New Life with a New Spark....-Part-5 (Final Part)

Valentine’s day, or say my day this time; since I was in jam-packed mood to propose Rehana…I have seen some movies in which actor never tells actress abt his feeling and one fine day, the actress go with another actor and I had no intention to make my story a triangle love story. I was quite happy to see calendar when I noticed that this time, it’s on Thursday i.e. a working day so I can be with her for all day. I was happy to feel that god is with me…

We got a intra HR Depart. circular that this time there would be a Valentine’s Day Poster Competition within different teams in HR Deptt. We were supposed to prepare a poster with a Tag Line and some slogans, which define our team’s importance in the company with the expression of love. It was a pleasant surprise for us. Always HR ppl organize different activities for other departments rather this time we got the chance to have competition with colleagues of our Deptt. We had the team of 10 ppl, including 2team leaders. Team leaders are always useless when it comes to take some initiative. All they can say is “C’mon team mates; let us show something innovative which made our name.” That time, before he opened his mouth, I spoke to my team mates that I would prepare the poster myself with the help of some ppl….

I, Rehana and jerky started working on Project Poster. I took Rehana in my team intentionally so that I get the chance to speak with her some more words about love and jerky wanted to be a part of team. I actually wouldn’t mind to stop him poking his nose but I didn’t denied because of 2 reasons…one, if only we 2 wud be in team, then my team mates will start making stories about us (their narrow minding approach, you know…) and two, someone should be there to edit the content, making some print outs to see if it fit proper (since we planned to make a poster on MS Word)….

We got the mail on Monday, only 3 days prior to ‘The Day’ so we planned to start working on Project Poster from that evening onwards (since we had to complete our official work the day time)….nothing came up on Monday. Tuesday was the same as Monday, we couldn’t make out with something good or on which we all can fix up our consent (I mean, I and Rehana only; who nonchalance abbot jerky’s thoughts…). We were thinking to quit. Fortunately, Wednesday came up with new thoughts and we start preparing the poster. We completed it in 3hours and Hi Fived each other. I told to them that it was a good day anyway, its lord Ganesha’s day. “Look, Mr. Religion barks again…..” the word “bark” was quite offensive to me but I thought not to say anything again because of 2 reasons. One, it was my mistake to take religion and second I love her and was thinking of proposing her next day. She might have realized that it hurt me. She met me at Bus parking with dairy Milk in her hand for me. “What Rehana, you are proposing me on Valentine’s day eve…. You could have waited for some more hours…” “Tomorrow anyways, you will be busy with your girlfrnd so I thought to propose you today only, she giggled…. “And I laughed back. “Hmmm…. I will think about ditching my girlfrnd and getting some punches from your boyfrnd, when you will ditch him tomorrow once I will accept you proposal, let me catch my bus now….Tata” “Birla….”she replied back on the moment I was about to sit on my bus. Now all I can do is just to wait for the next day……….

The day finally arrived. We had decided played some soft romantic songs all day plus we got some red thin glass sheets to cover half of our cubicles’ tube lights to give some more touch…. The judges came at 2pm to see the posters. They looked at the area and said….”Hmmm…seems like a Red light Area…”we all laughed. Once they left, Rehana asked me what I would be doing for the evening. I liked her taking some initiative from her side. “I’m going out with my girlfrnd for dinner and you??” “Me too….hey, why don’t we all 4 have dinner together?? And you know what Mr. Religion, my boyfrnd is not Muslim…” now she had given me as much signals as she could probably give me…”Sure Rehana…lets meet up, let me see you guy….” “Hey Raks, Party will be from your side if we will win…”Rehana said….”and what if we won win??” “How can I grab the opportunity from you to treat us dude…you pay, I won’t mind…”she chuckled…

Results were announced @4pm for the Poster Competition. I, Rehana and jerky were quite excited as we opened the mail. The team next to our cubical won. We all were disheartened. “This is not fare, sheer fixing...”jerky said and first time ever I agreed with him. @5pm, I asked Rehana for the dinner date of 4ppl; 2 of us and 2 of probably invisible ppl (I was quite sure that her boyfrnd is as real as my girlfrnd).My instincts are quite good, you know J…..

