The Promotion

After four years of work I got my first real promotion and I reached a respectable designation. I had seen the promotion coming for a couple of months so I was glad but not elated when it was finally announced. The news spread surprisingly fast and I got a few congratulations and I knew a few more will come so the next day I took chocolates to the office and like a birthday boy gave it to all those who had congratulated me. People seemed happy partly for me, partly because of the chocolate, and partly because it was the right emotion to portray. One thing led to another and finally a celebration dinner was planned.

A lot of research was done at a friend's place after office over coffee to decide the right place for the dinner. Finally a nice restaurant was chosen which promised to flirt with the allotted budget.

We all were having a nice time over a gourmet dinner of cheese balls, garlic bread, Lasagna, Penne, fusilli and steak. Considering the daunting customization requested for each dish a nervous chef came over to ask how the food was and so did the manager. All were happy, satisfied and their hunger was more than satiated.

Finally enough the bill arrived and as promised it flirted with the pocket just to the right extent. To put icing on the cake we all decided to have some ice cream. We parked at the nearest mall and got our selves only a small cone each. Through out the outing conversations continued over various topics from colleagues, promotions, personal preferences, God and what not and it also took different tones like jokes, sarcasms and gentle banters. Though i took part in the conversations but these nonchalant topics did not interest me. I was lost in my own world in my own thoughts.I realized that I had been a little gloomy through out this year and the reason was that I wanted this promotion last year even though technically I was not eligible. How ever at 22:45 hrs all was done, closed and it was time to get back home.

The gloom had been evaporating throughout the evening and after the dinner oddly I felt a little relieved, the cheese from the pasta and sugar from the ice cream was making me happy. Today was special.Today was the culmination of my time in the company. Today I took a tiny step towards my goal. Today I grew a little more. Today I would sleep a little more peacefully.

I had a bike with me and I was happily enjoying the breeze on my face on my way back. The bike was also in mood and it jerked to a untimely halt. Probably some dirt in the fuel tank. This halt did not disturb my peace and I knew what had to be done and I re-started the bike. I stood there a moment and I noticed a stooped old man carrying a fairly big load crossed me.

I called out "BaBa"(a respectful term used for elders) he stopped and I went near him and asked him if I could give him a lift. We looked at each other for a moment. He was atleast 65 years old and the ages showed on his face. On the wrinkled fore head he had a tilak(a sacred mark on the fore head, put after praying/puja or visiting temple) and the style of the tilak reflected that he was not from around here. He smiled back at me and said " Nahi Sir. Humko yahe bagale me jana hai" (No sir I need to go just round the corner). I offered him a lift again more insistingly, he again politely refused and walked off.

I came back home and the image of the old man also came along. He is just smiling with his tilak on the fore head and I am lost in thoughts. I vaguely feel guilty for wasting the money on the expensive dinner when there are so many who will be sleeping without food and under the blanket of the rainy monsoon sky. I find my self asking me the question if I am selfish. I also wonder how small my world has become and how blind I have become to the reality around me. I find myself amazed at the fact that the plush offices, the air conditioned buildings, the office politics, the daily work, the promotion and all the illusions have finally convinced me that this is the only reality and this in my reality.

Mother nature is stepping in and I am feeling dead sleepy. I do not want to sleep but I now eventually I will. I will not sleep 'a little more peacefully' today but I will sleep with a sorrowed soul knowing that tomorrow when the alarm rings I will again wake up to this illusion of reality.