:)

:)

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

I Forgive You Mr. Kapoor! -- A Short Story

Sitting in my office, my stare moves from window to ceiling and then to the desk, where lies a huge mess of old and new files, samples, rusted scissors, scattered stationery and amongst all this, a cup of tea, cold as ice by now. However, for me the only thing important is my job that I take damn seriously. I have even told Mr. Kapoor all this minutes back.

Mr. Kapoor, my boss, is short and stout with a hanging lower lip that seems to indicate that it is too tired to keep the beetel and pan masala from coming out of those pursed lips. However, whenever Mr. Kapoor calls me ‘beti’ instead of Sarika, I can’t even describe the feeling.
It was only 20 minutes ago when I was summoned to Kapoor’s office, a cubicle tastefully decorated in maroon and purple, strange as himself. Anyways, as I entered he interrogated -
“Helloji, everything fine?”
“Yes sir”
His calm and composed ‘every thing is fine?’ question is actually the lull before the storm. I could see his hawk -like eyes, his computer like mind was ready to bombard me with some unforeseen issue.
As far as my cool and composed ‘yes sir’ was concerned, what a junior merchandiser can say even if she has to fight for her chair and water jug every morning with other employees. Actually chair means literally that- ‘chair’, the ubiquitous four legged furniture but Kapoor has not replaced those office chairs since Noah built his ark so a fight follows every morning with employees going even to the extremes of making insignias on them.
Kapoor started in his husky voice-
“What do you want to do in life?”
“Sir ?”
“What do you want to do in life?”
“Sir a comfortable life, what else?”
“How will you get a comfortable life beti?”
This beti word is a sign of danger, for it allows 61 year old Kapoor to scold staff like one scolds one’s own children- much more ruthlessly.
“Sir, by good performance. What happened sir?”
“No don’t ask me beti you know better”
“Sir I did send the samples to ‘Anks’
‘Anks’ was one of the clothing brands I was handling.
“I also contacted the sourcing department for the exact color of buttons they want and the thread number required”
“Hmmmm” said Kapoor in a low tone as if gauging his prey before pouncing and tearing it into unrecognizable pieces”
“Sir I have worked really hard”
“Just like a donkey right beti?”
“Sir??”
“Sir my foot! You stupid girl… the buttons you ordered were of exact colour but have you checked the shade? Did you make the minutes of the meeting on Anks? You took two days, two full days, to respond to the department about the status of the sample”
“But sir, I have to handle four brands more sir. That’s why the delay”
“No, the delay was because of our incapable staff” he said looking me into eye. “And yes, your disinterest for work. What if you handle five brands? What if? Look at me, I have three kids and a wife and a house and a company and a club and my investments and my health and a thousand other issues to take care of. Getting some inspiration or not?”
Kapoor said adjusting his glasses and grinding his teeth when he stopped to inhale some air as if it were glucose that would give him more energy to shout.
“I know” he continued “I know a normal merchandiser can handle two brands normally, but always remember you only said for yourself at the time of recruitment ‘Sir, I want to prove myself’. Now I have seen the proof” he shouted, making funny hand gestures.
I have been working here ever since I have earned my diploma in merchandising from an institute nearby, affiliated to some obscure university somewhere in South India. I report to Kapoor directly.
“Do not stand here and let your work suffer now, go and complete the entire work now only”
“Yes sir”
“Got it?”
“Yes sir”
“Go now. By the way, do you think you deserve another chance here?”
“Yes sir, Please trust me. I will prove myself for sure and you will definitely see zero mistakes from now” I said wiping my hot tears. He then gestured me again to get back to work.

His is the only room that has all the things in working condition in fact. He sits on a high Godrej chair and has a peculiar habit of scanning every staff member from head to toe from behind his gold rimmed glasses as if he could detect cocaine hidden in someone’s stomach.

I swear on my dead husband, if I were not having all the EMIs to pay along with the home loan he took for our one room flat and for my child’s education and yes, only if I were a little more educated, I would have spat on his devilish face.

But as I sit here under the ancient fan that always seems to be begging for retirement by creaking loudly, I have pardoned Kapoor once more for behaving rudely with me. After all, you see, I am not like him, insolent and rude, so I forgive him for all the rudeness he shows to me after all he has called me ‘beti’!

