The day had been deprived of the complete intensity of sunlight by a layer of smog that didn’t seem to be moving anywhere.
Prabhat often glanced at the sky when he stopped at the traffic light. It provided him a form of calm, but with the present condition the calmness had been affected.
At the office, on his desk, focussed upon the computer screen sat Prabhat, when an attendant came with a box of sweets.
Prabhat picked up a sweet thinking of it to be the usual birthday offering, still from whom was to be ascertained.
“Mrs Arunima Verma has got a new job,” said the attendant before Prabhat asked
Arunima Verma was on notice period, some had suspected another job but no one knew for sure. But now she had secured a job and that in a reputed company, something rare for an employee directly switching from this office.
‘This is going to cause a bit of a stir,’ thought Prabhat
It was the talk of the office for the next few days, initially with smiles, some genuine, mostly a formality, some trying to think of their own futures through this. Then there were those speculating how she could have secured such a job, does she really have the required skill set or perhaps she pulled a few strings here and there or maybe someone close to her was already working there.
A nerve had been struck of those who performed competitively with her in office for better appraisal. Some seniors whose income she had surpassed found it hard to smile and pretend they were happy for her.
Prabhat was away from such things. He liked glancing at the sky, realising his life at his own pace. While some or many may not find it ideal, he found it satisfying doing things his own way.
Written by Anuran Chatterji
Early Morning Memories 