Awaiting matriculation result, I was in Jammu with Chachu Udham Chandji's family. It was all pleasure in the Jammu House. No work and all play. No scolding, good timely khana thrice a day with plenty of dry and fresh fruits at our disposal. In the meals, rajmah, long grain basmati rice, tasty dal, kadam ka achar, salad, sweet dish were some of the specialties. Every morning different sizzling hot breakfast, flavored milk increased my appetite manifold. Gossiping, telling and listening to legendary tales, evening walks in floral and beautifully laid out parks on the canal banks, watching movies, listening to filmy songs on radio were my pastime.
All the family members were on the dining table for breakfast. Chachaji asked me if I were to do some kind of work and earn some pocket money. He further told me that he had spoken to someone regarding a temporary job. If you want, I shall send someone home who would take you to a factory at Satwari and also show the route.
Next day morning, a person took me to the factory at Satwari. In the evening, the same person again came to our house and asked me to be ready on Monday morning at 8 O' Clock. On Monday, I went to the factory in a Jeep.
I was asked to wait outside the owner's office. At about 9.30 AM, a car stopped in front of the factory office. All the workers and staff were at their respective place of work. Mr. Manish Malhotra, the owner, had an hurried round around the factory along with two Foremen. Mr. Malhotra was of over six feet in height, broad shoulders, clean shaven with impressive face cut, dressed in whites, his voice seemed balanced, loud and clear. He was about to come to his office where, on the way, I was standing like a 'goat' in waiting.......
G.M. Separators Mfg. Coy. Pvt. Ltd. was the name of the factory, which was still under construction and incomplete so far as construction work, installation of various machines, infrastructure, workshops, fire fighting equipment, water and electricity supply, office furniture and various other necessary allied requirements were still to be completed. The work was in full swing and was likely to be completed at least within next year or so.
It was long time since I had been standing outside the office thinking about the impending encounter with a person that seemed to me not less fearsome than that of my mathematics teacher in the Nurpur school!
Peon came and let me in. I felt a shiver from top to toe and entered the room. On facing the man inside the room, I said 'Namaste Sir', but forgot to fold hands due to perplexity. The boss looked up awkwardly at me and pointed towards a chair and asked me to sit. I dragged the chair and sat on it with a thud, with legs crossed, showing my poor dress sense, unkempt hair and shabby shoes. The man lit a cigarette.......
Interview Begins!
'Naam kya hai?, asked the boss with a voice so deep, I had never heard before!
'Fauku', was my answer in a state of puzzlement, as I was generally called so.
'What'?, inquired the boss.
'Noo...No...a....Amrit Lal...Sharma, is my real name, immediately I tried to amend myself.
'What was that Fauku?'
'Nic....my nick Name.'
'Achha....Achha, Boss ne cigarette ka dhuan chorte hue kaha.
'Pitaji ka kya naam hai?', Boss ne mere ghunghrale ballon ki oor dekhte hue swal kia.
'Puran Chand',.
'You mean Puran Chandji, Boss ne jor dekar kaha. Mein apni galti samajh gaya.
'Kahan tak pare ho?', came another question.
'Dasmi ka imtihaan dia hai'.
'Result kab Aayega?'
'Pata ni....Sir.'
'Achha yeh batao ki yadi ek mazdoor ki ek mahine ki tankha 100 rupai hai aur usne 20 rupai advance lia hua hai toh tum tankha dete samai kya karoge?'
'Simple', usko uski 100 rupai tankha de doonga aur phir 20 rupai ki udhari vapis maang loonga'.
'Boss ne cigarette ash tray me bhjai aur thodi smile di.
'Pandit Udham Chand tumare Chacha hain?'
'Jee'.
'Bicycle chalaana jaante ho?''
Haanji...S.r'.
'Naya bicycle chajhie?'
'Pata ni,,,P..aise?'.
'Paise hum denge', Chinta mat karo'.
'Theek hai, Chahie'.
'OK', 'Mere bicycle ka agla tyre puncture ho gaya hai'. Is vakya ko English me translate karo'
'My bicycle forward tyre went panture', I tried to see straight in the eyes of the boss with pride, yeh sochte hue ki hamari bhi english-vinglish itni kharab nahi hai'. This time boss could not help a slight laughter! But I remained calm but confused.
'Achha ek aakhri swal'
'Poochho'
'Poochho???', shyad boss ko bura laga.
'Poochho nahi Poochie', Boss took my class and taught me manners.
'Yadi tumeh naukri per rakh len toh tankha kitni loge?'
'Jee, pata ni'
'100 rupai mahina theek hai?'
'Theek hai jee'.
'OK, Monday se office Aa jaana, aur Naresh Foreman se milna voh tumeh ek naya bicycle dila dega'.
