My 2 minutes of fame

People who have been waiting for the jellybean's birthday update, its soon coming. Meanwhile let me talk about something at work.

One fine day, 2 months ago, my line manager(boss's boss) extends me an invite to attend a meeting with the department head and a few names from the 'elitist' department in the company. The people from this group have the "I-know-everything" attitude. We hate them all and would love to be there kinds. The meeting invite had a brief agenda and I wasn't sure of my role. When I asked the big boss, he just said, come along, its about what you guys are working on. OK fine. Now the department head guy is a shrewd guy. Diplomacy and politeness did not seem to be part of his dictionary based on my prior experiences with him. So I was a little wary of being in a meeting with him.

Coming to the day of the meeting, I and the line manager walk in to a room full of people(atleast 6-7). I try to make up for the lack in height by walking in straight, a straight face and a slight smile. Basically acting all dignified. You know what I mean right? Anyway, as soon as I seat myself next to the six footer, I feel all nervous. Its basically the silence in the room and the presence of the crude someone I mentioned. The Crude guy then looks at me, raises his eyebrows and asks the manager how was I relevant to the meeting. While my manager is struggling to answer that one, he immediately tells me, I am sure you will have better things to do with your time, donot waste your time here. I was like ..."What the %$^&%*&"...Ofcourse I did not say that. I turned beetroot red probably and fumbled a "ok", gave my manager a nasty look, and walked off the room with the remaining shreds of dignity I had. It all probably lasted 2 mins. I ranted & cribed about the insult at lunch for days there after.

2 weeks after that meeting, I am talking to a senior manager and he tells me about some positive developments in our team. I am mighty pleased. He then tells me, oh this was discussed in the meeting you had with the Dept head and your line manager. I am like "me?" he said yes, you remember you had been invited but the the dept head thought otherwise. This senior manager wasn't even there in that meeting. So what does that mean? While I was pleased at the outcome, I could hear people gossiping & laughing behind my back. I ranted about this too for a couple of days at lunch.

3 weeks latter, in a casual meeting with an another senior manager, he mentioned so-and-so had some good things to say about our team. Since the so-and-so leads the elitist group at work, I was very surprised specially because I have never heard of him in our circles with respect to work. I should have left it at that, but when have I learnt, so I ask "How does he know" and he comes back with "You remember that meeting ....blah blah" ... God this guy also wasn't there. *&$%$#%&^. So its doing the rounds that I was kicked out of a meeting.

Now a week back, I went in for my interview with the elitist group. I have realized at whatever stage you are in life, however great or small your achievements are, interviews have a way of chickening you totally. Its been 3 years since I have appeared for an interview. I walk-in totally nervous. A Sardar walks-in and greets me. He continues to say "We have met before". I rake my brains and cannot place him anywhere so I fumble, curse my failing memory, and retort with a frown "I cannot recollect". He smiles and adds, "we met in the meeting with your dept head and your line manager". Now I was all ready, getting bolder and shot back non-chalantly "Oh yes, my 2 mins of fame". He laughed and said "yes mam".

There on everything was smooth. The interview went on well. 20 mins of questions and 10mins of praising me for the skills I owned and the ones I pretend to have and even the ones I don't have. I almost felt I was due for a thank you speech by the end of it. Its been a really long time anybody has said some nice things about me, other than ofcourse me bragging about it here and there and also the ones I fish around the house. I wanted to come outside the room and explode. When my team mates were out of the interview, they had some cruel stories to tell about how they were grilled. Obviously, I couldn't explode right in front of them. The explosion had to wait. By 5pm, I could wait no longer, I decided, I will treat myself before any of them comes back and says "oh sorry mam, mistaken identity, I wasn't talking about you".

What is better that "Shopping" to boost yourself. So I take a rick to MG Road. Walk into STS mall. What do I see, 70% off at Pyramids and 50% off at Westside. Great. Pick 5 'L' & 'XL' size tops in Westside and walk to the trial room. While I am mentally prepared for none to fit me, magic happens, EVERYTHING fits, infact I am tempted to try a 'M' and I do. And what do you know, 'M' FITS ME COMFORTABLY AS WELL. God What did I do to deserve this day. Beautiful.

Pinch me someone.