Me and recession

Note: I am not writing to gain any kind of sympathies or empathies. I am writing this coz...well coz at this moment I have nothing better to do.

Since two months, I have been reading a lot about recession in US and it's aftermath in India. I would read it as a matter of fact. I would just nod my head, swear the Americans and then get back to life. I was least worried (despite the fact that our clients were US based). My mother had even asked me zillion times the status of my job, but all that she heard from me was "I don't know". Life was going at it's own pace until 16th December 2008 arrived.

Cut to 16th December 2008: It was 5.00 in the evening. Happy after discovering that my canteenwala makes awesome adrakwali chai, I settled in my seat to work sincerely. Barely after 20 minutes, my TL came and announced that our boss has told us to assemble in the board room. Within 5 minutes we all quietly assembled in the boardroom awaiting some good news (there were rumours about we getting more projects). Everyone was speculating 'n' no of things (some good, some bad). In few moments my boss entered the room accompanied by the HR manager, VP and the Project Director. The speculations stopped, the board room was quiet (it was like a lull before the storm).

Glancing through all of us, the VP announced that our clients are not keen in renewing the contract and that they are terminating it within 2 months. This meant that we all were loosing our jobs within 2 months. He further added that the resources (its the term used for we human machines) will be kicked out in 3 phases. The baccha party (i.e. the new comers which included me) were the first to go and that we had just 15 days left. There was this uneasy silence around us. Everyone was shocked. I was calm but a quick glance across the room and I saw my bubbly friend hanging her head low coz she wished to pursue her higher studies and it seemed impossible as of now, my confident mentor had a worried expression on his face coz he was the sole earning member of his family, another colleague was shocked coz he has to pay his EMI and he may not have enough money to pay them now. All I could see was that chintamani expression. I could sense the anger, I could sense their restlessness. I felt bad not for myself ( i get easy roti, kapda and makaan) I felt bad for others (for the one's who have to strive hard for their roti, kapda and makaan). After the meeting all that we did was cry, crib, blame and plan our future. I told my family about this and thankfully they supported me fully.

It's been 3 days since this horrific incident took place. There are some who have got over it and are trying to get their life into the track by trying for other jobs and all that, there are some who are still shocked and there are some who are investing their time in speculations and playing blame games. There's too much happening out here. I am right now busy giving pep talks to my friends and making them feel strong. But despite my pep talks...there is still anger, still restlessness and lot of pessimism in the air. Things are not the same anymore...infact people from other teams are treating us like leprosy patients, kind of outcaste or antisocial individuals. Some even had the guts to ask us if there is any vacancy in our team. It feels horrible but then I simply choose to ignore their sadistic humour.

As I said, things are not the same anymore...except for my parents love, my friends support and ofcourse the canteenwala's adrak chai.


Psst: I just hope I get a good job soon coz I dont have enough money to buy my cousin a shaadi kaa gift (if anyone wants to donate money to me, they are free to do so ;-)