Dec 7, 2007

It was eight o’clock in the morning. Diwakar dressed up and pulled the knot of his tie while stepping out of the house. He transferred the weight of his leather bag on to the scooter. The bag was packed with medicine samples. He lifted his right foot and kicked hard on the ratcheting lever. The kick start was not effective enough and the engine remained unresponsive. After the third futile attempt he tilted the weight of the scooter to the side where he was standing and then had a go at the kick start. Now the engine responded.

Diwakar was medical representative by profession. His routine included the meetings with the doctors, arranging samples, offering gifts, enhancing the rapport with workforce of the pharmacies. And also the interaction with the distributor to ensure higher volume was a part of his job profile.

Somehow he had not enjoyed his occupation. The last two years had been extremely tedious and irksome. The false act of pretending to be happy, sporting a smile and pleasing the doctors, pharmacy personnel and the distributor had made him mentally depleted. Above all his boss’s pestering left him completely frustrated. Once in a month his boss would visit his market and irritate him to no ends. If not for the job he would have had slapped him hard on the face.

But slapping the manager was not the solution. Diwakar had dependents the retired father, sick mother and two brothers who were still in high school. He had no choice but to absorb the pressure of job and compromise with the circumstances of life.

He sat on his scooter.

“Mom, I am going to work.” He habitually and loudly declared when the scooter was about to be in motion.

His first appointment was at 9:00 am with Dr. Naveen and the driving time to reach the clinic would be not more than twenty minutes. Was there any significant purpose to get out of the house at 8:00 am?  He had his reasons.

Within three minutes he would pass through the nearest city bus stop. He wanted to have a look at Gauri who would be waiting to go to college at the bus stop. He knew Gauri since she was a child. Their interactions began about three years back when Diwakar was doing his final year science. Then Gauri had just joined the pre-university. The time spent at the bus stop made them to be more recognizable to each other.

Initial interface was set in motion with her smile which endearingly delightful. The exchange of smile ended up in exchange of gossip film magazines and novels. The relationship did not grow beyond this point and Diwakar did not feel any desire to do so. But soon after Diwakar completed his graduation and rewarded with the job of a medical representative, felt the need to be friendly with Gauri which he had experienced never before. The sudden aspiration to walk together with Gauri, to take her to an ice cream shop and to invite her to a block buster was intensifying.  

‘Would you join?’  He had been dying to make this offer.  But the thoughts never transmuted into words. The fancy had lingered within leaving the throat desiccated.  He was afraid of the rejection.

Was he in love with Gauri?

Until the completion of graduation he did not sense the need to boost up the affiliation. But once the job pressure turned too hot to handle his desire to be close with Gauri became the only objective.

What was the link between his job pressure and the new found passion to be with Gauri?

He was looking for a realistic solution from a practical angle. The job of medical representative was not his choice. He was forced by financial conditions of the house.  After being rejected in other areas of job interviews when he was offered the post of medical representative, the occupation had become a desperate necessity. But he disliked the waiting game in the clinics. The business interactions with the pharmacy staff and the distributor would turn him off.  The work pressure had made him irritated, de-motivated and upset. He had even failed in his attempts to change his field.

In the hopeless state of affairs Gauri appeared to be his only escape route. There existed a spring board to leap and dive out from the medicine selling job. In life every body needs a spring board to bounce and gather the height of success. He had found his launch pad in Gauri.

Gauri had descended from a financially sound family. She was the only sister to her two brothers and their family was one among the well-to-do in the locality. Their father’s wholesale wine business was still popular but now they had diversified to restaurant business. Diwaker had made the clever calculations and he was on his way to put up some smart moves.  He was confident that her father and brothers would allow him to manage some business if he could end up as Gauri’s husband.

Would she fall into his trap?

Diwaker reduced the speed of his scooter while nearing the bus stop.  Gauri was with her friends and she smiled at him. He strongly felt to make an offer of lift to the college.

“Hi, Good Morning….” He attempted the best attainable grin.

“Good Morning…” She sounded adorable. “Actually Daddy remembered you.”

“Is it so?” Diwaker was keen to know. “Do you know the reason?”

“The medicine what you had given really worked on his digestive system. I think he is running short, he may need more.” She explained.

Gangadaran was getting used to the free samples which were supplied by Diwaker. He had not shown much co-operation to provide free samples when requested by his friends and relatives. But Gangadaran was an exception. He wanted to please him in every possible way.

“Nothing to worry, I will take care of it probably by today evening.” He assured her.  This was one more perfect pretext to get closer to Gangadaran.

The honking bus came to a halt.

“See you later… I have to catch the bus.” She ran after the bus.

“I will drop you by scooter.” The intended words were stuck in the gullet.  He was left discontented with his dismal attitude. The hesitation and uncertainty in his character often found him wanting. He craved for the self confidence. The inadequacy had to be removed to gain the prospect of stepping on to the spring board. First and foremost mission was to be triumphant in winning Gauri’s heart. Would Gangadaran and rest of the clan accept the alliance? Plenty of work was still pending. It seemed highly difficult but was not impossible.

His scooter came to a standstill at Dr.Naveen’s clinic. He had reached well ahead of the given time. Natasha who was on the reception desk beamed with tenderly affectionate glance.  Natasha’s intent gaze somehow bothered him. He encountered an uneasy feeling. If his intuition was true perhaps she was in love with him. The hidden fervor seemed tingling behind the most sensitive face. He did not know much about her. After all a receptionist could never be his financial strength.  Dr.Naveen must have had been paying peanuts to his receptionist. Diwaker was looking for a spring board which could airlift him to a comfort zone.

