The Exit of a mercenary
Eyes nervously look around for a secluded nook, the feet turn jelly and words simply refuse to come out of the mouth...I stand nervously on the stairs, shuffling undeterminedly. I very well know that after 5 more minutes the my life in here will never remain the same. Just a few moments after now everything will seem so alien and and things otherwise quotodian will seem to be loaded with some "hidden" message. Oh how I had waited for this moment and how timid I am when the moment of reckoning has actually come. I think over, trying to find some fault with my organization..a casual comment from a colleague that hurt..unsatisfactory work...cramped workstation..delayed salary..less salary..something...no, I go over the list again and find that I have nothing against the company that warrants the step I am going to take..but again, wasn't I the same person who, till yesterday was a vehement critic of company policies and who wanted to leave this "heap of garbage" as soon as possible, why, now the same heap of garbage looks like a redolent bouquet of fresh roses!
Anyways, I muster my courage thats rapidly deserting me and descend the stairs. I tentatively look inside the cube to find my manager assiduously working on some xcel sheet, quite unaware of the "tragedy" thats going to confront him just a few minutes from now. I shake my head in pity and better thoughts again take over, but then I remember the last appraisal, the last award distribution, the last mid-year review and my mind fills with the feeling of retribution and it paints a cruel picture of my manager..my heart gets some incentive and before I even collect my words, the tongue starts blabbering.."Excuse me Srinivas..can I have a talk with you?"..I remember that my ex-colleagues have traditionaly invited him for a coffee or tea to accomplish this, but somehow I find it too artificial and therefore gently murmur: "..Its urgent"..Srinivas is up from his desk and very soon we are marching towards the nearest conference room even as I rehearse my spiel for the nth time. The colleagues are all eyes to this spectacle and their faces say it all: "One more down..".
Once inside, the door is closed and manager tries to sound as normal as he can be in the present circumstances and says:"Yes, tell me..". I know that he knows what am I going to tell him..I know that he also knows that he can't stop me..but then corporate ethics rule that we both carry out this charade, so here I go: "Well, Srinivas, I have decided to quit". Srinivas's expression changes from fury to concern and finally to resignation. He knows that this was coming from the time I have requested him to come to this glass room...so he speaks out, carrying out the formalities:"Is it a work issue or a salary issue" and to this my obvious answer is :"Well a sort of both, i think I am not getting good work and this very fact is reastraining my salary"...I pat myself for sticking to the rehersed script and a very experienced Srinivas persists: "So if we give you better work, will you stay back?"..hmmm..I am veterean and know that he wants me to call it a salary issue and portray me as a mercenery..but I am not going to fall for this booby trap...so here I go: "Well, its a different domain altogether that I am getting outside and I know that you won't be able to match that..its not a salary issue at all" and I say this even as I know that the last sentence is a blatant lie.
Rest of the things fall into place by themselves. The exit procedure starts, HR takes the charge, haggling happens over the relieving dates and finally,the relieving date is communicated. And thus comes the day thats supposed to be "The Last Day"...I enter into the office and busy myself in completing the exit procedure..everything seems so nostalgic..the Outlook, the workstation, the canteen, the colleagues..everyone is busy but still I feel a stillness around me..its something like the feeling of emptiness one gets while attending a cremation in a mortuary! I try to take a backup of every bit of data and I to (mis)use the Laser Printer for one last time to take copies of payslips and other important(or non-important) docs including my latest resume. And finally somewhere in evening, HR gives a call, an Exit interview (a set of Qs and As) is held and as I shake hands for the final time and take her leave she says: "Excuse me, can I have your ID please.." and thus I duely take out my doggy tag(even that seems attractive now!!) and surrender the same to her. I walk out exactly the way I had once walked in, with a folder held in my arms, sporting a smile, looking forward towards a new future...
