Bhuman sat with eyes focused on his laptop screen, looking through some reports his team had prepared. The smartwatch woke up with vibrations from the alarm set. It was lunch time. He got up and out of his study room and climbed the stairs down to the drawing room of the house.
Bhuman heated the food his mother had prepared in the microwave. His parents were still working; his father was on an extension.
He sat eating food thinking of nothing in particular. When he was halfway through, he picked up the phone and sent a text.
Bhuman found Panav waiting at the tea stall. This was a moment that they shared every day, a part well managed within the office break time, standing and talking with a cup of tea in hand.
“So, how are things?” asked Panav
“Fine, I guess,” replied Bhuman
“Prepared to see the inside of the office again?”
Bhuman did not like that thought, the company had decided to end its work from home allowance. He was supposed to join after a few days.
“I tried to convince them to allow me to continue with my present arrangement, but they wouldn’t listen. Do you think I have grown lazy working at home for too long? I mean I am doing quite well from here, and I am not sure I am comfortable with the thought of going out there again,” said Bhuman
“Well, what’s better than the most convenient thing. But what other option is there,” said Panav
They exchanged a few more words before returning to their house, back to their work. They met once more in a similar manner after the working part of the day ended.
“I think I will quit and look for something to do remotely, lots of opportunities within the country as well as outside,” said Bhuman
“I think there are more people looking for such opportunities than there are those who are trying for government jobs right now. This could take a period of time with no certain end,” said Panav
“What’s your plan? You might get called back to work too.”
“Then I will go back, that’s there to it.”
“What? I always thought you might have a backup plan like having your own freelance network or business or something, maybe going to social media with your singing talent,” said Bhuman and he honestly considered Panav the cooler smarter one with a plan
“Such things need time, hard work and dedication of much higher level with chances of income somewhere in the future, most of us are too used to getting our salaries every month and being free after 6 or 8 pm,” said Panav
Nothing was spoken for a while.
“I submitted my resignation,” said Bhuman in a low tone
Panav looked at him but did not speak. Bhuman looked at him and said, “I thought it would be much easier than what my current realisation has come to understand.”
Panav kept a hand on Bhuman’s soldiers as they watched the passing cars and people.
Written by Anuran Chatterji
Early Morning Memories 