Part III

Vijay was well aware that Arindam was almost in the last phase of shifting into a new job while Mr. Basu decided to take him along for the Jamhedpur trip. Therefore he actually did not see a point why he needed to be taken for such important meetings. His little doubt about whether Arindam had played some new trick and that too on Mr. Basu this time was firmly established by Mr. Basu’s attitude towards Vijay after his return from the trip where Arindam, for the first ever time got full eighteen hours with Mr. Basu all by himself.

Vijay could not figure out though as to what trick did he play this time to cause this sudden and drastic change in Mr. Basu’s attitude. Nor did he know of a way to solve the riddle. Days and weeks passed. Mr. Basu’s behaviour towards him became colder. Interactions dwindled. And ironically, increased with Arindam. Arindam started airing among colleagues that he has access to many confidential informations even of the company’s top management. That some unexpected changes in the organization structure is ensuing. He would get up from his seat and go to the lobby every time he wished to speak to Mr. Basu or Mr. Basu called him up on his hand phone. And then come back and relay to Vijay and others about the high level conversation the two had had. He would also mention in between to Vijay in a matter-of-factly manner that he is unable to share every detail of the conversation as certain matters were strictly confidential.

Confidential! Vijay had become totally miserable and completely de-motivated at such exhibitions especially in absence of any communication from his boss. After enough thought, analysis, consultation with friends and soliloquy he made up his mind to confront his boss once again to find out what went wrong. For none was known to him. He planned to present the questions to his boss just after the weekend trip he was taking to a neighboring place outside the city to de-stress himself a bit.

That Monday morning Arindam put in his resignation papers! Vijay was once again surprised, though pleasantly. He wondered for moment if all the recent incidents stressing his mind were nothing but a trick of a hypocrite to simply destabilize him! But then why would his boss become cold in his approach towards him?

He dropped his plan to question Mr. Basu that day as planned. But the questions kept bouncing in his mind. Post Arindam’s departure Vijay’s surrounding environment turned peaceful all of a sudden. But the peace within was lost. A big question mark loomed large over his head with respect to his deteriorating relationship with Mr. Basu, of which he couldn’t figure out the reason. Neither Mr. Basu provided any explication nor called upon his about anything. Quite contrary to his expectations, subsequent to Arindam’s exit he was once again given due importance in an important official conference. Mr. Basu ensured his inputs on several issues and also requested him to make a small speech in front of the growing family of the organization. These gestures reinforced his confidence in himself that the distressing coldness exhibited by Mr. Basu had nothing to do with his work performances. But when an opportunity of a great training programme came knocking at his door, Mr. Basu snapped his aspirations halfway by restricting him from attending it.

He made up his mind to put an end to the increasing bafflingness.

After a month or so, when people were at the last leg of their assignments for the year, looking back happily and work pressures comparatively low, and a day before Mr. Basu had planned a visit to his city, he called up Mr. Basu and placed his concerns in front of him straightforward.

“Good Morning Sir.”

“Good Morning,”

“If you’d spare some time I needed to discuss something.”

There was a pause at the other end and then he replied, “Yes? Tell me,”

“Sir, I may be wrong, but I feel off late there is a marked changed in your attitude towards me. I have observed this happen since the day you happened to come back from the Jamhedpur trip. Before leaving for the trip you had confirmed you would take me along for the meeting but after your return you didn’t discuss a word about it to me and left for it with Arindam instead, without telling a word to me. Thereafter also I have observed you not having open discussion with me on several occasions even when we met face to face.  May I know the reason, Sir?”

Vijay put forward all his points at one go without allowing the other side to interrupt in between lest he fumbles and forgets later on what he wanted to say. Obviously he was nervous. Not having confronted anyone in this fashion ever in his life. And here he is taking head on with his boss! He knew, this might result in losing him his job. But he wanted to come out of the lingering confusions. It was time to either do or die. He chose to do and then die if at all required. He was ready to face the odds in case he really deserved it.

There was a longer pause at the other side this time.

Vijay repeated, “Hello.”

“Yeah… see.. I also wanted to speak to you on this, I had been told certain things about you ….I mean.. about your trying to defame me! I am coming to your city tomorrow. May be we can discuss then?”

Vijay wasn’t too surprised at the revelation made by Mr. Basu. He prepared his mind to face everything coolly as far as possible.

“Ok”, Vijay said “I’d look forward to the discussion for this is troubling me for quite some time, I am not able to concentrate on my job. Its been quite demotivating to me.”

“I see ….so yours is a demotivated soul!” He seemed to have told with sarcasm, “Fine. We shall discuss tomorrow when we meet.”

“Fine” he said and terminated the call and eagerly waited for the turn of the day.

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To be continued.