The Patience of Avinash

Avinash worked really hard for that promotion. 

He had been working diligently on the same project in a company for more than seven years. He, in fact, was among the first few people who laid foundation of the project and took it to one of the biggest projects of that company.

Hundreds of people had joined that ever since, and left. Avinash was the only person left from the initial team of project. The senior most and he was the only one who knew the entire project through and through. And he very well deserved that pending promotion for more than three years.

All his colleagues from the foundation team had already left the company for better opportunities long ago. Even most of his juniors have got promotions and settled in U.S., or moved to other fresh projects which are more lucrative.

"Enough is enough!" Avinash let out his frustration in the restroom.

"But, we are doing our best Avinash!" The manager told him five minutes ago in his cabin, "I have pulled every string for your promotion. But the Boss has asked you to be a little more patient, and wait for a little more."

"Those assholes!" Avinash cursed a little louder within the four walls of restroom, "Those bastards are taking me for a fool now. I am going to show them now what am I worth!"

Heading straight out of the restroom, he banged the door a little harder behind him. And then he went to his desk, picked up his bag and went out of the office. That was the first day he left office way before time. Everyone on the floor was shocked. But it was the manager who looked frightened. That was the first time he had seen Avinash that much angry. And that was the first time he had seen him leave early.

The manager immediately reported the incident to his boss. The boss chuckled and said, "Don't worry Subhash, he will be calm soon and he will be back tomorrow again."

The manager hoped for the same.

Next day came…

Avinash was back to the office at sharp 10. He looked calm and his normal self again.

The manager arrived at 10:30 and was surprised to see Avinash already deep in work on his desk. "Apparently the boss was right," he smirked at Avinash and went into his office without a word.

"I told you so, Subhash!" The boss told the manager­ over phone, "He is not like everyone else." And both of them started laughing.

A couple of days went by. And Avinash was working as he always did. But he was a little quieter now.

He had been approached by other project managers from time to time. He has got more than seven lucrative offers under his belt from different companies who are ready to fulfill his every wish.

But Avinash just didn't want to be a part of that rat race any more.

He had made up his mind the day when he banged that restroom door loudly and left the office early for the first time in his career of seven years.

A week passed. It was the last day of Avinash in the company. He didn't tell anybody yet. Not even his manager or the boss. He didn't need their acknowledgement or any experience letter from the company.

That day he was the last one to leave the office. And before leaving he typed an email and sent it to everyone- "So long…" Those were the only words in the mail.

The next day everyone was shocked in the office. The manager called Avinash more than twenty times in 20 minutes. But every time the operator said "Dialed number does not exist." He was really frightened. Even the boss came running to the office t had a one to one meeting with manager. Nobody had a clue. "So long…" that's all he wrote in the email.

In the middle of the office they even went to his home address where he lived on rent. But the home was vacant too. No one was there.

And when they inquired to the watchmen of the building about Avinash by showing his photo; the watchmen looked puzzled. He scratched his head and then told them, "He didn't know anyone named Avinash living here." And they got the same answer from other thirty seven people they inquired to in the vicinity of the building.

And just like that, Avinash Bajaj had vanished from the face of the earth. But where did he go?