94 comments:

  1. very sad! not only sad it shows the power of wealth and status ...disregards respect between an employer and employee..
    there are many who suffer from these kinda jerks ...this was one big of its kind!

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  2. A nice read.. nd true also..
    one can easily relate with this.. :)

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  3. hii Harman

    yes, u got it!

    thanks :)

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  4. hii Pink Teddy

    thanks a ton!!

    :D

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  5. Definitely happens. And yes, its the responsibilities that ties one to such hopeless bosses. Sad. A good read.

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  6. Bosses seem to be like that only..I have nevr heard anyone praise his/her boss:)

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  7. But then...The Boss is always RIGHT:)

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  8. Bosses are required to pull up their employees for sloppy work.But this is best done in polite but firm words.Mr.Kapoor, though softened his tirade with a beti, could have been less taunting and more considerate to employees in providing comfortable working conditions.He is no model employer.
    The story is very nicely written,

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  9. This is such a well-jotted story. You know the reaction of Mr. Kapoor from being calm to reaching the boiling point is so real. It very well portrays how things are with every boss around the world.

    Good job!
    And you've got a nice blog. :)

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  10. hii Jyothi

    yes, true..Thanks for liking the story :)

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  11. hii Holy Lama

    hehe! yes sadly :P

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  12. hii KP

    yes. I am glad u liked it!!

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  13. hii Vinati

    thanks a ton! m happy u liked it!

    :)

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  14. hii shreya

    thanks a ton!

    :)

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  15. OH...Are the boses realy so disgusting and dominating...
    then itsgonnabe a tough path ahead for me..(still doin with my studies)
    and yes...agree with Shreya..sadly beautiful

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  16. hii madrasi!

    hehe dont worry, this is just a story :)

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  17. As an employee there are times one faces the brunt! Take it in stride! You wrote very well...

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  18. hello Mr. Bhatia

    thanks a lot!

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  19. Wonderful and appropriate post as we all come across through this situation in our life. Very well written.

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  20. hii Babli

    thanks a ton!!

    :)

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  21. hii Asma

    thanks a lot!

    keep coming :)

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  22. hi!
    a well written post..but more than that it is poignant and painful, it is helpless yet happy!

    Strange are the ways of life
    More so,
    when we cannot take things under our stride.

    take it as a mundane office day. it'll only help you:)

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  23. hii grain of sand

    thanks for the nice comment!

    it is just a short story, a piece of fiction

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  24. So well written, perfect expression, although sad! It's rarely realized by some of the bosses how their thoughtless behaviour hurt others.

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  25. hii Ruprekha!

    yes, most bosses never realize this
    thanks a lot!
    :)

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  26. You are indeed the better person.

    Well written!

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  27. hii Lafy Fi

    thanks a ton!

    keep coming :)

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  28. Hey AS, well written... brought out the angst and the helplessness n yet the ultimate forgiveness to Mr Kapoor...liked the way u brought out his character by describing the sorry state of the furniture..

    very nice read...n hopefully, this is not a true story?

    very well written, A S

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  29. twisted... i didnt know whom to hate and whom to like..

    and thats a compliment!

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  30. hii RAJ

    yes, employees working in such companies are often exploited. No, this is just a piece of fiction.

    Thanks for liking it!

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  31. hii Sankoobaba


    thanks! nice compliment :)

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  32. Hello ANkita. Pleased to meet you in blogger..:)

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  33. hii Tomz

    Pleasure is all mine :)

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  34. i go with babli's commment: Wonderful and appropriate post as we all come across through this situation in our life.

    ReplyDelete
  35. hii Ramesh

    thanks a lot!

    :)

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  36. For a minute..I thought..that Mr Kapoor has called to give you some gyan about how to lead a comfortable life and how to achieve things in life...but..I was wrong... :P

    The change in tone from a sympathetic 'beti' to scolding..was sudden...but that is may be a part of being boss! :D

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  37. hii Kunal

    thanks for the nice comment :)

    its a piece of fiction!

