When Rejection meets death..

                                                         

Prologue

As I entered the cathedral, at least a dozen people were weeping profusely. What the Fuck?Its ok,I lost a six figure job and I feel dejected after the rejection but why the hell  are you people crying? –I said in a low tone to myself.

Chapter 1- The New year gift

With limited pennies in the pocket, me and my team “The Conrods” were marching towards the Dhaba Express to satiate our lust to celebrate the new year’s eve.

BEEP(my mobile rings). It’s an e-mail

“Humais I have got a mail, it’s from a company. I am not sure, what does it mean?”

Humains and promit,the two potential stalwarts of Mahindra  bounced to my mobile to have a look at it. It read:

Hi 

Wish you a very Happy & Prosperous New year 2014. 

We believe, you have received the courier from us regarding your Letter of Selection, Application form, Medical forms, Permanent Employee Number form and allied documents. 

Please send us the filled Application Form I & II, Medical report, Permanent Employee Number form and the the allied documents via courier.

Kindly confirm your last date of examination & project completion date via return email.

Kindly revert for clarifications if any. 

Thanks & Regards,

Ajay Gupta

HR, Sanmar Corporate Division

 Is it from the same company, you attended an interview?,’ Humais inquired.

Actually it was from the company in which me and some of my friends underwent three interviews, a group discussion, one written and a psychometric test ,so it will be ethically wrong to say “underwent  AN interview, but I said Yes.

“Bro,Congrats.it’s a confirmation mail. You have got a job now, you are placed. What better way to start a new year “, Humais said.

(Amused, bewildered and excited)

 “How is it possible?, I was not shortlisted “I said. Although I felt I fared really well and it was the best among my very few interviews and deep inside I could not believe how Santa clause had managed to fulfil my wish in a span of 7 days. Maybe be he has upgraded his reindeers or switched to DLF,’ I thought.

 “They might have forgotten to contact you and now they are sending the official mail.” Promit said.

Okay,  that sounds like a possibility,’ I Said.

Congrats Animesh, Just contact them tomorrow for clarifications.The job is almost in your pocket

,’Shiva said

Yes,this looks a decent idea. Thanks shiva’ I said.

Yes, the happiness was slowly seeping into my nerves .Chants of treat; treat and treat were all around. Though I effectively managed to ignore them, not because I was not willing to (fingers crossed) but because I was still not sure whether I had nailed it down.

Chapter 2 – The Good,the bad and the Ugly.

Next morning after having conversation with my father,I decided to reply them.It read

Sir,

it will be my honour to be a part of esteemed Sanmar group, and i am looking forward to this opportunity with high spirits and zeal. My project and examination will be over by 20th May,2014(Tentatively),I would also like to bring to your notice that i have not  received the courier so far.Please tell me the procedure to obtain it.

Wishing you a happy and prosperous new year!

Regards,

Animesh Shah

SRM University, Mechanical engineer

With the same high spirits and zeal, I decided to meet the HR. After having a stale breakfast at the mess, I started my expedition for Rojgar(employment).

With waves of uncertainty within my mind, I boarded the train to Marina Beach.At Tambaram,my phone rings.It was from a landline.

“Hello, I am Ajay Gupta calling from Sanmar group. Am I talking to Mr.Animesh? ‘’

“Yes sir, Animesh here”

“Animesh, I just received your  e-mail. I am really sorry that you have not been finalised for the Sanmar group.It was a human error from my side.I Am really sorry.,’Ajay said

Silence..Silence..(10 deadly seconds)

“Ok sir.(Sh) It happens,I am on my way to your office,I would like to meet you,’ I said in heavy tone.

“no need to come,that won’t make any difference” Ajay said.

“No problem sir,I would just like to meet you.” I said

It was soon followed by an e-mail,it read

Hi Animesh

Apologies. This email was sent to you mistakenly. Kindly ignore this email.

Thanks & Regards,

Ajay Gupta

HR, Sanmar Corporate Division

Whooo,it was not the first time I was handed a lemon instead of a  lemonade, but it  was possibly the most sour one handed to me Kindly.

I felt like a child, being snatched away from his favourite nipple, or like a bear awoken from his slumber or like a student handed with a fake leaked paper or like a bride with dowry mongering in laws and many more.

Chapter 3 : The Redemption

DEVILISH WITHIN ME: Should I sue the HR?                       

LOGIC WITHIN ME: Well this is not United States.

DEVIL: May be I can accuse him of mental trauma.          

LOGICAL: It’s still India.

DEVIL: Ahaa...I can complain to the managing director, he will sue him for being unprofessional and will kill my prey with a neat sword.

ANGEL WITHIN ME: What would I get by doing that, the poor fellow will receive some shit from his boss, I have already received mine?

LOGICAL ME : When life gives you lemons, make lemonade out of it.