“You reached quite early.” Natasha’s eyes twinkled. “Dr.Naveen is not yet in. Do you like to have a cup of coffee?”

Did she treat every other medical representative in similar fashion? Why was this generosity?

“A glass of water will do.” He shifted his eyes towards James the accounts clerk who was busy with his computer screen.

Natasha walked in the direction of the pantry. James responded by presenting a mischievous look at Diwaker.

“I envy the attention what you get from Natasha. The lady luck is smiling at you. Do not miss this opportunity.” James whispered and winked.

“Come on, give me a break.” Diwaker ignored.

“You should be stupid to turn on your back on such an angel face.” James reacted.

The angel faces would not bring stability from his fragility. He needed a spring board to bolster his future. Natasha did not have what Gauri had. A financially sound background was must. There was no two way about it. Diwaker had firmly decided. A receptionist could never be his spring board. He did not want his vision to disintegrate and end up in casualty.

“I am already engaged.” Diwaker lied.

At the very moment the clang of the broken glass reverberated.  The clink drew their attention. Natasha was standing back. The glass had fallen and split broken. The splash of water had spread all over the floor.

“I am sorry.” She apologized and moved towards the wash room.

The office boy rushed to the spot and cleaned the place. By then Dr. Naveen arrived and Diwaker was allowed to meet him. He spent about next twenty minutes with Dr.Naveen and when he came out of Dr.Naveen’s office Natasha was not to be seen. He hastily moved out from the clinic without any worry.

Diwaker waited for the evening to come. By 6:30 pm his scooter headed to Gangadaran’s house. He parked the vehicle and lifted his medicine sample kit. Gangadaran opened the door.

“Do you have medicine for joint pain?” Gangadaran’s wife did not waste any time.

“I have the tablets, nothing to worry aunty.” He picked them from the kit and handed over. He just wished for the days of calling her ‘Mom’ not to be very far.

“How is your health Uncle?” He showed immense concern and care. ‘Dad’ should be the more appropriate way to address him.

“I am suffering from indigestion.” The air suddenly forced up from the mouth and he burped. “As long as I take your medicine I feel comfortable, but constipation and heavy discomfort in the stomach when I stop it.”

They used to treat him with Tea, coffee, soft drinks, snacks etc. during the initial days of his friendship with Gauri’s parents. But during the course of time the conviviality had turned into ordinary reception, perhaps due to regular meetings.

“Where is Gauri?” He looked around while removing the sample bottle from the kit.

“She must be feeling shy.” Gangadaran’s wife smilingly articulated.

“Why should she feel shy?” He was amused.

“Didn’t she tell you?” Gangadaran reacted.

“I really do not know.” Diwaker stretched his hand to pass on the bottle.

“Gauri is getting married.” Gangadaran explained. “All happened in very short time. The boy is well settled in UK. We know their family. The engagement will take place during the next month. The wedding could be after her exams. The time is very short. We may need your help in arrangement.”

The time was really short to recover. Where would he find his spring board?

He was stunned for a moment. The revelation had come as a shocker. Diwaker found it difficult to accept and recuperate. The blow was too heavy. Momentarily he turned numb both physically and mentally. The bottle from his outstretched hand slipped and knocked the floor. The syrup splattered along with the pieces of broken bottle.

“What is wrong with you?” The displeasure was evident in Gangadaran’s wife’s voice.

“I am sorry.” Diwaker bowed his head, picked his bag and moved out.

The emotional set back was extremely tough to cope with as psychologically he was caught in an entangled thorny web.  The upturn was not easy. The nights became too long and lost his normal sleep. He was left with no option but to continue the job of medical representative in which he had no fascination. The spring board was no more to be seen. It had faded away. He was haunted by the nightmares of hanging around the clinics, distributor and the drug stores. The sales targets and interactions with the manager had bothered him and would continue to frustrate him.

The clouds of sadness became a huge burden and he decided to have a break. He did not discuss his plan with the boss, just sent a fax for an emergency leave. He packed his bag and traveled to his uncle’s house in Goa.

The fifteen days of time off helped him to gain some sort of resurgence. The beaches, drinks and good food gave him the breather of relaxation. The morning when he returned to his home town he called his boss to inform his intention to join back for duty. The boss triggered a blaze of firing for absconding from the duty without his approval. Diwaker held his nerve without further provocation. He would have retorted if he had the spring board. But now alliance with Gauri had turned into a far fetched dream.

His first appointment for the day was with Dr.Naveen. He pushed the door, moved in and wished James. Natasha was absent.

“Where is the queen?” Diwaker ridiculed.

“Are you enquiring about Natasha?” James remained serious. “She stopped reporting once she heard about your engagement during your last visit.”

“Do you mean she left the job?” Diwaker mockingly continued.

“She was not on Dr.Naveen’s payroll.” James explained. “She is related to Dr.Naveen. She used to come and work here just to kill her free time.  Now I hear that she is engaged to one of the richest builder’s son.”

“She is really lucky.” Diwaker shrugged his shoulders.

“She is lucky and you are extremely unlucky.” James asserted. “How long do you plan to continue this petty sales job? You missed a golden opportunity.  You fool…. She was in love with you. I believe she carried on with Dr.Naveen clinic just to gain your friendship. It was not for money. She has no brothers. She is the only daughter of a very wealthy coffee estate owner.”

Diwaker found it extremely unbearable.

“You mean she has no brothers and she is the only daughter of a wealthy coffee estate owner?” His voice deflated. “Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?”