Black and White - Part I

"Saale chutie firangi, kya samjhte hain apne aap ko, saala bahinchudh", Tomar shouts into the microphone, but of-course it is on mute. He pulls his hair to release the frustration(it doesn't helps, he feels as if nothing helps), turns on the mic and
"Sorry sir, there was some disturbance in line, how may I help you??"
This is a common scene in the Gurgaon based Indeo call centre where Ajay Tomar (son of the Gen. Vijay Tomar, retired, Indian Army) works. These intermediate fits of rage, slamming of desks, pulling of hair (one guy actually got bald, serioulsy man, not joking, it happened right there in front of Tomar's eyes, day by day this chap was losing hair until…) are mudane. The not so ocassional rebuke from the floor manager doesn't upsets them (Tomar and his co-workers) anymore.
“I’m afraid, that’s not in our capacity to say sir”
Some one's frustration at the politics of becoming floor manager, then a bigger asshole(a.k.a manager), and then a much bigger one is met by strange looks of co-workers as if suggesting "kya nautanki kar raha hai saale, roj kee kahani hai yeh toh". The thing that excites them is the fight for the latest bomb-shell who joined a week back. In Tomar's words they all are comfortably numb. What gets his blood rushing(he longs for complete numbness) are the reports in the media applauding India's economic surge, reports selling the dream of India's bright future with more than 60% of its population still young.
“It’s nothing to do with race, nationality or getting personal sir, as I said earlier its not in our capacity to say sir”
He asks how can India be booming when so many guys like him are stuck in the peanut-sized paycheck jobs (like his) of the the so called Knowledge economy?? May be it was much tougher for mediocre (yes he knows he is damn toooo average) guys like him earlier, to hell with it. He's living now, and it has not been easy for him.
"Thank you for calling Indeo, we deeply regret the inconvenience caused, you're talking to Marc, have a nice day"
Tomar slams the receiver and heads for a break, smokes out his frustration along with his lungs, comes back to his seat in 5 mins, the phone is ringing, recalls his fake American accent and
"Thank you for calling Indeo, you are speaking with Marc, how may I assist you?"....................

Passenger(P): "are Ismael bhai abhi tak!! ek ticket dena Rajiv Chowk kee"
Ismael(I): "are miyaan majraa kya hai, har din last Metro??"
P: "are bhai aap bhi toh roj double shift maarte ho. baat yeh hai kee ghisani toh padtee hee hai roti ke lie"
I: "ha ha, sahi baat, lekin bahut hui ghisai, bibi bachchoon ko lekar ja raha hoon nainital"
P: "are wah, chalo phir, gud nite"
I: "shabakhair"
Soon after giving the last ticket he rushes home. It’s already 22:30 and tomorrow is going to be a big day for him. Kicks his Splendor to life and off he goes. It’s too damn cold, and commuting 30 kms in this freezing Januray cold is difficult. But life has never been easy for him and its not as if he has any regrets. He thanks his Allah everyday for bestowing him with the ‘fighter spirit’. Most of his colleagues have cars (of-course on EMI’s ), but he can’t afford that luxury. He has his farz to fulfill. He has high dreams for his 6 yr old angel – Aasha, and 3 yr old Rishi.
He dreams of Aasha and Rishi going to college, visualizes his 2BHK apartment in delhi, he even dares to dream a silver colored Getz. He smiles and recalls Mirza Ghalib :-

"Hazaaron khwaishein aisi ki har khwaish pe dum nikle,
Bahut nikle mere armaan lekin phir bhi kam nikle"

He is aware of the dangers associated with being over-ambitious. But, he knows that this not being over-ambitious, he knows that this is damn realistic. He knows that he can make it happen. What if he is only B.A.?? What if he had to shuttle from one office to another, hearing the babus cursing him for over a month before he got his job at DMRC’s Rithala Metro station?? What if he makes only 15K a month?? But he has made all this happen even after being a witness (as a 15 yr old kid) to the gory incidents of that Oct’89 nightmare in his village of Logain. He has made all this happen even after he saw all of his family charred to death at the hands of religious fanatics that night. He made all this happen even after he was treated like dirt in his uncle’s home at North Delhi for all his youth. What’s this in comparison to all that?? It’s a piece of cake. He knows that he will turn his "Hazaaron khwaishein” into reality.

He’s parking his bike when Aasha comes running out to him. He lifts her up, looks at her angel like smile, hugs her. With his spirits lightened, mind freshened, and his strength restored, he enters his rented hole like one room apartment............................

(To be continued)