ANGEL: The person has already accepted his mistake; i have made a Innumerable mistakes and rarely accepted any.

OPTIMIST ME: Okay, he is still an HR, he is psychologically debt ridden to help me. There might be other opportunities in the company. I should meet him.

LOGICAL, ANGEL AND OPTIMIST: I have got nothing to lose, Let’s meet him.

(The SANMAR OFFICE)

 “I am here to meet, Mr.Ajay Gupta,the HR”, I told to receptionist.

“Are you here for an interview” ,he said with no deliberate intentions to rub my wounds.

“NO, my interviews are over”,I said softly.

“So are you placed and here to take the call letter?”, He said  Arrogantly with some intentions to poke the wounds.

“No,actually..i received.. a mail from him”,I want to meet him.

“What is your name??” ,he enquired

“The name is Shah,Killer Shah “ I thought of answering but I said “ Animesh”

Ten minutes later, My ex recruiter arrived. We moved into an empty room .He looked like late 20’s guy with a beard to match his job profile.

We started our conversation

“Good afternoon sir and happy new year”; I said.

“Happy new year” he said

“Sir, I was on my way to meet you when I received your call, so I thought I should meet you and clarify everything.

With guilt ridden voice he said” Animesh,I would like to apologise, I can understand how you must be feeling after receiving a confirmation mail and then again getting rejected. It is a mistake from my side,I am really sorry.

“It’s ok sir, you don’t need to apologise, I can understand. It can happen with anyone, but I would like to know is there any possibility of being finalised?”, I asked intrigued.

“Animesh you were shortlisted for the job, but we had to narrow down the list when we were finalising the candidates. But now we have finalised it “,He said

When you are eighth,seventh,sixth or fifth in a race, you don’t feel crucified, You feel the pain when you are fourth in a race and missed your medal by a few milliseconds.

“Sir,please let me know if there are any other opportunities in Sanmar group in future or any other company which suits my profile” I said

“Well, we have still not finalised the Mumbai team, I let you know”.Ajay Said.

“Sir, I am flexible and ready to work anywhere in India, please keep me in consideration” I said with a smile.

“I definitely will keep you in consideration” He said with an enthusiastic tone this time.

“It was nice meeting you sir, I said with a broader smile.

“Same here Animesh”

“Well it was not such a bad meeting, though I am still jobless, hungry and single “I thought.

Chapter 4: The lesson

I moved out of the Sanmar office, It was in the cathedral road.

With some time to spare, I thought ‘”There must be a cathedral in the cathedral road”

It was an opulent grandeur old church which resembled those I had only seen in movies.

As I entered the cathedral, at least a dozen people were weeping profusely. What the F**k?Its ok,I lost a six figure job and I feel dejected after the rejection but why the hell  are you people crying? –I said in a low tone to myself.

Still unaware, I moved inside .The church was almost full with more attendants than the crowd in a domestic cricket test match .I occupied one of the very few empty chairs. I soon discovered a booklet ,kept a shelf in front of me. It’s cover read

                                             Mr.Jayaraj Emmanuel Theophilus

                                                       12.12.1931-27.12.2013

“holy fuck, I am attending mourning of Mr.jayaraj whom I have never met.

I should leave, before I am discovered.”

As I began to move to my left,six men entered the door carrying the coffin of well suited, immobile and calm Mr.Jayaraj.

WELL MANNERED  ME “Now I am trapped, I have to attend the ceremony till Mr.jayaraj departs to another world.

CURIOS ME: I have not attended any Christian funeral,it’s  an opportunity to experience it.

SPIRITUAL  ME: it might help me to heal  what I witnessed  today.

The ceremony started with few verses from the Holy bible. Followed by hymns and prayers.

Meanwhile some of the relatives were still crying and looking at them a thought struck me

“My pain is as small as a pea,compared to  theirs. The god has blessed me with  loving parents, an amazing ever improving brain, a fit and fully functioning  body, super charming looks, undiscovered opportunities,4 GB i5 3^rd generation laptop.”

What more a 21 year old guy desires apart from a hot girlfriend and apple I phone.Ok,the latter ones can wait.

A bell rang, and a white priest came towards the podium.Paying extra attention to fair skinned person,as we Indians normally do.

He recited a reading from the bible

“For his anger is but for a moment, his favour is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” (Psalm 30: 5)

“Aye aye captain” I said. I felt relieved, weeping was over for me .It was time for the morning to take over.”

Though I was still not jubilant but certainly neutral
.The joy of success and the grief of failure will last for only a short period, how we lead the life in between the two periods will define the quality of our living.

In the name  of father,the son and the holy spirit, I wished  a heavenly life to Mr.jayaraj  and moved out of the cathedral. The sun seemed to shine brighter,the winds rustled.

Still unemployed, seeking job with a greater vigor,my never ending adventurous journey continues…