The Infatuation

 

Arnab Ray was extremely punctual when it came to having his daily lunch. He firmly believed that delay in having lunch impacted the productivity of the second part of the day and it was no different on that afternoon. The digital clock on his table showed 12.30 PM and it was almost lunch time. The official lunch time for the company started at one in the afternoon but due to shortage of space in the canteen, Arnab often reached the canteen five to ten minutes earlier. Arnab, who worked as deputy manager with the Claims department, was getting ready to proceed to the canteen when the landline phone on his table rang. He looked at the number of the incoming call and was immediate to pick it. It was the Chief Manager, Claims department.

“Yes, sir.” Arnab didn’t even wait to hear from the other side.

“Arnab. Listen. There is an internal transfer in our department. Though I know we are quite full right now but considering that Sakshi would be leaving for her maternity leave within a month, I thought it would be prudent to get someone in her place. The candidate would be coming from the Operating expenses department. Please do the needful and introduce her to Sakshi.”

Post the call, Arnab quickly reached the canteen from the third floor to the second floor through the stairs as the lifts were always late during that time of the day. An hour later when he arrived back at his desk, he saw a young lady busy talking on her mobile phone standing near to his desk. He waited patiently till she finished her call. She turned around and found Arnab standing. “Yes. May I help you?” She asked in an authoritative tone. A confused Arnab was out of words for a second.

“Actually, this is my desk.”

“Oh, Sorry sir. I’m extremely sorry. My name is Jagruti shah and I am an internal transfer from the opex team. I was told to meet you at your desk but you were not here so I stood here waiting.” She uttered non-stop. She seemed embarrassed to Arnab for being ignorant.

He smiled and said, “it’s ok. No issues.”

Without wasting time, Arnab took her to Sakshi who was one of the Assistant Managers in the Claims department. The Assistant Managers sat just a row behind Arnab. They walked to Sakshi’s workstation, Jagruti following Arnab.

Seeing the reporting senior approaching towards her workstation, Sakshi halted with the work she was busy with.

“Hi Sakshi. How are you doing?”

“All fine, sir.”

“Okay. Sakshi, meet Jagruti. She would be taking your place.”

Jagruti and Sakshi exchanged formal pleasantries.

“Jagruti, Sakshi would be going on her maternity leave from the next month. So, you have to take over from her. You have one month to learn things and get sorted out. Sakshi will help you settle down and in case you face any problems, you can connect with me anytime.

Jagruti seemed a sweet young girl to Arnab, perhaps too energetic and excited to be working in such a big multinational company. She came about to be confident girl to him. And of course, she was pretty. He was impressed with her neat and sharp corporate style of dressing and her body language conveyed positivity.   Moving his attention away from her, Arnab got back to his desk leaving Sakshi to handle Jagruti.

Jagruti found that the third floor was much more peaceful and calmer than the second floor which was extremely busy at all times of the day. She observed that the third floor consisted of three departments. The Claims department, the risk management department and the outsourced Information technology team hired by the company for implementing large IT projects. Another important aspect which she noticed was the fact that there were no cabins on the third floor and the floor lighting was bright unlike the second floor where the lighting was a bit dim and natural light was more prevalent due to the cabins where the curtains were kept tied up.  She felt relaxed compared to her time at the Operating expenses team. She found Arnab sweet and very helpful. Based on the initial conversations, there seemed no attitude problems with him and he spoke rather respectfully than being overtly authoritative.

Jagruti’s new profile involved work in relation to processing of Death claim files which she received from the branches all over the country. Her primary work included checking the supporting documents as per the requirements of the Standard operating procedure manual, putting out requirements for further documents to branches and the claimants, filling up the checklist for each individual death claim file and passing it to Arnab for his review.

One month passed away at a lightning speed particularly due to the quarterly closing review. Sakshi had left for her leave and Jagruti was now on her own. Over the next few weeks, Arnab observed that Jagruti was a quick learner and a very efficient one too. On a continuous review of her work, he found that she had grasped the work given to her exceedingly well. Further, she had some great inputs to improve the overall documentation of Claim files which she conveyed to Arnab. After consulting with his senior Manager, Mr Parekh, Arnab didn’t hesitate to implement those small little changes.