Scene 2--

A Restaurant in City area; I reached @8pm. I knew that I was 30minutes late from scheduled time, but quite certain though that Rehana would love to get that watch as a gift which I bought for her. I entered into the restaurant. It was having Mughal theme… full of different chandeliers and waiters were in Mughal Darbaars’ dresses. I found her sitting alone in the corner seat. She was in Red that time (unlikely her favorite Blue), a red shining T-shirt with “i’m happy” written on it. I was feeling like singing the song “Lady in Red….” By Chris De Burgh…. Her apathetic changed in a smile as she saw me coming towards her….”you are late Raks…” “Sorry yaar, got stuck in traffic, its Bangalore after all….”I hid the watch in my hip pocket of my trouser while thinking of a right moment to come…”So, how come you are alone, where is Girlfrnd dude…” she threw a question. “She won’t be able to come, since her mom is in town. So I thought to come to meet with you and your boyfrnd rather than having some beer with my roomie. Btw, where is he….??” “We share same story Raks, I msged him the address and come here for dinner but he got some urgent work at office so won’t be able to come…seems like we 2 have a date tonight without our lovers.” We laughed…

She already had given me enough clues, which a guy requires to propose, I thought of finally proposing her after the soup we ordered, hot n sour soup (her favorite). We finished our soup and we had plenty of time to wait for main course. I thought proposing her else it will be never. “Rehana, I wanna tell you something about my girlfrnd, which I hadn’t …” “Aha…so a secret is gonna reveal…”she giggled. Stop staring at her and say, I told to myself…”yeah…it’s a secret which I haven’t told you, though was thinking of telling you……actually….”I took out the watch from my pocket and put at the table right opposite to her and I looked at her. At the same moment, she smiled and stood up. I thought she wanted me to knelt down and propose her. I was about to remove my chair, when I saw her hugging to a lanky guy. “Hey Raks, this is George, my Boyfrnd….but George, you told me that you won’t be able to make out to come…??” “I know baby, just wanted to give you a surprise…”that lanky guy told her and turned to me”…hey Rakesh, I heard so much about you from her, how are you…??”I was thinking to say ‘I’m good George, thanks. “Now this was Rehana’s turn “So, Raks, since you are the best buddy, only you know him among our office colleagues. So please keep your mouth shut….and tell me what you were telling?? And this packet, what is there?” she pointed to the watch case on table. ”Yeah…actually I’m thinking to gift it to her, since you are also a girl, can you plz tell me, if she will like it?? You know, girls’ choices are more of same only…”it’s very pretty watch. She said as we arranged us in the chairs. Main course arrived, and I was not feeling famished anymore. I just wanted to get rid of that moment. The same moment I got a sms from customer care. First time I thanked to my customer care ppl and tell to Rehana and George, that it’s my girlfrnd’s msg and she wanted to meet with him right that moment. This was the excuse they cudnt say no, so I said bye to them and turned back towards the exit.

“Love is blind, especially when the pretty lady like Rehana is in love with that lanky idiot rather than a well built guy like me…”I said to myself, laughed on myself and swore not to be in love anymore…..and I saw a girl waiting for her no. in restaurant. “Hi, how are you, I’m Rakesh…”I asked her, once I observed her staring at me…..life is a tutorial…. For me…that day was, not to be in love without confirming everything….rather it’s better to flirt around…New Life…..No New Spark…..but a New Lesson Indeed…..