I enter my workstation for the last time, shut down the PC and shake hands with colleagues. Some kind souls also insist for a photograph. Digicams click and flashes pop..I am reduced to bits on a digital file...and my physical being walks out heavily from the office. I get down the lift and give one last wistful look at the magnificient glass and marble building that I had once entered with a sunshine of hope..and then I walk out of the gate, never to look back again..muttering to myself these memorable lines:
The office was lovely and people were nice,
But my life needed more spice,
And many more jobs I'll quit for that salary hike,
and many more jobs I'll quit for that salary hike.....
Anyways, I muster my courage thats rapidly deserting me and descend the stairs. I tentatively look inside the cube to find my manager assiduously working on some xcel sheet, quite unaware of the "tragedy" thats going to confront him just a few minutes from now. I shake my head in pity and better thoughts again take over, but then I remember the last appraisal, the last award distribution, the last mid-year review and my mind fills with the feeling of retribution and it paints a cruel picture of my manager..my heart gets some incentive and before I even collect my words, the tongue starts blabbering.."Excuse me Srinivas..can I have a talk with you?"..I remember that my ex-colleagues have traditionaly invited him for a coffee or tea to accomplish this, but somehow I find it too artificial and therefore gently murmur: "..Its urgent"..Srinivas is up from his desk and very soon we are marching towards the nearest conference room even as I rehearse my spiel for the nth time. The colleagues are all eyes to this spectacle and their faces say it all: "One more down..".
Once inside, the door is closed and manager tries to sound as normal as he can be in the present circumstances and says:"Yes, tell me..". I know that he knows what am I going to tell him..I know that he also knows that he can't stop me..but then corporate ethics rule that we both carry out this charade, so here I go: "Well, Srinivas, I have decided to quit". Srinivas's expression changes from fury to concern and finally to resignation. He knows that this was coming from the time I have requested him to come to this glass room...so he speaks out, carrying out the formalities:"Is it a work issue or a salary issue" and to this my obvious answer is :"Well a sort of both, i think I am not getting good work and this very fact is reastraining my salary"...I pat myself for sticking to the rehersed script and a very experienced Srinivas persists: "So if we give you better work, will you stay back?"..hmmm..I am veterean and know that he wants me to call it a salary issue and portray me as a mercenery..but I am not going to fall for this booby trap...so here I go: "Well, its a different domain altogether that I am getting outside and I know that you won't be able to match that..its not a salary issue at all" and I say this even as I know that the last sentence is a blatant lie.
Rest of the things fall into place by themselves. The exit procedure starts, HR takes the charge, haggling happens over the relieving dates and finally,the relieving date is communicated. And thus comes the day thats supposed to be "The Last Day"...I enter into the office and busy myself in completing the exit procedure..everything seems so nostalgic..the Outlook, the workstation, the canteen, the colleagues..everyone is busy but still I feel a stillness around me..its something like the feeling of emptiness one gets while attending a cremation in a mortuary! I try to take a backup of every bit of data and I to (mis)use the Laser Printer for one last time to take copies of payslips and other important(or non-important) docs including my latest resume. And finally somewhere in evening, HR gives a call, an Exit interview (a set of Qs and As) is held and as I shake hands for the final time and take her leave she says: "Excuse me, can I have your ID please.." and thus I duely take out my doggy tag(even that seems attractive now!!) and surrender the same to her. I walk out exactly the way I had once walked in, with a folder held in my arms, sporting a smile, looking forward towards a new future...
I enter my workstation for the last time, shut down the PC and shake hands with colleagues. Some kind souls also insist for a photograph. Digicams click and flashes pop..I am reduced to bits on a digital file...and my physical being walks out heavily from the office. I get down the lift and give one last wistful look at the magnificient glass and marble building that I had once entered with a sunshine of hope..and then I walk out of the gate, never to look back again..muttering to myself these memorable lines:
The office was lovely and people were nice,
But my life needed more spice,
And many more jobs I'll quit for that salary hike,
and many more jobs I'll quit for that salary hike.....
posted by Techie Author at 7:09 PM
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