During this time as they worked together on daily basis, Arnab unknowingly got infatuated to Jagruti. Being a Bachelor at the age of thirty had its weakness and Arnab was very well feeling that weakness. He wasn’t sure about the reason for his feelings. Was it her looks or was it her confidence or her positivity? He wasn’t sure at all. He started to give special attention to Jagruti. They regularly had coffee at the floor mini- cafeteria which slowly became a daily routine.

“So, Jagruti. How are you finding the Claim department?” asked Arnab one evening during their routine coffee break.

“It’s quite interesting, sir. But looking at the papers and files of people who have passed away is stressful and depressing. I don’t know how Sakshi did it.” Jagruti would regularly look into his eyes talking to him which made him a bit uncomfortable.

“I can understand. But if you look the other way, you are doing an important work of ensuring the family members get the insured amount correctly.” Arnab was always good at encouraging his junior team mates and it was no different with Jagruti.

As the days passed, they started to have lunch together with other team mates and Jagruti always sat near to Arnab and shared her food with him. Some days, she would bring his favourite Gujrati snacks from home made by her mother which Arnab would cherish for the rest of the day at his desk. Unlike earlier, Arnab had started to sit late to help Jagruti with her work. They had late sitting coffee and snacks and many a times even dinner. Some weeks later, he started to drop her home in a private cab.

By now, Arnab and Jagruti were even connected on Facebook and they chatted non-stop on Whats App. Jagruti would like and comment on every post of Arnab on social media and Arnab would reciprocate the same way. It was a surreal feeling for Arnab. He enjoyed his work much more than before and his performance too had risen when it came to meeting deadlines.

Six months passed and by now, Arnab and Jagruti performed exceedingly well along with other assistant managers. Arnab’s mind had by now presumed that they were more than colleagues, perhaps very good friends. He enjoyed the work place more than his home and on high work pressure days, he would come even on the weekends to finish off work.

A month later, Arnab again received a call from the chief manager of his department.

“Arnab. Listen. That girl, what’s her name? Yes, Jagruti. The year end closing is coming and the Finance and accounts team needs someone who has had a prior experience in operating expenses accounting to help them out so that the seniors can concentrate on other critical aspects. Why don’t you release her for two months and then she will be back to your department? “

Arnab was silent for some time. “Sir, but we have load here to close the files?”

The chief manager was silent for some time. “Arnab. I will arrange two juniors to help you out for two months. But we will have to let her go for two months. Okay. Please make the arrangements”

“And yes. Don’t tell her that this change is for two months. That will make her disinterested in the new work. Tell her that it is as a part of inter department shifting based on resource requirement.

“Right, sir.” He kept the phone down almost heartbroken.

Arnab didn’t inform Jagruti about the proposed change at office. He messaged her in the night on Whats app.

“Got a call from the chief manager. There has been a requirement in the Finance and accounts department. They have selected you to join them.” He wrote without informing that the transfer was for two months.

“Ohh.”

“From when?” she replied back rather lamely.

“Next week.”

“Okay. No issues.

“And what about the work I am handling currently?” she asked inquisitively

“Two juniors will be provided to us in your place.”

“Okay.”

They didn’t speak much that night.

Within the next three days, two juniors from the Revenue department joined Arnab. Jagruti handed over everything to the two juniors. That day, she was quiet at the coffee meeting. It was the same even during the lunch and evening snacks time. Arnab could understand her dilemma but he made her understand that it was the very way that corporates functioned.

Jagruti joined the Finance and accounts team early next week. The finance and accounts team were on the second floor. She was back on the busy floor away from the peaceful third floor. On extremely busy days, she could see people running around from one person to other. On other days, when all the cabins are occupied by the top management employees, everyone from the departmental AVP to Finance controller would be in a different and extremely serious mood as if it was the last day on earth.  As Arnab was unable see Jagruti, he sometimes went for a stroll down on the second floor and found her extremely busy.

That weekend, he messaged her on Whats App.

“Hi. How is life?”

There was a very delayed reply and that too a cold one. “Going on. A bit busy. Will catch up with you later.”

Looking at the message, he nodded his head with a smile. He didn’t reply back.

That Sunday, he put up a picture of his on Facebook wall. Generally, Jagruti would like his posts and pictures within ten to fifteen minutes after being uploaded. To his surprise that Sunday, neither there were any comments from her and nor did she click the like icon on his picture.

