He walked out of the office with a bowed head and heavy heart, after handing over the laptop, cellphone and car keys. He had been ‘terminated’ from services. He thought about the American university fees that he had to pay for his daughter, and the maximum period for which he could stretch his savings. Will he find another job with this ‘black spot’ on his career, or should he start a business? Who are the trusted friends that would believe him, and be willing to help?
Sheena was the wife of a powerful bureaucrat, and was hired by the organization, largely, to leverage on her husband’s influence. She did not know much about the profession, but was egoistic and high-handed in her approach. Atul had risen up the ladder, after a lot of hard work and struggle. He often, ran into skirmishes with Sheena over her less than professional approach to work.
He could vividly recall the last controversy, where she had raised an issue about a delay, the reasons for which were beyond Atul’s control. He could not muster the required resources, due to an impending state election, and his staff being summoned by the authorities to help.
He had been polite in his reply,
“…….. are the reasons for the delay. Request you to please bare with me”.
Only if he had put in the necessary effort to improve his English, or use a spell check! His vernacular education had deprived him from linguistic excellence in English. It had also kept him excluded from the hallowed circles of society, to which Sheena belonged.
All he had meant to say was ‘Please bear with me’.
He was terminated on the charge of sexual harassment by a female employee.
Written for
Bear – Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt, Dec. 10/16
Creative Experiments and More 