Monday, September 29, 2008

Short story: Self-praise is a virtue

Tracy: Hello Dad!

Dad: Hi honey! You never called me this early in the morning. Is everything OK?

Tracy: Dad, I am planning to quit my job today. I don’t think I am cut-out for this job. I cannot be an exit interviewer anymore. Employees bring everything that I hate about human nature: frustration, depression, jealousy, arrogance, greed and selfishness.

Dad: I should tell you something that I never told you before- You are much stronger than you credit yourself for. But if you don’t enjoy your work then I am not going to push you.

Tracy {Surprised}: Thanks Dad.

[Tracy enters into her manager Ram’s room.]
Tracy: Ram, I need to talk to you now.

Ram: I am quite busy now. Schedule a meeting for today evening and we can talk then.

[Tracy returns to her cube to find her HR coordinator Hannah waiting.]
Hannah: Where have you been? It seems another employee of our client ‘Creative Solutions Ltd’ is quitting the company and you are been assigned to take her exit interview.

Tracy {with a heavy sigh}: Ok.

Tracy {to herself}: I swear to God, this is my last exit interview. I am not even going to read her profile; I will just call her and finish the interview in less than 15 minutes.

Tracy: Hello Julia, I am sorry to hear that you are quitting ‘Creative Solutions Ltd’. Can I ask you which company are you joining?

Julia: I am not going to work for a while. I am tired of my job and cannot take it anymore.

Tracy {disinterested}: Right, is there anything ‘Creative Solutions Ltd’ can do to retain you?

Julia: Not actually, company, pay and employees are great. It’s just that my job sucks. It tells me everything that is wrong with this world. I like to enjoy every moment of my life. However since I joined this job my passion for life is dying day by day.

Tracy {Surprised}: What exactly you do?

Julia: I take ‘exit interviews’ for employees. Since they couldn’t get anyone to take my exit interview, the company finally requested for your company’s services.
Tracy {smiling}: Thanks Julia for your time. I wish you a great life ahead.

[Evening in meeting room]
Ram: Tracy, I have some good news for you. We have decided to promote you. Chris is leaving and you would be the new Team Lead. So what you wanted to talk to me in the morning.

Tracy: Thanks Ram, this is really mind-blowing. Huh, I was planning to take a week off.

Ram: Good, enjoy your afternoons and come back next Monday with a fresh mind and a new spirit.

[Night]
Tracy staring in mirror: You are much stronger than you credit yourself for.
Tracy’s reflection in mirror smiles.

Total words= 463 + 4(title)

Monday, September 08, 2008

New phase in life

It feels nice to find someone whom you can irritate for the rest of your life. I found someone for the very same reason. I got engaged to Arati Jalikop :-). Here are few snaps:

Engagement Pics

Warning: the pics are a bit traditional !!

Sunday, September 07, 2008

Postcard story: Happy Birthday, Johnny!!!

Anne (Secretary): Good Morning Peter, executives are waiting for you in the main conference room. Give us the good news by noon.

Peter: {laughs} Anne, you know it better than me that acquisition doesn’t happen in a single meeting. They take months and sometimes even years.

Peter enters in the meeting room.

Peter: Good morning all, hope I didn’t make you wait that long. I am the CEO of Creative Solutions Ltd and this guy is Tom who has been working hard to make this merger a success.

Steve: I am Steve, CEO of Quick Fix Inc. And this is not a merger; you are forcefully trying to acquire our company.

Peter: {laughs} fair enough. But let me tell you one thing that after this deal we would be a number one company in the whole world.

Steve: Not us, just you. And I don’t see this deal getting finalized with the current terms and conditions. We are been undervalued and post-deal benefits don’t seem to be impressive at all.

Peter: Only market and time will tell whether this deal is a raw one. But as of now we own the market and the current time is ours. I will promise you only one thing and that is nobody would be laid off. I will see to it personally that your company is treated as our extended family. That reminds me, I have to leave now for a birthday party of one of my family members.

Tom {whispers}: Peter, we need to attend this issue right now. I busted my ass for almost a year to get everyone in one room. You cannot leave now.

Peter {loudly}: Sorry Tom, family comes first. Steve, Tom will handle all the details from here. If this deal doesn’t materialize today then I promise you that I will never ever try to cross your path again.

Steve and other executives watch Peter leave with angry faces.

[Couple of hours later]

Tom: Peter, this is huge. Listen to this, Steve signed the papers. He said- I like a CEO who takes care of his family. Whose birthday is today, by the way?

Peter: Thanks Tom, talk to you later.

A little girl: Daddy, I didn’t know you loved our dog this much. Thanks for bringing Birthday cake for Johnny.

Peter: Anything for you sweetie. Now go, hug Johnny and smile….

“Click”


Words= 396 + 3 (title)