The three musketeers

The management is organizing this huge event for Sunday Observer, Anuki, another colleague and myself, have been asked to chip in with the preparations. At first when we were asked to take over part of the pre-event activities - by the top brass - we knew zilch about what was expected of us.

So inevitably we managed to get ourselves into something major - that entailed major responsibilities, a huge lot of technicalities and by-the-book procedures - yet again.

On the days that followed, we were required to attend meetings, take minutes and go to discussions over dinner although we were barely part of the discussions, due to the mere fact that we had no idea what it was about. During the first meeting I was asked to take minutes.

Oh why, oh why always me! Both of us hated meetings. And judging by the way another colleague was making faces at the beginning of the meeting, it was clear that she enjoyed it no more than us.

Anuki has this problem. She can’t stay put for a long period of time. When she’s required to - or as in this case - is forced to, she at least has to jiggle her leg. And as she jiggled her leg on this particular day I was trying very hard to keep up with the pace of the discussion while taking down minutes.

Consequently it wasn’t that boring to me, but after jiggling her leg for while Anuki leaned over to me and brought my attention to the ever serious looking colleague. Now I was so sure she did not understand a single thing because she was not present for the preview meeting with the top brass. But as Anuki pointed out she was nodding at every word, looking serious and ever attentive.

After a while a few others were brought into shed light on the seating arrangements. We talked about the box plan of the hall, invitees, posters, decorations, the VIP and VVIP list and parking arrangements, blah blah blah. Inevitably we always got back to square one when some one referred to the box plan.

It didn’t take Anuki and me long to realise that they kept on focusing on the box plan. We did not mean any disrespect but could not help giggling when - no matter where the subject lead - someone always found a reason to go back to the box plan.

The next day it was Samadhi and I only who got caught to the meeting and actually third musketeer was missing. When we reached the bosses’ office he asked me to find out where the third musketeer is, so I dialled her number, too bad she did not pick up the phone.

Anyhow, we started the meeting and from the start Samadhi looked very disturbed and I knew we both were worried about the dead lines for the write-ups.

She tried her best to pass the message to one boss to let him know that we are fighting with the time, finally she was successful with her attempt. I was all alone stuck with organizing the event with once upon a time stories, some of them were very interesting.

One of the most interesting stories that I enjoyed is one of our bosses has been ordered to go and meet his big boss at his home sweet home with a cake and a cheque, by the immediate boss.

When he entered the gate ‘appu’, the cook came to welcome him, so he has handed over the cake to him and later on the cheque to the big boss and returned home. I must mention here one more thing that this was during his youthful days. After a while when he returned home a bigger cake was delivered with a thank you note, but there was no joy of seeing the cake as he received a call from the big boss.

“I say, why did you bring a cake for me? asked the big boss” The young chap was silent. “Do you think that you can buy your boss for a cake? he asked. Remember one thing I can afford to buy a cake, but you just started your life so better save every penny for your future. Stop being too smart, prove yourself by working and then you will be successful, big boss told him”.

Well, what I learned from this story is that, the advice big boss has given is very impressive and as a young chap the particular boss I mentioned with all the scolding still did not let his immediate boss down by saying it was he who asked him to do so. Anyhow, believe it or not when I came after the meeting it was almost 3 p.m. and has been there for five hours.

All I prayed while inside the meeting is that some guardian angel to rescue me from this meeting.