'Theek hai Sir', This time I folded my hands into Namaste, aur maine kamre se bahar nikalkar ek lambi saans li, Dono baaju oopar uthakar ek jump lagaya. Yes, mujhe naukri mill gai. Jai Mata Di!
All the family members were on the dining table for breakfast. Chachaji asked me if I were to do some kind of work and earn some pocket money. He further told me that he had spoken to someone regarding a temporary job. If you want, I shall send someone home who would take you to a factory at Satwari and also show the route.
Next day morning, a person took me to the factory at Satwari. In the evening, the same person again came to our house and asked me to be ready on Monday morning at 8 O' Clock. On Monday, I went to the factory in a Jeep.
I was asked to wait outside the owner's office. At about 9.30 AM, a car stopped in front of the factory office. All the workers and staff were at their respective place of work. Mr. Manish Malhotra, the owner, had an hurried round around the factory along with two Foremen. Mr. Malhotra was of over six feet in height, broad shoulders, clean shaven with impressive face cut, dressed in whites, his voice seemed balanced, loud and clear. He was about to come to his office where, on the way, I was standing like a 'goat' in waiting.......
G.M. Separators Mfg. Coy. Pvt. Ltd. was the name of the factory, which was still under construction and incomplete so far as construction work, installation of various machines, infrastructure, workshops, fire fighting equipment, water and electricity supply, office furniture and various other necessary allied requirements were still to be completed. The work was in full swing and was likely to be completed at least within next year or so.
It was long time since I had been standing outside the office thinking about the impending encounter with a person that seemed to me not less fearsome than that of my mathematics teacher in the Nurpur school!
Peon came and let me in. I felt a shiver from top to toe and entered the room. On facing the man inside the room, I said 'Namaste Sir', but forgot to fold hands due to perplexity. The boss looked up awkwardly at me and pointed towards a chair and asked me to sit. I dragged the chair and sat on it with a thud, with legs crossed, showing my poor dress sense, unkempt hair and shabby shoes. The man lit a cigarette.......
Interview Begins!
'Naam kya hai?, asked the boss with a voice so deep, I had never heard before!
'Fauku', was my answer in a state of puzzlement, as I was generally called so.
'What'?, inquired the boss.
'Noo...No...a....Amrit Lal...Sharma, is my real name, immediately I tried to amend myself.
'What was that Fauku?'
'Nic....my nick Name.'
'Achha....Achha, Boss ne cigarette ka dhuan chorte hue kaha.
'Pitaji ka kya naam hai?', Boss ne mere ghunghrale ballon ki oor dekhte hue swal kia.
'Puran Chand',.
'You mean Puran Chandji, Boss ne jor dekar kaha. Mein apni galti samajh gaya.
'Kahan tak pare ho?', came another question.
'Dasmi ka imtihaan dia hai'.
'Result kab Aayega?'
'Pata ni....Sir.'
'Achha yeh batao ki yadi ek mazdoor ki ek mahine ki tankha 100 rupai hai aur usne 20 rupai advance lia hua hai toh tum tankha dete samai kya karoge?'
'Simple', usko uski 100 rupai tankha de doonga aur phir 20 rupai ki udhari vapis maang loonga'.
'Boss ne cigarette ash tray me bhjai aur thodi smile di.
'Pandit Udham Chand tumare Chacha hain?'
'Jee'.
'Bicycle chalaana jaante ho?''
Haanji...S.r'.
'Naya bicycle chajhie?'
'Pata ni,,,P..aise?'.
'Paise hum denge', Chinta mat karo'.
'Theek hai, Chahie'.
'OK', 'Mere bicycle ka agla tyre puncture ho gaya hai'. Is vakya ko English me translate karo'
'My bicycle forward tyre went panture', I tried to see straight in the eyes of the boss with pride, yeh sochte hue ki hamari bhi english-vinglish itni kharab nahi hai'. This time boss could not help a slight laughter! But I remained calm but confused.
'Achha ek aakhri swal'
'Poochho'
'Poochho???', shyad boss ko bura laga.
'Poochho nahi Poochie', Boss took my class and taught me manners.
'Yadi tumeh naukri per rakh len toh tankha kitni loge?'
'Jee, pata ni'
'100 rupai mahina theek hai?'
'Theek hai jee'.
'OK, Monday se office Aa jaana, aur Naresh Foreman se milna voh tumeh ek naya bicycle dila dega'.
'Theek hai Sir', This time I folded my hands into Namaste, aur maine kamre se bahar nikalkar ek lambi saans li, Dono baaju oopar uthakar ek jump lagaya. Yes, mujhe naukri mill gai. Jai Mata Di!
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