New Life with a New Spark....-Part-4

26th January 2008….58th Republic day…ppl enjoy the day as a holiday but unfortunately we HR folks have to work on these days. Only a day prior to that only we had ethnic day. There was no problem since it was Friday and no dress code restriction. Rehana came in a blue sari. Now I know why her favorite color is blue. Blue and Rehana, both complemented each other in a way that no1 can look at her only once if she wears blue. I don’t know why but every time I saw her, I felt like staring at her. “Some1 is looking good today…..”I said when she came near to my desk to fix India flag in my cubical. She turned, looked at me and finally opened her mouth, “yeah, even I am thinking Raks, first time you were looking good….”I was abt to reply her but at that moment jerky started laughing on me. I looked at her “hehehehe, you wanna laugh some more??” I stared at him. Some ppl can never be mended, you know……


Republic Day passed organizing all the events. Thankfully everything went on right ….and we got a day comp off on Monday as an incentive. By that time I was feeling a special place in my heart for Rehana. I offered her to watch the movie “Taare Zameen Per” with me on Monday, she laughed and accepted. Later on I realized the reason why she laughed. How could a person ask a girl out for a child based emotional movie rather than a romantic one if he thinks he loves her . But what does her laughter mean and why did she accept it so soon?….is she also in love with me…?? This is a typical question of which at least I had no answer….

We went for the 4pm show @ PVR Cinemas (I choose PVR, since it’s near to my home and I don’t need to have fight with any auto wala:):)). After movie, she asked me for a coffee. I was amazed if she had also developed some kind of feelings for me, especially when she asked me, “Hey Raks, how come movie with me this time, and not with your girlfrnd, what’s up??” “Nothing special Rehana, since we are in open air restaurant, only umbrella and sky with some clouds is up…” after a long time I got the opportunity to pull her legs, which I didn’t miss…. “Very funny” she made an angry face. “No yaar, actually you know, my girlfrnd doesn’t like to watch emotional movie. She likes to watch only action movies”. I had to make one fake girlfrnd to see her reaction. I was waiting to see her shocked face, since I never told her anything abt my girlfrnd (and how could I’ve told, if I don’t have any); but for my surprise she smiled, “Good dude, your girlfrnd and my boyfrnd have same choices, even he doesn’t like emotional movies”. “Great! Then why don’t we introduce these two and ask them to marry each other” I tossed the cold coffee glass. “No yaar, what will I do then” she tossed me too. “Main Hoon Na….”I laughed. “No please, you and my boyfrnd…no ways….”she laughed back….


Next day we were in office with our routine boring HR work. I realized somehow that now, I really have some special feelings for her but how to tell her. Moreover I can’t ignore that she is Muslim and I am Hindu…. I can manage with my family, but would she able to do that….?? Finally I sent a “Hi” to her on communicator. “Tell me sir” she wrote back. “I wanna share one thing Rehana, but don’t leak…..one of my frnd named Zahir loves Sheela, her colleague. But now he is afraid if Sheela denies since she is Hindu and Zahir is Muslim…….I thought of asking you about this, since I know only you and Zahir who are Muslims…..” I didn’t get any reply for this for next 10minutes. I got up from my chair to see her. Jerky was gossiping with her. I cannot tell you how many bad words I told to jerky….anyways, he left Rehana after 5minutes and my communicator popped up by her msg “you know what Raks, you think so much….its 2008 dude….forget the religion. No1 thinks much abt this……if I love some Hindu guy and asked my family, they will simply allow me….” Her msg took a smile on my face. She doesn’t have any problem with Religions and as she said if she had a Hindu Boyfrnd….that means she doesn’t have any boyfrnd…. Now I can easily propose her…. I am too smart, you know…. :):)

TO BE Continued….

New Life with a New Spark....-Part-3

I got up @ 7am got ready and left for office with FM Radio on. I could heard Bryan Adams voice…

“Here I am - this is me...
I come into this world so wild and free...
Here I am - so young and strong...
Right here in the place where I belong.....

It's a new world - it's a new start...
It's alive with the beating of young hearts....
It's a new day - in a new landAnd it's waiting for me.....
Here I am……”

Seems like Radio ppl are bit late, if they played the song considering me. It’s not a new start and new life for me anymore. I was no longer new bird in Bangalore. Completed almost a month successfully. Meanwhile I was settled in a flat with one more guy in a good colony, which is some 12 kms away from my office. Thankfully there is bus facility provided by my company; I had no dare to ride a vehicle in the traffic of a city where ppl ride bikes on footpath. Sometimes, I wonder if, the families of the vehicle riders put a tika on the rider’s forehead with a prayer that he would come back home in the evening safe in single peace. You can bet that insurance companies were not earning much here for vehicle insurance.

