One Stop Destination

      I was the first one to reach the waiting spot for lunch. I had had a tough day in office. My Boss' Boss the Goliath had shouted at me in front of my subordinates for no fault of mine. I was really down in the dumps and therefore sat with my face down. The sound of an approaching Royal Enfield Bullet disturbed my thoughts. I looked towards the entryway and could feel my heart sinking. Mallu drove past me up the driveway and parked his motorbike. I felt like running away. I did not want further torture. I had had enough for the day. He was the last person I wanted to see.       "Hey what is up??? Why are you sitting like this?       "Nothing sir."       "Come on, speak up. I am not going to eat you up. Maybe I can help??"       I wanted him to shut up and leave me alone. He probably sensed my discomfort.       "Look, even I have gone through bad days. Tell me, I might help out."     The tone in which he spoke touc

      Work place motto was to work hard and party hard. Hence, social life was hectic too. The Bachelors did have fun outdoors and indoors there were get togethers and theme parties.       A fortnight after our arrival, all of us were returning after an off beat musical night. The party had wound up at two in the morning. Since we had to reach office by six thirty, all decided to sit and chat for another three hours instead of going off to sleep. All of us plonked ourselves in front of Room No 20. Topic of discussion happened to be marriage thanks to Brat whose parents were on a bride hunting spree. After the initial one liners from all, Mallu took the onus on himself to project his viewpoints.       "So Singer, any plans of marrying?"       "Not so soon sir."       "Why, you haven't found someone yet??"       "No sir."       "In any case, you girls would get hitched to male colleagues and marry them subseque

       The next day was first day to work. Singer and I stood waiting for somebody (or anybody!!!) to give us a lift to office as we had no vehicle of our own.       "Singer, come I will drop you to office."       The voice was way too loud. It was Mallu.        "Lady you can come with me," said Senorita.       "All of you be back in time for lunch," shouted Athlete from the other side of the corridor.       Thankfully, I got a warm welcome in my office. Hardy was with a new Laurel this time. They showed be around my office premises. I found to my joy that I had a library with a whole lot of books at my disposal. What more can a bibliomaniac want!!!! My immediate Boss was off to a godforsaken place for a godforsaken task (don't even ask about it!!!) and I was to function under his Boss: A tall, hefty giant who roared more than he spoke. My first day at work came to a smooth finish when Senorita came to pick me up for lunch.

       I did not see Mallu for the rest of the day. It was an eventful day.        The Athlete took our Gen Test (General Knowledge based though it was all absurd and was no knowledge!!!). Imagine being asked to answer questions like how many tiles were on the bathroom walls (who counts????), how many tube lights in the corridor (does it include humans too???), so on and so forth.        Senorita gave a long sermon on dressing sense and conduct.       Saapy checked us for our musical abilities. Thankfully, one song from my friend Singer spared me of the torture as Saapy sent us scuttling back. He had had enough of Celine Dion's disastrous cover on "I'm Alive" to last him for the entire day. Now you understood why I called my friend Singer??? To even out, she called me Skeleton and I make no bones in accepting that you could pin me on a clothespin then and I could scare the hell out of people with my long hair falling over my face and blowing in the wi

            At precisely nine in the morning, Komol came knocking.       "Madam ji, Mallu saab ji is calling you for breakfast."       Breakfast as in eating or high speed emotional torture I wanted to ask but then, I kept it to myself. Singer was already seated when I entered room No. 20. High Highness was sitting on a beanbag with a look of disapproval and disgust on his face (it was probably normal expressions or maybe he was born with it!!!).         As soon as breakfast was over Mallu told singer to report to some new person called Chow in Room no 16. I was about to ask why is the mein missing from chow, it should be chowmein right??? Thankfully better sense prevailed and I checked my tongue in time. I must tell you all that I have this idiotic sense of humour which pops up in my head with real bad timing. At times, my instant tongue in cheek retorts have landed me in soups when I was in school. Blame it on the Pepsodent "Dhishum dhishum" ads t