Weeks passed and Arnab got busy with the year-end closing. He never received any message from Jagruti. She stopped having lunch with him or his team anymore. One day, he saw her having a late lunch with the Finance and accounts department – Manager, Manav Kohli.

Though in his career of five years in Corporate, he had been through almost everything possible but what was happening with him currently was something he had never experienced. It was a new learning for him. He thought from Jagruti’s point of view and realised that there was nothing wrong with her behaviour considering that she was only twenty-five years in age. Perhaps she felt pressured or perhaps she thought that it was the way it worked in the corporate world. He felt ignored.

Shrugging aside his thoughts, he concentrated on his work along with handling the two juniors assigned to him. The year-end closing ended and Jagruti was informed by the Finance and Accounts team to move back to her previous department.

A confused Jagruti suddenly got tensed. She immediately thought about Arnab and how she would face him. All this while she had ignored him badly. That night she consulted with her friends working in other companies about her current dilemma. Everyone had a different take on the situation and it confused her more. Finally, she decided what she had to do.

Around 11.30 that night, Arnab received a message on Whats App.

“Hi, sir. How are you?”

Fifteen minutes later when Arnab looked at the message, he had a three sixty-degree smile on his face. He was waiting for this moment. He didn’t reply back and it made feel great.  He did reply but only the next morning during his travel.

“Hi, Jagruti. Good here. How are you?”

Jagruti informed him about the transfer aspect and Arnab welcomed her back. But the conversation from his side was kept strictly professional. Jagruti joined back to her position at the claims department and started to report to Arnab. Over the next few days, Jagruti observed that things had changed now. Arnab only spoke about office aspect with her and that too concerning only their department.

“Sir, coffee?” she asked one evening.

He looked silently towards her for some time and looked straight into her eyes. That look said a lot to her. She didn’t ask again and walked away alone to have coffee. They neither did have lunch together anymore. Though she enjoyed her work, but Arnab’s coldness towards her disturbed her greatly.

Finally, it was that time of the year when annual appraisals had to be done. Every reporting head had to convey the ratings for their team. Arnab had waited for this moment so badly and Jagruti somehow had to make up with Arnab to get a good rating. Both of them had different motives.

 That Friday, the rating windows on the company’s performance reporting software opened up. Arnab didn’t log in to his window until his entire team was gone for the day. Around eight in the evening, Arnab finally gave the ratings for his team. He was particularly happy to give it for Jagruti.

Jagruti didn’t have a great weekend. She was tensed and disturbed. She wanted a promotion very badly as most of her friends were promoted to the next level. She very well knew that she was childish in her behaviour. She realized her mistake but guessed that it was too late. Her nine months would almost go uncounted. She was currently at Assistant Manager level 1 and there were two levels more before she could become the Deputy Manager. She thought that the results of the rating would only be released fifteen days later and till that time she had to go with flow.

Fifteen days later, one Monday morning, when Jagruti reached office, she checked on Arnab’s desk. He wasn’t there. There was a company envelope on her desk. She opened it and was about to almost faint. It was a promotion letter from the head of department. The letter informed her that she was promoted to the Assistant Manager level 2 (AM- Level-2) which meant she will have her own team of executives to work with now. She kept her bag on the table and immediately walked to the HR department in which she had a known friend.

“Archana, can you tell how much rating I was given?”

After checking into the reports, she shot back. “Wow. Ten on ten.”

“What?” Jagruti was shocked.

“Who gave it?”

“Who else? Your reporting senior, Arnab Ray.”

Jagruti walked back searching for Arnab on the floor but she couldn’t find him. She reached her table and looked at his desk. It was still unoccupied. Arnab didn’t come back at his desk. It was clean, tidy and arranged as always. The PC and keypad were covered with a black cloth. She read her promotion letter again and felt ecstatic. While she kept the letter back in her bag, her mobile phone buzzed. It was a SMS from Arnab.

“Congratulations. You got your promotion for your work and dedication and nothing else. On the work front we both have excelled. Keep up the good work and carry on. And by the way, I have been promoted as Manager – Claims. So, you will have a new reporting head. Take care”

A second later, she received another SMS from him that got a smile on her face.

“And yes, we will keep meeting on the floor. All the best”

A smiling emoji ended the SMS and also the one-sided infatuation.