Social Story – And yet it is not decided
Photo credit: alive from morguefile.com
To work in Bangalore is what my neurons would signal to my brain from the day I started my college life. To live alone with his earning is what a perfect youngster would wish, five days piled up with work, saturday night parties and streets decorated with beautiful girls is what the pages of Bangalore life is filled with. This is what made me to chose this garden city.
B.Tech Biotechnology this is my qualification which I loved when joining and pretended to love when I got graduated. Everyone will surely have expectation when will their next phase of life would gear up. And as always expectation of a middle class teenager will never be fulfilled until it is tagged with recommendation.
I got placed in a company with no idea of my designation just started dreaming about my salary package alone and most importantly the place Bangalore. The place I wished to start my second half of my life. It is easy for me to make friends and adapt to new environment so it was quite simple to get attached with my new friends in PG. The biggest threat I had was the cost of living in bangalore, people always talk about the topic which they don’t know to panic others. Accommodation in Bangalore is mostly affordable.
First day of work, I somehow managed to get the right bus. Google maps the only companion which is very helpful while travelling. Thinking about my day ahead I closed my eyes and the bus started.
“Next stop is shanthi nagara” the recorded voice in the bus intruded my imagination of swiping my atm to take my first month salary.
“Excuse me can I have a seat” an old man with a bold tone asked me. I just smiled at him and nodded to have a seat. He was well dressed and had a small bag I assumed that it would be a laptop. Bangalore is of course the silicon valley of India. Each and everyone here will be a part of the IT industry. Every street of this city is not constructed but planted with malls. Earnings are dumped in malls just for recreation. Seeing the beauty of the city I just smiled for myself that atlast I am really in Bangalore to start earning.
“Is this the first time to Bangalore” the old man asked me. Its obvious for anyone to ask this question because I was peeping out of the windows to see the streets dressed up with branded shops.
“Yes sir and more than that this is my first day of my work” I said with excitation painted in my face. I don’t know why I answered him but it felt he is some how close to me at the first sight itself and he seemed to have the same mannerisms and actions I had.
The first question he asked was is this the job you were waiting or you nodded the head just seeing the salary package.
“Dreams doesn’t always pay you good” I answered in a confident tone that I have decided to work for money and not for dreams. He smiled by touching the locket in his neck.
“By the way I’m Priyan graduated from VR university and most important thing is that I’m a Cognizant employee and what is your name sir” I asked in curious way because he is the first person whom I meet before starting my day. It felt like I had some connection with him.
“F**k this traffic is a big problem” he shouted by seeing the jam packed roads I assumed he didn’t hear what I asked and was not interested in doing that again.
“What was your dad’s reaction when you said money matters a lot for you” he asked me.
I thought it was a big mistake for starting the conversation with this old man. But I couldn’t control I answered him, he said” Practically work for money, personally work for dreams”.
“I don’t know what he meant but it was all stupid, money matters a lot because there is no opportunity for biotech in India” I added up.
“Then why did you choose this course” he questioned me.
“I was interested first then when I started searching for job there was no openings so got fed up with this course and most important is that the pay is not good, and all the companies which came for placement was IT based. I want to lead a corporate life”
He started laughing at me and asked me “What is the difference between Biotech industry and Pharma industry? How many major biotech companies are there in India? Name some of the job designations in biotech industry?”
I don’t know the answer for any of his questions I started CRO, QA and RA.
He again started laughing and said “You have never entered a company with your resume, just applying online doesn’t me your are searching for job, failures teach a lot. Each and every footsteps you enter in any company gives you confidence about you and gives a idea of your field. First do field work on the company”
I shouted just please stop your lecture I am fed. I asked him can you please tell me what job you are doing. He smiled and started again ”Life is not as simple as you think, this is the age you need to decide your path. Don’t start working for money from the very starting. Work for your dreams. Money doesn’t give you satisfaction. You can get happiness from a prostitute but not the satisfaction when you fall in love with a girl”
His phone started ringing and he started talking over the phone.
What the F**k, who is this man, what he really wants me to do, why am I really worrying for his questions even when I convinced my dad. Why cant I convince this stupid man. Am I really going to waste my life just for money or work for satisfaction and happiness. Which one is good to work for the job which I got or to try for the job which I love to do. His words really made some spell on me. Is this really my world to step in or I need to create my own world. What will be the last pages of my career will it be positive. A whole lot of questions started invading my each and every brain cell.
“Next stop is electronic city” the recorded voice again made me alive.
The next second the bus was empty. The old man next to me was also not there. Conductor told me that this is the last stop and told me to get down. I started walking as thought I was injected with some drug.
I started walking towards my company but felt as though I m walking away from my life.
Suddenly someone shook me and I turned in shock and to my surprise it was the old man again.
You asked about me right, “I am Priyan MBA graduate after Biotechnology and I’m working as assistant professor in AN university” and he showed me the locket in his neck. It is the same locket which I have which my dad gave when I was 3 years old. He also had a scar near his eyes resembling my scar.
I was shocked and asked him who are you, he said “I’m you thirty years from now”
I was about to faint and he added” I’ve no family, the only thing I was doing all my life was running behind the job which had good pay and ended up with this job with no satisfaction in all these years, this is what the corporate life gave me sleepless nights and dark days. I’ve no one to shed tears neither to console me”
“Think twice before you step into this phase of your life” I turned and saw the majestic building next to me. It was like a fantasy story come true and the next second the old man disappeared just like that.
“Was is it really me or some mad fellow making fool of me, will my future really end up like that”
A piece of paper fell one me and it said ”Follow your heart” with my signature.
Thinking for more than half a day near the company which I was about to work. I left to my room with confidence to follow my dreams. Future is what u decide today.
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