              For me it was from the fire into the frying pan. Dinner was a torturous affair. Imagine accompanying a sour face whose running commentary was filled with expletives only. The only saving grace was that Athlete kept interfering in between by pulling up the cook for the awful food. Frankly speaking, looking back I don't even remember whether the food was bad or worse. The only thing etched in my mind is the image of two girls with fear writ large on their faces and two giant-sized men towering over them with scowls on their faces. I remember hating each moment of my humiliating existence there.          Seeing us nibble our food and barely eating, the twosome decided to let us go. We were let off with a warning from Athlete.      "Don't dare to talk to each other, don't enter into each other's room and....better report to Mallu in front of his room tomorrow morning at 0300 hours."         The journey, foul language usage and an un

 _________________________________________________________________________________              'All girls are the same. They cry at the drop of a hat.'      These lines kept echoing in my mind as I unpacked my trunk for the required stationery. I was not the kind to eavesdrop or strain my ears to hear what others talk, but while rushing towards my room I couldn't help but overhear Mallu's loud remark on the female gender. Hold your horses. I am no feminist out to fight gender biases, yet, it was absolutely inappropriate to generalize.        "Hey young lady, are you planning to stay in your room for eternity?" said a new voice.       "Sir I am just coming with the papers."      "In that case you better change your rig and come. This will teach you never to be late again."       Everybody was out to 'teach' something or the other. Grumbling to myself, I quickly changed into whatever dress I presumed was th

                     "Madam ji tea".        Komol had brought piping hot tea for me. A sip and it won me over. No wonder, people say then Assam or Asom pronounced Ahom, has one of the best tea in the world.        "Thanks Komol. Tell me who all live here."        "Madam ji you will soon find out," said Komol and before I could utter another word he ran out of my sight.        I went and closed the door while musing over the strangeness of the incident. Unable to resist the tempting comforts of the bed and the tiredness felt as an after effect of the long journey, I lied down for a short nap.         "Madam ji saab ji is calling you."        Komol's sudden shout made me jump and I almost fell off the bed. I thought I was dreaming. I heard him shout again. I washed my face, tied my hair and opened the door. I was irritated beyond words.        "Stop pacing up and down! What is the matter Komol? Why are you shouting?

               After what seemed like a long and tumultuous journey, I finally saw the familiar colour combination popping up in the distance. I just can't tell you how much relief that sight brought to me. Anyways, a detailed description of that would in no way fit into the requirement of this story, so.....lets move ahead.       I was asked to disembark in front of Room No. 22. I offloaded my luggage (Of course with help, I am not vested with six packs abs you see!!!!) and thanked the Laurel Hardy duo for having come to receive me. Once they left in the huge transporter, I took a good look at the area which was now going to be my home.       Like any sentimental fool, the thought of home took me miles away from my current location. You have heard of the physically present mentally absent terminology, haven't you???? Anyways....I was a newbie in a new job at that point of time (a decade has passed since that fateful day and a moment preceding a momentous occasi

    I stepped onto the platform of Guwahati railway station looking around for a known face. The humidity of mid July was catching up fast and my empty fears of anti-national elements out to hunt me down were running through my head. Why I thought so i still cant decipher. Neither was I a well known celebrity nor an outsider. Probably my transformation from a twenty four year old "frog in the well" to a "grounded flying princess" had a lot to do with such apprehensions.     Assembling my luggage, I had a quick glance at my cellphone (am allergic to watches, don't ask me why and how!!!!), and then a feeling of uneasiness dawned upon me. Suddenly I heard the most melodious voice saying "Madam, good evening. I have been sent to receive you". Turning around I saw a middle aged guy with a pot belly and a reed thin boy sauntering behind him. Well, the voice did sound musical to my ears, ones that were straining to hear a familiar voice. I had spoken