn't have the energy to conquer the day at work, even before it started. Sandwiched midst a sea of people, I took the train to my workplace, the next morning, which drained me out in the truest sense. Underneath the scorching sun, I sprinted my way to the office because thanks to my usual rotten destiny, all the Rickshaws I stopped were either filled with people, or had arrogant drivers who didn't want to go on a short hire. By the time I stood in front of the office building's entrance, I was drenched and soaked in sweat; I felt disgusted. I raced up the series of stairs, and staggered my way towards the elevator to find Darshan standing in front of it in a pair of gray sweatpants and black hoodie, with a paper-cup of coffee straight from Starbucks. I took slow, and silent, steps towards him, wiping away the sweat off my face with the back of my hand, and stood beside him with my arms crossed against my chest; he was immersed in Facebook that he didn't notice the world around him.

"Good morning, Sir", I greeted, and cleared my throat, making him look in my direction. It took him a moment to pass on a smile at me, and then, he furrowed his eyebrows, shooting a look of confusion at me. "It's a good morning for me, but I don't think it'll be a good one for you. You're running late, Miss", Darshan pointed out. "But that's excused, right? It's my first day, and moreover, it's the first time I'm traveling in Mumbai! My luck, or fate, or destiny...or whatever you call it – is so fucked up, I couldn't find a Rickshaw. Man, I had to run a goddamn marathon from the Railway station. I don't even walk at home, and all of a sudden, I'm running like a mad-woman on the roads. I deserve to be excused!", I rolled my eyes. "I don't need your explanation. Save it for Mr. Joshua – your trainer and the company's terrorizing General Manager", Darshan forced a smile at me, and I sighed. "By the way, you might as well spray perfume on yourself or something, you stink", Darshan said, and I looked down at my clothes, with my mouth dropped open. "Fuck, for real?", my voice gravely dropped in horror, because I didn't have a perfume, or anything scented with me. "Joking", Darshan chuckled, running his fingers through his hair. "If this area had no CCTV camera, I swear I would have punched you", I threatened him, teasingly. "FYI, I'm the company's owner. Well, half-owner. I'll fire you", Darshan threatened back. "Oh please, screw you! I'll never be able to take you seriously", I exclaimed, shaking my head to the sides. "Why not?", Darshan demanded of me, and that was exactly when the elevator door slid open. "Look at yourself! You look like one of those Starbucks delivery boys, on a wintry morning, who visited the office to deliver coffee", I straightforwardly told him. "Well, it's my company; I can show up in star-printed boxers and no one would dare to say a thing against me", Darshan smirked. "That's disastrous", I spat in disgust. "What? The idea of me in boxers?", Darshan laughed. "That, and the fact that it's star-printed", I pointed out, and our conversation abruptly met its end when the elevator doors slid open on the first floor. "Simple advice, madam – don't make the mistake of back-answering Mr. Joshua, otherwise you'll be jobless on your first day", Darshan spoke in a low tone. "How do you not back-answer to people?", I whispered, and Darshan chuckled softly. "Good luck", he whispered back, walked out of the elevator, and we parted ways; he headed straight to his air-conditioned North-Pole-like cabin, and I dropped into Mr. Joshua's cabin.

Mr. Joshua was a bulky, and neck-less, man with salt-and-pepper hair, and was probably in his late forties, or something. He had a grumpy expression smeared on his face, as if he had a fight with his wife in the morning before showing up for work. He looked horrific.

"Miss Dityaa", in his rough voice, he called out once I stood in front of him, clasping my hands together, and flashed a nervous smile at him. "What time is it?", Mr. Joshua questioned, pointing at my wrists. "Uh—um, Sir...I don't have a watch", I studied my empty wrists for a moment. "Do you have plans of throwing a party after getting your first salary?", Mr. Joshua shot an absolutely irrelevant question. I felt the urge to snap, 'That's none of your business', on his face but I didn't want to lose my job. "No, Sir", I answered, uncertainly. "That's good. So, I'd suggest you to spend your first salary on a good watch, Miss Dityaa. Maybe, even the hundred rupees watches they sell on the footpath would do", the madman said with much seriousness. "On my watch, it's 09.30 a.m.", he announced, looking at his shiny wristwatch with pride, and just that moment, an office-boy walked inside, with a mug of coffee. "Ramesh, what time do you come to work?", Mr. Joshua asked the office-boy, out of nowhere. "Sir, 6 o'clock", Ramesh answered, keeping the coffee mug on his side of the table. "At what time do I reach the office?", Mr. Joshua raised another question. "Seven-thirty...", Ramesh guessed. "Hmm. At what time does the office start?", Mr. Joshua asked yet another question from Ramesh, who looked utterly confused because of the surprise pop-quiz on a normal working day. While Mr. Joshua carried out his 'Who Wants to be A Millionaire' quiz with Ramesh, I wondered if that man ran out of a mental hospital. Psycho. "Office starts at 9.00", Ramesh stated. "What time is it now, Miss Dityaa?", Mr. Joshua shifted his focus back at me. "9.30", I answered, guiltily. "Now, it is almost 9.35", Mr. Joshua corrected. Well, he wasted five minutes! "Ramesh, I have been working in this company for fourteen years now, and never have I ever showed up late. But this madam here is late by thirty minutes on her first day", Mr. Joshua revealed to Ramesh. Ramesh simply shot an awkward glance and smile at me, before finding his way out of the psychic man's cabin with a small, plastic tray.

