Interview

“Where is my tie amma?” I asked my mother. ‘Look at right hand side of your shelf. I ironed it yesterday. Wear that plain shirt which I have ironed. That gives an official look’ told my mother.

She is right. That will be a perfect dress for today’s interview. I wonder how I am still not fed up with these interviews. Almost I have attended a dozen of them. When I get an offer, I feel like rejecting it. When I want to get an offer, they feel like rejecting me. This interview process seems to be a mutually exclusive one which does not bind with my wish.

Well, if they are not selecting me in today’s interview, definitely, this will be the thirteenth unfortunate company to have lost a valuable human resource. But today, I will try my best to make them fortunate.

I think I got ready almost. Just with few gulps of food which my mother feeds me, I think I should start.

‘Gopi, went through today’s newspaper? Know in which country Manmohan Singh is today?’ asked my father.

‘Appa, it is not IAS interview which I am going to attend that they think of testing my general knowledge. It is ordinary entry level position where in they would be testing my memory in whatever I read in my graduation. Nothing more. It is getting late. Bye bye both of you.’

I have an intuitive relationship with my vehicle. I kick started it confidently despite the fact that it was drenched completely in yesterday’s rain. My confidence paid, and just in a single kick, its engine came back to life.

Hardly did I cover few kilometers, as if to disprove my intuitive relationship, my vehicle broke down. The wet road threatened me really and I should carefully set my foot on the road. As I successfully found a dry patch of land, very cautiously I rested my feet there.

Even before getting down from my vehicle, a speeding car went past me in a jiffy, emptying the contents of a mini pool on the road in my carefully ironed plain official shirt. Had it been a cinematic situation, I would have preferred running behind the car with handful of stones, breaking its windows and showing my muscle power to that driver with my heavy punch leaving his nose swollen. But left only with half an hour to honor the appointment, I could not try these cinematic possibilities.

Cursing my fate, I searched for a mechanic shop. Luckily, I found one quickly. After a close examination, mechanic made it clear that it had to remain there atleast for half a day. I angrily kicked it once and left that place in search of an auto. Oh, how come I forgot my untidy shirt? I would go to Gopal’s place, if possible would get his bike.

Gopal did lend his shirt, but the bike was already taken by his father. Here I go in search of an auto. I was left with just fifteen minutes. What if I am late by half an hour? I had been waiting for interviewers for hours together in my earlier experiences and politely went inside with a hard done pleasant face. I would not lose my opportunity if I am late by half an hour this time.

It is difficult to get an auto on a rainy day. No one was willing to drop me as it was at quite a long distance. Irritatedly, as I walked, there I saw a street dog staring at me. Seeing eye to eye shows confident gesture. This unnecessary advice of someone came to my mind at inappropriate time and I thought I should try it with dog’s eye. As I also stared at the dog with brimming confidence, a thoroughly confused Mani (my college mate whom I hate) barked at me. Already bearing a hurt ego due to carwala’s arrogant driving, I did not want to lose my ego to this stupid street dog also. Moreover, I always had a strange feeling. To frighten the dog which tries to frighten me by it’s barking. ‘hey silly, u thought I will be terrified with your loud barking? I am unbeatable.’ I took a stone and pelted at it. A thing which I wanted to do to the carwala.

Most of the dogs succumb to my yelling and pelting. But this one was an exception. As ferocious as I was, it leaped towards me with an unimaginable speed, showing its ugly terrifying teeth. I could not afford to show my bravery and fight back. Not that I am less brave, but for the time factor, u see I am very strong willed to oppose a lion even. If at all I thought of taking my toes, it was only because of the interview which I had to attend u see.

Somehow I managed to come unhurt from that encounter. Atlast, I found an auto, and reached the premises.

The people there were considerate and did not mind me being half an hour late. I went inside politely and confidently, wished them good morning and took my seat. After the usual warming up questions, one of the interviewers asked smilingly, ‘Do you know for which country did Manmohan Singh set out yesterday? It formed major headlines today.’ ‘Oh no, even this company is not fortunate’ I thought, preparing some relevant blabbering to attack that question.