I hopped into the bus at the stop before any other travelers to grab the seat according to my preference. Sometimes, it’s good to be a bit choosy, you know….. I was thinking to sleep as I was sure enough that it will take at least 1hr. to cover the distance of 12kms to my office (all thanks to the traffic of the silicon city of India). I adjusted properly in my seat when my phone beeped. Rehana sent the msg “hi, good morning how are you? J” now it had became a ritual for us to exchange a good morning and gud nite msg apart from the conversation we had on in office communicator and over phone.
“Morning Rehana, now if u permit me, can I go back to sleep for 45minutes in the bus” “Lazy bones J” she replied…I looked around the bus. When I confirmed that not a single beauty is sitting nearby me, I preferred for my 1st option and slept.

It was Christmas celebration in my Deptt. that day. One healthy guy had dressed as Santa with a goodie bag. I saw Rahana from a distance. She wasl all busy with the preparation for the day as she was trying to fix up some balloons to decorate the team. These girls, no1 can beat them in decoration, whether it will be a cubical or their face; they know how to hide all marks and look better. “What’s up Rehana” I said as I reached there…. “Hey Rakesh, as if now, even me too up to the ladder to fix balloons on roof….hey, can you please give me that white balloon…” hmm…some ppl make fun of u 1st than they expect you to help them…I went and gave her a bunch of balloons and went to start my System. I was entering my user id and password when I felt some balloons on my back. “You are still so idiot as you were on 1st day of the office. I asked you only 1 ballon…” “I will see you” as I turned back. “it’d be much better, if you see me in some movie hall sitting next to you watching movie and having pop corn….everything from your money….”she giggled. “Yeah sure; and why the treat for, am I getting married next week??” I got irritated. “Is it Rakesh, you never told me??” jerky asked. His face was as rigid as our HR Policies. While Rehana busted into laughter I was felt like banging my head against my 15”LCD Monitor.

Christmas went. New Year came and went. I went to the pub with my roomie and enjoyed the dance with couple of pegs of whisky with the hope, that some girl will approach us. Sometimes you go with high hopes, which turns into disappointments. My case was no exception as I went home with my roomie only
L…I called home and wished them a new year.

In the morning I saw Rehana’s msg wishing me new year. I actually forgot to wish her, since she was not in town. I sent her a sorry msg as reply with the New Year wishing and in return I got the msg “some ppl are too busy to wish frnds YOU KNOW….” I had to accept her comment.

January 5 2008, I, Rehana, Jerky and other colleagues were in the wedding of one of our team mates. Rehana was looking ravishing that day with her blue salwar kurta with shining stones on over the kurta. She was wearing silver earrings and one fancy necklace. I asked her to go for a beauty pageant and try her luck there. She told me that her boyfrnd will kill her…..I laughed on her joke. “Oh ya, you have a boyfrnd.....like I own a billion dollar company” “Really Rakesh, you never told us…”that jerky asked. Why the hell he always has to poke his nose….”At least, now you know right??”I told to the jerky and moved out…. But somehow, I felt something, that day about her, which I cant explain…..not sure, was it love or infatuation…though I know that I m mature enough to think practically and not flow with some emotional feelings…..but I cannot ignore that I really got afraid if she will be really having one boyfrnd….


TO BE Continued……

New Life with a New Spark....-Part-2

Day 4 in office, it was Thursday, and I wanted to go to Sai Baba Temple. Btw, I forgot to mention, that nothing happened in those two days. Rehana was on leave. Other office colleagues, hmm…who nonchalance them?? And I finally completed 115pages of the manual with the help of 6cups of coffee.