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  38. hi to all hummingwords.blogspot.comers this is my frst post and thought i would say hello to you all -
    thank yous speak soon
    garry m

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  39. Ah! something different from you - this time a short fiction...unleash your creativity..keep 'em coming :)

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  40. hii mOhan

    thanks a lot! m happy u liked this :D

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  41. Wow, that was quite an experience, and I am sure many can relate to it :D It's largely a matter of hanging on till you get have options to decide :)

    Binu Thomas.
    Bloggers Park

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  42. hii Binu

    thanks a lot!
    yes, exactly :)

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  43. jus happened to pass by...
    you write with so much imagery..literally made me live your experience..

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  44. hii Rohit

    thanks a lot!

    its a piece of fiction

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  45. Beautifully written! Thanks so much for visiting my blog.

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  46. the plight of working class.. soon I'm going to join it too :(

    Weakest LINK

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  47. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  48. hii Rachit!

    heheh! be positive, this is just a story :)

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  49. I hate when bosses are so rude! I have encountered many times where situations like this has happened. One I did quit. I had a job lined up, so I left in a hurry! The one I work at now, the boss rarely complains, but he has other people he pushes around to push me around. He isn't man enough to speak up for himself. This may be a good thing. I might have been long since gone if he had talked to me himself.

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  50. hii Alizza

    yes, some pple are very rude and insolent. one must stand up for himself esp if he is the boss :)

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  51. A reality check, story of every middle class working lady. And, believe me of my husband too these days. Reaching office before 8 which means getting up at 5:30 and no time of coming back. Though he works on Times Square but except for surrounding everything is same, even the EMI...

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  52. hii Saru

    yes, this is a sad reality indeed. Employers do exploit staff and its rampant around the world

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  53. Definitely happens. And yes, its the responsibilities that ties one to such hopeless bosses. Sad. A good read.

    Office Chairs

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  54. hii offie chairs

    yups, thanks a lot!

    :)

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  55. by the way this is Jyothi's comment.. :P

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  56. buddy thanks for the good words yar...nice to be yr friend:)

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  57. hii R Ramesh


    yups, pleasure is all mine :)

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  58. dropped in 2 say hi...chalo..is coffee ready? haha

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  59. hi just registered ,, tina

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  60. AS...

    As they say "BOSS IS ALWAYS RIGHT"....

    so one can't do anything as long as he/she has to serve him...:(

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  61. hello my beautiful world
    hello everyone on this place!
    i am Kate

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  62. Poweful read. Well written!

    Thank You for your wishes :)

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  63. hii Irfan

    yes, true .. :P

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  64. hii Philo

    thanks!
    keep coming!!

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  65. Wonderfully penned! People like Mr. Kapoor allow power to inflate their brain. Unfortunately this leads to abusing their staff :(

    This is the first time I have sampled your writing and it's commendable! I was wondering why I haven't seen you in so long. I follow your sketching blog but there is no recent sign of life there so I decided to follow this blog too. Still not much sign of life either (ha ha) but at least it's more updated :-)

    It was great to see you back at my blog ~ thanks! Wishing you a happy new year and I hope we'll be seeing you more often. Take good care of yourself :-)

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  66. hii Fiona!

    I am so very glad to see you here! I was a bit caught up in mundane things so could not update the blogs.

    Thanks a lot! m happy u liked the story.I agree with ur point.

    Happy new yr and keep coming!

    :)

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  67. hi buddy..when is the next post coming here..v fans r eagerly waiting..wishes

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  68. hii Ramesh

    heheh! :)
    very soon!

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  69. humming words..mind u..u r in my best friends' list haha

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  70. hello RR

    thank u!!

    and u r in mine :)

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  71. Because the admin of this website is working, no question very soon it will be renowned, due to its quality contents.

    ReplyDelete
  72. hii Anon

    thanks a lot! amen :)

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  73. Wonderful narration dearest sis:),u hav mastered the art of story telling,its a work of fiction yet its so despondent and heart touching,the storyline is so original,phraseology and description is incredible.u hav avoided using hackyeward phrases which i appreciate,their are many interpretations whch can be made out frm this short tale. ur narration had a influence on me lyk a raconteur:)

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  74. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  75. hii bro!

    thanks a ton my dearest bro!!

    luv u!

    :D

    ReplyDelete
  76. hii Gayathri

    is it??

    ohkk

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  77. Just couldn't stop myself from going with the flow, very well written just fabulous...

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  78. hii Aditya!

    Thanks a ton! :D

    Keep coming!

    ReplyDelete