I am the ONE

Hi, I am 24 and a graduate. When I was in 12^th standard I wanted to do Engineering and be hired from Campus by the most respected IT company in India. Somewhere, things were not as I wanted and one fine day after I finished my graduation ( how does it matter what subject I did!) all my roads led only to the gate of that glass and granite building in the STPI. The government is kind to people who know where money is today to give them land and buildings to stack youngsters who spoke English and bring in the foreign exchange. Anyways, the lady who took my communication skills test seemed very happy. Later I would know that her job depended on finding a certain number of “communication good” guys and I think I saved her job that day.

A young guy in Louis Phillipe shirt told about a hundred of us in a conference hall how big a company we joined, thousands of people and offices in all sort of counties. Even Nicaragua and China. I have heard people say that if you were lucky, you could go to one of these countries and life would be made. I liked the first day at my job. Food was great. Some of the people in my “batch” were looking very serious as if they were waiting at a government employment agency. But I liked the crowd that really “ hung out”. What my neighbor said was right. This could be fun and then the money was great. I really want that iphone and I can do it myself without hanging my head in shame before my father who disapproved of even a decent pair of jeans. Atlast I think I have arrived.

We have to learn how to say certain words in English like an American does. Three weeks are turning out to be fun. We like our trainer. She has been to US many times. And boy, she really does have a cool accent. Soon, very soon, I am going to talking like her. This guy who sit next to me in the class says he is falling in love with her. But is that allowed? There are lots of rules around here. I am not sure if falling in love with your trainer is an allowed item or not. I kinda like that girl who came from some where east. But she seem to be acting like she did not really care about another guy with furtive glances.

It is a complicated world in the UK for those who use a telephone. They subscribe for some plan and then most times the internet is also connected. Now, when the bills come, sometimes it just doesn’t make sense. So they want to get out of this so called plan and some times even stop using the service. Now when they call, thru a complicated network, the call lands at my desk . my trainer has taught me what I must say. And also I know how to make the poor lady change her mind. My incentive of Rs. 2000 depends on her changing her mind. So I do have to make sure she continues to use the service and perhaps continues to get a complicated bill she doesn’t understand. And then my team leader is always insisting on conversation… in English it means I got to make the caller change to a better plan making more money for everyone. The telephone company, my company who has taken up their cal center in Bangalore, my managers who gets more incentive pay and ofcourse I got to buy that new music system for my room.

It is 2.30 in the afternoon and my cab will come now to pick me up. My shift starts at 4.30. but then there are others who need to be picked up on the way. I did not get time to wash my trousers. So it is that pair of Levis today again. Weekend was a blur. I think each week my consumption of Bacardi goes up by another one or two peg. I need sleep. By the time I get back it is almost 1 in the morning. And then you can not sleep right after you get back. I need to get out those callers from me. They hound me in my sleep. My team leader’s teeth bite my ankle every time I slip off to sleep. Ofcourse there is the weekend, but then that is the only time I am talking to people about something other than work. I cant be washing clothes, cleaning house or sleeping at the only chance I get to be a human like all others around me.

I got to rush now, will talk to you a bit later.