With the least expectation of a solution, I asked the same jerk sitting next to me who was not even aware how to setup office outlook and communicator. He gave me a look as if I just asked him the Birth Date of the inventor of the HR Concept. Fortunately Reahana was in office that day. Now it was the second day when I saw her and can bet, that not a single girl in the floor can challenge her in looking beautiful. Her blue Salwar kameez was complimenting her fair skin. Her big earrings with small bells in dangling at the end reminded me of wind chimes. Whenever she moved around, I was able to track her through that sound.

Forget her beauty, I need her help, I thought. But I know these girls, if we guys start any conversation with them, they think that we want to get fixed up with them (I won’t mind getting fixed though, for a time being at least). I tried google. But couldn’t make out with the map. Finally I discovered that I had no other option but pleading her.

I got her id through outlook, so sent her a friend request on communicator. She accepted the same after 5minutes and I can bet that she must have been amazed getting a request from me after that day’s incidence. Now I knew that I only need to pop up the conversation. Why these girls always expect us to take initiative. They should learn something from the scene of the movie Pyaar Ke Side Effect, in where Mallika Sherawat knelt down with a rose in the hand and proposed Rahul Bose. Anyways, I started the conversation.”Hi Rehana, how are you? Had Lunch? Where were you since two days? What are you doing?” 2minute pause and she replied “Do I Have to reply in the same order?? :)” Shits, this girl really had Brains (unlike others) and I behaved like my jerk team mate. I couldn’t allow her to make a fun of me “not necessarily, but prefer to….. I like things in the order only, you know…..”I was uncertain if I wrote right sentence at this time, when I required help from her…”but you know what Rakesh, if you see the things in order everytime, you get bored with the same monotonous way to accept things….”she also had the same attitude problem like me….


I recalled myself that I am needy, not she. “Hmm…so, where you were from last 2days??”She must have been very happy to see her victory in the game of argument. “I was not well, got fever. Tuesday, I got drenched in the rain. I forgot that you have to have umbrella everyday in Bangalore” I wanted to thank her to suggest me indirectly that I should buy an umbrella. “Ohh…. Now how’s your health??””I am good now, that’s y I am in office today” she sent me the msg with the tongue teasing smiley. Good… so this girl is also like others, who get soften after some sympathetically words. I replied to her a normal smiley. “So what’s up??” she hit me a question. “nothing special, only tube light, fan and roof is up” I replied with a smiley….”gud one” she replied….at the same time, I found my water bottle empty and got up to get jerky’s (the dumb team mate) bottle to have a sip. I was able to see her smiling in next cubical after seeing my msg. Good, now I can get my work done from this girl, I thought. “Hey Rehana, I need a small help, though not sure if you will be aware, since you are Muslim….do you know any Sai Baba Temple nearby?? I wanna go there” “Yes Mr. Religion, I know, it’s near to my home; and FYI, I go there regularly every Thursday. Nowhere was it mentioned that I can’t go to the temple if I am Muslim. I could felt her getting temperature, not because of the fever this time. “Sorry Rehana, I didn’t mean that. It was purely unintentional. So will you please forgive me and take me to the temple with you??” “Nope” her reply shocked me “…..??” “I mean Rakesh, not lest you buy me a Dairy Milk” hmm… some1 wants to flirt with me. Ok, I love this game, got the PhD in this subject. “Sure:)…..So what time” “5pm” this girl always leaves early. Actually we HR ppl can leave anytime, if some1 asks, we can say that we are going for the survey…nice job we have, you know….. :):)


TO BE Continued….

New Life with a New Spark....-Part-1..

A new day, a new start comes with plenty of hopes. I was not an exception of this chain. I joined this company with numerous thoughts in my mind. A new city and a growing company with a good amount of goodwill allow your thoughts to fly wherever they want to….. :)

I got the offer latter to join the company on Nov 5 2007. But since Deepawali was only 4days down the line, I requested to the HR Deptt. to postpone the joining date. I am not sure if HR was good there or I was lucky enough, but they allowed me to take a new start from 19th November onwards….

