The Protagonist-II

                 The Protagonist-II                     

                     “The Big No”                         

                          

                           2:32 PM                                 

The sky was amassed with the dark watery clouds. Surrounding atmosphere was full of noises. Between these, horns, shouts, swear words and continue whistle of traffic police and there I was! Standing in the red double-decker old BEST bus. Like a zombie! But in formals, black shiny shirt, gray cotton pant and of course the black formal shoes. Sweating like a fat man in a buffet and in collaboration with this my hair style was as worst as it could be possible. In another word I looked like the the ugly naked guy from friends but with clothes.

But is this Not a perfect start, is it? Rewind this time little bit.

                          

                                 11:30 AM                                        

I was in HR’s office, waiting for someone who would take my PI.

“Hey, Are you Mr. Lay Shah!” Someone patted my shoulder from my behind. From the voice, it was clear that the person who was behind me is a lady!(#sherlock_dailydose) Now slowly and steadily, the room was filling with some exotic smell of perfume, exotic! I turned back, I saw her face for the first time. Then I adjusted myself a little bit.

“Yes, mam I am!” tried to speak as fluent as I can. In Raees SRK's mom used to tell him something that not a single business is small and business is the biggest religion. Even my mom used to tell me something. she always tells me that I look smart when I am smiling. So, like SRK I followed my mother's word and I had started to smile at her.

“So, Lay tell me about yourself?” She was still as stubborn as I was not giving damn about your attitude and your smile and your mom's saying. At that day I realized that don't trust your mom too much. Sometimes people lie in blind love. 

Now, at this stage I had had only one option with me, using my ‘Bramhastra’. So, instead of using my name is this and I studied from this and this college like ordinary person, I had started to speak something different which was,

“Hello mam, Good Morning. My name is Lay Shah. Lay quite a unique name, isn’t it? Its origin is Sanskrit word लय which means time in the music even more correctly it means rhythm. I came from the town Godhra which is near to the very famous mountain Pavagadh which is famous for the temple of ‘Maa Adhyasakti’. Which is also a heritage place declared by UNESCO”

It took 1o minutes to complete my answer of telling about myself.I was unstoppable, in my mind I was thanking my mom for giving me a name like this and my friend Siddharth for his every weekend Plan of visiting Pavagadh. Now, I could see the interest and smile on the face of HR.

Then, after few question on my career, hobbies, aptitude. She put down my resume aside. I was staring at her. Then, I adjusted my glasses and sat properly on the chair I knew that what would be the next question (#sherlock_dailyoverdose),

“Let’s discuss your salary!”

 But instead of that she asked me this,

“Lay, do you know about our bound policies, are you agree to sign an agreement of 2 years?”

It was like a panic attack to me. In my mind, I was like ‘Bound for what, I do not want to do this job for two years when I will give my CAT exam. What about being a full-time writer, When I will do my stand up. This company is good but how can I give my 2 years to you just like that!’

“Mam, I am sorry but I was unaware of this bound condition. Right now I am preparing for the CAT. I can’t give you my 2 years!” I spoke this in front of her.

“See, our company has a strict rule about this if you will leave this company in the bound time you will have to face legal action plus you have to pay some lump sum amount as a penalty!” Now I could see the disgrace on her face that you have wasted my 45 minutes.  

I was clueless. I couldn't make an eye contact. I didn't know what to do, I was on the road on the one side I have a good job, good salary, good experience certificate of MNC and on the other hand I have my dreams! 

From the childhood, I have put them in my secret bag, in my mind!

Anybody can see the dream it's easy, you just have to shut your eyes. But it takes lots of guts to complete it. I have come to Bombay for writing and here I am! Completely on the wrong bus for another journey. If I said no, I would definitely miss the golden opportunity in my life. If I said yes then I would miss the life I want. 

 I still remembered my mathematics tuition teacher sir hitting us with a thick plastic stick even if you are watching TV or Movie. Chasing dreams, thinking out of the box was just like the stories of Aladin and Ginny, unreal and vain! It's 10th very important year of life, forget about chasing dreams thinking about it was also a big crime! 

After that, I took a science the journey from where your whole life would decide. Dream what is that…? Like the worst question paper of MCQ, our life had only two option Engineering Or Medicine! If you knew something outside of it then marks would not be given to you. You would be failed in an exam of life.

Two years just passed to remember equations and solving problems of physics. ‘See, beta college life is golden life, do whatever you want to do in college!’ But in college the story was different. Attendance, submission, projects exams fucked us so hard, living a normal life was impossible. But if you are good at something to do after your engineering. So, I completed my graduation. 

That day, I was still on the one wrong false hope. I knew that if I would join this I would be on the same path of not following my dream.  

And I said no to that opportunity!

Note: But life wanted something different from me and then magic happened ! I took a job. The journey from the big no to the new life of corporate started. How this would possible, I will tell you on the third and the last part of this story. Till then if you like this share this. 

I hope you enjoyed this.

                                    FIN.