Chapter 23: Campus Comatose!
CA Chartered Accountant: Now that I became one, anxiety
would leave me forever; Life would be smooth, I will have the best job in the
town, I too will be offered the exorbitant salary, would globetrot attending
meetings, people will soon recognize me in the biz circles, girls will swoon
over me and their parents would consider me as the most eligible bachelor. This
never happened, all this while I studied this hard to have a fu****g life like
that and I got nothing of this sort., there was no job at my disposal, and no
job means no money, no money means no girls and when girls were not in picture
even their parents were far from the frame, although I won’t lie that people
started viewing me with some amount of respect but that was far short of the
expectations I always had.
The day my result came I got so damn excited about the dream
CV was in my hands and I just got down on the computer sending it to so many
address. Readers you won’t believe but I applied to 40 places and I was never
replied. During the initial days I thought maybe they would reply in one or two
days but days became week, weeks became fortnight and before fortnight could
become month our beloved and benevolent Institute decided to hold a campus
placement for us.
On the day of my result I never thought I would land myself
in that cattle fair; no I am not exaggerating but the campus placement
organized by our institute is not the exciting sorts as in some Business or Law
Schools, it appears as if the unskilled workers land up in horde for some
menial jobs. But destiny, so says some, has always have tricks upto its
sleeves. Being jobless was never an option so I had to put up with my existing
firm till I find a good job in campus or otherwise.
The campus needs registration and that online registration
quite some time and energy of mine. Seeing the registration process I somehow
had some hopes, may be it won’t be that bad after all we have moved past the
depression, there would be better jobs, suitable jobs, payable jobs, enjoyable
jobs but there would be jobs and that was just needed at that point of time.
There were many Companies into the foray but I was selected
by three, that was not bad considering the fact I was not a first timer. To
outsiders I would just tell in short the first timers are people who clear CA
in first attempts, they are the cream of the institute, they would be offered
good jobs and better packages. Repeaters are like untouchables and at times invisibles.
People like me form the lowest pedestal in this hierarchy of the aristocracy
called CA.
Coming from the modest repeater echelon I was not given a
raw deal considering I was shortlisted by three organizations. I would not
divulge the details of the Companies short listing me, not because it would
create some issues in public but I guess it is irrelevant. There was bank,
Insurance Company and a big Indian Multinational waiting for me at a humble pay
package. Beggars are not choosers and although I never liked any of them I
prepared hard. The fantasies of my life had deserted me long back and I became
far more practical and realistic. I enacted the interview atmosphere several
times, read all my books from page to page, got myself the most descent looking
Blue colored “Allen Solly” slim fit shirt, and a pair of Khaki Chinos from
“Benetton” not to forget the imperative Tie of relatively unknown brand, which
even though is never justifiable in the heat and humidity of Mumbai yet remains
of an paramount stature. You may or not
wear clothes Tie remains formidable. I also bought myself a pair of very
expensive shades. I appeared chiseled and straight out of some fashion show.
Readers might be thinking the amount of detailing I am spending on describing
the look I carried on the day of my placement and I have not turned into some
brand conscious freak but it is essential to tell you these miniscule details
so that even you can imagine how much it takes to find a job in today’s India. Even
though I used to be handsome but I never was fan followed, may be my attitude
was too casual or my dressing too basic, but my changed look was turning the
eyeballs. For the first time I was a BTM (Bhaiya Turned Model). I was always
the boy next door but the new look suited me and yes few girls were swooning
over me, for few days I lived in the ecstasy of “ I have arrived”
phenomenon. It was as if I was consuming
Cannabis, I was suffering from mood swings, emboldened at few times, anxious on
other.
Finally the campus day came and I was there waiting for my
turn. In morning we had interview by the public sector bank. The bank offered
postings to Chennai or Coimbatore and hearing these places sent shivers down my
spine. All I could remember was my old night mares of big political cutouts
falling on me and my relatively new night mares of relatives trying to find a
bride for me as soon as I land there. I chickened out and avoided the interview
all together. I was all excited about the MNC and the insurance Company. We had
two written tests followed by an interview for the Indian MNC, it appeared as
if we were appearing for civil services exam, may be the coordinators wanted to
show their seriousness or they just wanted everybody to be with a dream till
the final list comes out. Due to this two test thing I had to miss out the
other interview for the insurance company. I don’t know what course my life
would have taken had I chosen the insurance company over the MNC or bank over them.
I was the last person for the interview, I became cranky due
to the endless wait and by the time I was being interviewed my patience was over, I realized how much
inept and lost I was for the ultimate test.
I was not able to concentrate on the questions, I became irritable and
anxious. The day came and went, nothing happened the model in me existed but CA
died. It was the one of the worst experience of my life. I had lost every hope now,
everything shattered around me, I was nowhere. Silly and useless people got jobs
and I was sitting there holding my file, without job and without hope. I came to
a comatose state.
It is not every day you live like that, it is not every day you
die like that, there some days in life you just tend to live in a dying state and
it was that day for me.