Monday, the milestone day of my life, which turned into the most boring day in actual. All day induction went on I kept on yawning…finally @5pm, the organizers came up with the air of relief saying that induction is over today and next day onwards we will be working with our team. Since it was the finance company, I was the exception as I had been recruited for HR Deptt. …

Next day, I got up one hour before my office started and got ready in 30minutes only though the guest house was just 2minutes away from the office campus. I was introduced with my team. It was a team of 10persons including me with 2team leaders (so I was with the majority of 7ppl). One of the team leaders, Hemant showed me my seat and the system after the formal intro round with my team.. I was happy to have a LCD Desktop rather than old Dabbas. I was happier since it was the corner seat, from where not a single passer- by would be able to see, what website or file I open in my 15” flat LCD.

Now 2nd problem had arrived. I didn’t know how to set up the Outlook and the internal communicator. I was bit hesitant, but I had to ask for help from my colleague who had handed over to me one 150pages manual about ethics, value and perception about the company (without showing me the way to get coffee, idiot). He seemed to be a big time dumb guy as he called to another colleague Rehana for fixing outlook and communicator.

Rehana came to my desk. She seemed to be the most beautiful girl in my team (so far, at least). She was in a pink chudidaar pajama (why girls like pink that much??) and white kurta. Her hairs were struggling to move out from the rubber band she applied tightly. The guy asked her to set the things in my PC and she jeered at me, “Rakesh, you haven’t worked over outlook so far??” Now this was heights, one girl was making fun of me on very first day of my joining the company. “I have done, but you know…in my previous company….we used to get everything fixed from software people….there we never wasted our productive time in fixing such stupid things….you know…..”I smirked. What the hell I was doing there in that office; I should have played a role of an actor. It’s hard to reply with a sheer lie to some1 on very first day of your new job.”Ahm, ohk…..”I could sense her uncomfortable face gesture after that unexpected reply. “but you know what Rakesh, this company believes in start to finish perfection….they want you to know each and every thing….you know” I felt special focus on ‘you know’ word applied by her deliberately. She gave me a smash back. “I See” only that I could reply to her in return. Didn’t wanna take any punga on very 1st day. But I was somehow impressed by her reply. I like intelligent girls. Beauty with the Brains, rare combination, you know…. :):)

TO BE Continued…..

Meeting with Chetan Bhagat...Much Awaited Dream Came True...

life in miserable.....sometimes u got the opportunity, which u never think in your wildest dream...

Sunday, May 18 2008, was one of the most unforgettable day of my life….it was a meeting encounter for me with the motivator Chetan Bhagat himself…thanks to Blore. I could meet with him….We (I and My frnd, Anjana) came down to Old Madras Road. Schedule time was 6:30pm(though I & one of my frnd reached there by 5:30pm), bought the book and went to the 4th floor of Big Bazar, where Bhagat was taking some interviews….thetre was the lady co-ordinater from Big Bazar, Preeti….who enlighten us that he will be coming downstairs by 6:30 for the show….I told Preeti to start having this promotional shows in small town like Jaipur, for which she said that she has already scheduled it for next month….

Being there outside at sitting area waiting for Chetan to come was tough, though the anchor lady was trying to make it easy by asking some questions (I won one book by that too :):))…finally he arrived and QnA round started….fortunately I got the opportunity to ask him a question. I asked him that since he is my motivator for writing, who is his motivator and he said his readers…..then I said that I am talking about his first book 5point some1….till the time, no1 knew him….so he said, his Boss. He continued with the line that everytime his boss use to say that he doesn’t work, so he wanted to show his boss, what all he can do (good sense of humor he has, must say)….i had to say, “same here Bhagat”and in reply he told me “Haan yaar, boss log hote hi aise hai”(yes pal, bosses are like that only)…..some1 asked him later on if his revenge got over after the success of his 1st book and he denied, that’s y he wrote ! night @ call Centre and make his boss as Mr. Bakshi…now I know how come his books are fully of fun and humor…

Best part, I got the books personally autographed by him and got pictures too with him….all n all, it was a great experience indeed……..its good to meet with some down to earth personalities…. :):)