Priti Mandal

Abstract Comedy Drama

4.8  

Priti Mandal

Abstract Comedy Drama

Biscuits

Biscuits

6 mins
350


It was going to be very hectic day at work. The company had invested $150 million to develop a new 10. 5-acre hub, it would be the third largest in the world. The company’s headcount included 2,500 engineers and it was expected to add more at the 7,300-seater Kolkata innovation hub. Company was also consolidating all employees and hiring more engineers from various locations in the city. The work load on us had almost become quadrupled. We were snowed under it. We didn't even get enough time for lunch moreover the site was located in a very remote area. Altogether it was going to be a very tiring day as we had our work cut out for us.  


The clock had just struck seven in the morning. The warm yellow rays of the sun wafting through the curtains were kissing my face when the blaring sound of the alarm woke me. I pressed the snooze button and kept it aside. This is what happens when you're super exhausted and didn't complete your sleep moreover the winter mornings are lazy. They can really make you go groggy. But when you have to go for work, fighting the desire of sleeping for few more minutes gets tad bit difficult.


After catching sleep for twenty more minutes, my subconscious mind woke me. " Omg it's already 7:20. . . Ohh no, I can't be late " I exclaimed as I sprang from my bed. I rushed to the washroom, had a shower and then quickly got ready. I had no time left for preparing breakfast. I went to the kitchen, thankfully there was some upma left from last night, I packed that for lunch. It would be a long day so I also took 2 packets of biscuit and water with me.  


I reached the station. The construction site was located 75 kms from the main town. I don't know why the company chose such a backward area for setting the factory. I used to go by train. Travelling in the local trains of kolkata is nothing less than a challenge. My previous experiences were horrible but now in these 2 years I had got used to it. While most of the inhabitants gripe and grumble about the train service, everyone appreciates how impossible life would be without it.  


The train had already arrived. It was 9 am. I got into it. It was packed as usual. There was no space to even breathe. Thankfully it was winter otherwise I could have fainted in the crowd.  


At 10:15 we reached. I had to wait at the station for the Office van. Our company sent a van for us that would pick us from the station and drop us at the site. I hadn't ate anything since morning and was hungry by now. The van would arrive by 10:30 am so I still had 15 mins. I decided to have my tiffin. As I opened my tiffin, a child approached me. He appeared very pale and hungry, his clothes were rugged and torn. He said that he was very hungry and hadn't ate anything since yesterday. I offered him my lunchbox. He gave a wide grin. He ate it whole heartily and after having finished the tiffin, thanked me for my kindness. I patted his back and gave him a smile. I also offered him some money so that he may not have to go hungry for a few days.  


I felt hungry but I was satiated.

When you truly make an effort to feed someone less fortunate than you, you will feel physically and emotionally good and happy. It is the selfless deed that evokes true happiness.  

 I still had 2 packets of biscuits with me so I didn't bother to buy anything else from the station. The van arrived at 10:30 am. I got into it. My colleagues were already in. I bade them good morning.  


We reached our work sharp at 11 am. We were all set for our work. Within the next few hours I got so engrossed in work that I lost track of time. It was 3 pm. We didn't even pause for the lunch break or may be their stomachs were filled so they didn't feel hungry. But I was dying of hunger. My stomach was growling. I felt peckish. So when all others were busy, I deliberately came out in the corridor and took out the packet of biscuit. I torn the packet and was about to have a biscuit when one of my colleagues came from behind and snatched the packet. " Akele Akele. . . Not done " he added and began eating my biscuit . Meanwhile another colleague of mine who had come to call us, also joined him. Both of them ate the biscuits like horse, without pausing for a second. And all I could do was gaze them eating. Poor me, I grinned my teeth in anger. They finished the whole packet and didn't give a single piece to me. Thankfully I had one more packet left with me and this thought gave me little relief.  I hastily closed the chain of my bag so that they couldn't see it.  


If it were some other place I would have definitely bought something to eat. But as I said it was situated in the outskirts of the city. It was a completely deserted area with not even a single shop. There was a small market but that too 20 km away and I didn't had that much time in my hands. We then had to go for a meeting with the director and it would continue till 5 pm. By now I was totally starved, only water kept me alive. I could have ate that biscuit but the fear that someone would see me eating and then I would have to share it with them was far more greator than my hunger.  


We kept our bags outside and went for the meeting. It was such a boring meeting. My hunger pang was driving me crazy,I couldn't even focus on the meeting . I stumbled from the room feeling dazed and confused, completely disoriented by what was happening. I was so hungry that I could eat an ox. Coming out of the room, I rushed towards my bag.  


When I opened my bag, I was astonished. The only packet left which was my last hope for the day was already torn. And only 4 pieces of biscuits were left in it. I felt the ground slip under my feet. A storm was raging inside my heart. Anguish, hunger, dilemma all at once. I was so frustrated by then that I was about to fling my bag in anger when one of my colleague who was also my crush, Arnav arrived. Chewing something he uttered " Thank you so much yaar for those biscuits. . . Actually I did not eat them intentionally, I had opened your bag in search of a pen but then my eyes fell upon those biscuits and I couldn't resist myself. You know na these are my favorite cookies" 

I couldn't utter a word. I noticed a strange thing. All of a sudden my frustration, my anguish,everything disappeared may be because he was my crush. Had he been someone else I could have killed him. But here I couldn't even react, I just gave him a weak smile.  


After he went, I ate those four biscuits like a hungry wolf. Although those four biscuits felt nothing to my empty stomach but at least it silenced my hunger pang for a short while.



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