"Sir, I'm new to Mumbai. Plus, I couldn't find Rickshaws on the streets", I explained. "When I started working – eighteen years ago – I used to walk five kilometers every morning to get to my workplace. Be it winter or summer, I would walk", he unrealistically bragged. "No wonder you're this thin", I muttered under my breath, looking at his pregnancy-bump-like belly. "Sorry?", he narrowed his eyes. "I said—that's---that's great dedication", I covered up. "Back in my time—", he began his narrations, and I plainly cut him off, without bothering to think about the consequences. "Sir, what are my responsibilities towards the company?", I questioned, silencing him. He gawked at me in disbelief, as though I did the unthinkable; something I shouldn't have dared to do. "I was thinking, what's the point in talking about the past when it's gone forever? We should focus on today, and this very moment, right, Sir? Moreover, it must be 9.40 a.m., now; every second counts", I told him, and the man looked away, taking a sharp breath. "Right, your responsibilities...", he searched for a file on his desk, and briefed me about everything I ought to do; he talked about timing and perfection more than my duty, that I had very little idea about what I was supposed to do. But I nodded my head in agreement to everything he said, when most of what he said simply pounced right over my head. "And since you're late, I'm cutting down a thousand rupees from your salary, which means that for each time you show up late, you'll be losing a thousand rupees from your salary", once he finished his lecture, he informed and I had a heart-attack on the spot. "WHAT? THAT'S SO UNFAIR", I bellowed with my eyes popping out of its sockets, and it was almost out of my own control. "Sir, that's extremely unfair. You cannot do this to me", I told him, and he didn't even bother to listen to me, let alone respond; he worked on his laptop, thinking that I would actually beg in front of him and seek his attention. Asshole. I snatched the file from the table and angrily stormed out of his cabin, without even excusing myself.

I darted towards Darshan's cabin, pushed the door open and sat down on the chair in front of him, breathing in and out; I was fuming and I could feel the anger rushing through my veins, which were probably on the verge of bursting. Ramesh and Darshan, who shared a conversation, abruptly fell silent and stared at me, in confusion; Ramesh looked far less perplexed than Darshan because he witnessed the drama in Joshua's cabin. "Ramesh Bhaiya, can I have a cup of coffee?", I requested, turning in his direction, and he simply glanced at Darshan, in fear; as though, I asked him for a ticking time-bomb. "Bring her a cup of coffee", Darshan softly ordered Ramesh, who followed his orders and left us alone in the cabin. Buzzing silenced and the sound of my breaths filled the cabin for a long while, until Darshan awkwardly cleared his throat. "Listen, I know we're cool with each other and shit, but you're not allowed to barge inside my cabin this way", Darshan said, slowly. "Oh please, Darshan; cut the crap!", I scoffed in annoyance.

"What does he think of himself!", I demanded of Darshan in anger. "Who?", Darshan furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "That Joshua!", I snapped, and Darshan snorted. "Mr. Joshua", he corrected in a serious tone, although he was still smiling. "He doesn't deserve my respect", I told Darshan. "Looks like someone had it nicely from Mr. Joshua early in the morning", Darshan teased. "Have you employed him to ruin everyone's mood in the morning? Like, what's wrong with him? He's pathetic! Why the fuck haven't you fired him yet?", I questioned. "Because he fires people, and I believe that only a madman would fire himself from an extremely high-paying job", Darshan answered. "And I know he's annoying and rude, but the company is what it is today because of his efforts", Darshan revealed. "Screw him. Darshan, fire him. I'll make this company huge for you!", stupidly, I blabbered sheer crap in the rage I was in. "You cannot even make it on time, don't talk about making the company huge, Dityaa", Darshan laughed. "God, I cannot believe I have to work with him", I nagged, sliding down the chair and covered my face with my hand. "Dityaa, sit straight!", Darshan hissed, and kicked my leg from beneath the table. "Dityaa, we'll get into trouble if someone walks in. Sit up!", Darshan scolded in fear, and I moved my hand away from my face to look at him. "But isn't this your company? Your company, but not your rules? Too bad", I wrinkled my nose and stood up from my chair. "My company, my rules and I want you to get out of my cabin", Darshan ordered, pointing at the door. "Don't even think of being serious. I repeat, I'm never taking you seriously", I rolled my eyes, and walked towards the door. "And I'd love to have my coffee served on my table, Boss", I announced, before pushing the door open. "Sure, Miss. I'll make sure Mr. Joshua serves it for you", Darshan said back, and I giggled before walking out.