Door of Opportunities

Suburbs are a magical place to nestle in this ever bustling and humming city of Mumbai and the commute, even more exciting. You learn trade, respect, humility, aerobics and fraternizing with random strangers over silly conversations. The motive is to pass time and reach your destination without feeling uninterested to travel on the same route over and over again.

My story starts with the commute from city to outside city. Frequenting the life line of Mumbai, the train bound on Western Express route, being a regular in 6:39 pm Virar. Initially, it was a task to board at Dadar and secure a spot near west-facing gate. I, for once, would admit to have engaged petty skirmishes, emotional talks, minor casualty incidents and not-so-proud verbal exchanges. Even though erratic it has centrifuged in making myself acquainted to be a regular face with the regular crowd and finally being accepted as a regular, which by the way is a highest honour amongst the commuter class.

With passage of time, I would rush from my office to catch my ride and meet my peers and when burdened with extra work at office, I would get a reminder on whatsapp about my favorite gate spot being blocked. From random strangers to people who cared and eventually good friends, trains indeed are arcane. Just like me bonding with few good people, ending up caring for random strangers, there are many who have faced this tough love by the city and get addicted to such camaraderie, a typical Mumbai Experience. After-all, we all are home-bound and pray for safe trip for everyone.

Being regular at the particular train and catching my gate spot, second from start, gave me an amazing view of the city, passing-by. The tress, rivers, small huts, traffic, horizon to see the sinking sun and other trains crossing our train. Yes! other trains plenty of other trains carrying many other passengers to their destination. One such amazing train which I am yet to figure where it starts but runs parallel to our train for Borviali destination. In know way the train is amazing but the passenger on-boarded are. Being a 12 coach car long train, first I would count them to figure out the eight car and in that the 3rd door. My eyes would be affixed on a micro-second glimpse of this stranger engrossed in her reading. A simple and modestly clad person, she would forget the ever dynamic train and all external noises only to focus with smile and read. Amazing to observe, no mobile no headphone or no chitchat in this day and age is just a sight.

I would go silent with my crowd and stare outside as if to find something that is lost for ages and I am able to spot it so close. Both the trains are just feet apart but at 40 Kms/hour it seems only logical to plant my feet and pray for another glimpse. The face visible from side is only making it more interesting to know, who is she and how does she look. With many such unanswered questions, I wanted to have courage and jump on tracks from moving train to find out more. My peeps quickly made an assessment and started with these questions that were darted towards my humble being.

Every-day, I saw her cross my train at 6:45 pm and be on its way, getting lost post Goregoan station. Once I somehow mustered all my courage and got down on Goregoan station ran the FOB towards the slow platform. She had already started moving outside the station and was on her way to rickshaw stand. With no business, I stood in the line in which she stood 12 people apart. What would I say, if we meet? how is she? what does she do? Where does she live? all these questions popping in my head. Is this a mistake or just pure adrenal, no idea but what every this is, its not a natural phenomena. Before getting into the auto, she had placed her book in the side bags that hung on her right shoulder as she turn side-ways to ascertain presence of rickshaws to populate the extinguished queue.

To my surprise, she was none other than the professional bun developer I saw at my interview. however, her hair was shorter now and she carried a look with glasses. her smile still the same filled with warmth and her eyes……. damn those eyes were passage to soul directly. She wore a smile, contended. I was thoughtlessly gazing at the sight of pure bliss. I found her missing from the office the day I joined and was wondering about her whereabouts. I went back to the station and boarded the next train to my destination.

Next day, I went to the HR and started a conversation on works-culture, employees and leadership team. With many name that were thrown out, there was a girl named Heer that was previously employed for the same role that I serve currently. She had left the organisation a week before my joining and had moved to an opportunity closer to her place, somewhere in suburbs. My heart started pumping in twice the speed. Thank God the blood didn’t pop out of ears and nose filled with joy. I felt this weird co-incidence that struck me. I asked the HR for download of her work and the contact person to reach in case I am stuck at something to understand. The HR replied, Heer can be reached on 98XXX XXX62 and can visit us on Saturday, once to explain the process she had set. I was calm on the face but internally there was a Bar Mitzvah being held for all my organ as my heart had finally entered the state of adulthood and understood signs of providence.

From my ‘First Official Mistake’ to my new found adventures. The life at start-up could only get interesting. Heer, you have entered into my life through this door of a second class Coach car of a Virar train that I boarded to be home bound. For me, it was nothing but magical Door of Opportunities.

First Official Mistake

I saw her and just like that….3…2…1, I fell in love. She waltz her way in to a cabin where her laptop screen was still lit bright with recent usage. Flowy blue dress, combined with that gait and I swear, it felt the place just grew 10 times more interesting. I had to have a last glance as I couldn’t miss the last glimpse of her from that fish cubical I passed by. “Start-ups are great”, I muttered. She was playing with her long curls and was invested in the moment, she collected all of them and rolled it into a bun. But missing few strand near ears, she dismantled the first, collected all back, tossed and carefully caressed all in another yet seemingly bigger and tighter one.

My interview started and I cleared 2 rounds with seniors. The HR entered the room, where I sat comfortably, to announce the last round to be with colleagues as policy for 360 degree evaluation. I was hoping to see her again and get to know her. She didn’t join me but this other lad who scooped in with excitement, for his many first of many time opportunity to interview a senior role.

I went back and never received a call. Forgotten about the incident, I carried on my streak to appear for more interviews and awaited good offers. Finally, after 3 months and 2 days to be precise, I received a mail from the same start-up where I thought I was rejected about that position. Freshers are at mercy of jobs and to work in a start-up is cumulative experience of 10 corporate years in just 3. Money was bad and I would have to make some rent adjustments but to survive in the city, it could have been worse.

Within the next hour my mail notification beeped again and to my surprise, it was an offer from the corporate house with benefits, perks, a package with advancement option and no rent adjustments, I was waiting for. I wanted to smile for my luck was shining bright that day but within minutes my smile worn off. It was either a white and black but a stable corporate life or professional bun developer in a fish cubical. I was not here or there or anymore at any place mentally. The corporate offer stood with a time line of 24 hours and I only had wished if it could have reached me 24 hours earlier, 3 months and 1 day to be precise. I called up my teacher from Alma mater and explained everything, minus the bun tying skills. Obviously, the advise for an orphan boy coupled with financial security, to live a colourful and fulfilled life outside the grays of corporate. Something was amiss. There was a look on her face while she was working, the look I was forever chasing. And finally I keyed in my revert to both the mails with a regret to one offer and acceptance to another, as the deadline was surely not to be missed.

 

Next day, the phone rang and it was the HR who wanted to check on my joining date. She sounded excited to have me in her team but asked me out of concern, if everything was okay? Hesitant to her question, I stayed mum but there were a million of things popping in my mind. How would the rent work out? I might have to find a place an hour away from work, good food joints for late night office calls, recreational spaces and travelling through local trains. After all, it was a choice to go ahead with the lively fish cubical view and ignore the 9 to 6 life, even though lucrative and stable. My mind amidst a battle zone with thoughts; which I never had a chance to air them and I was wondering about the situation as to what did I put myself into.

 

One my first day, I was smiling as it was a cheer to have a colourful life and an enigmatic death of my financial planning. 2 years of management studies and my very first office mistake.