C'est La Vie....

Dear Mr. Bin Laden

Hi. My name is Tara. I'm 8 years old. I live in India. I'm writing this letter to you because I read about you in the newspaper.The newspaper used many big words. I asked my papa about it. My papa works in a big office. He said that you made wars and killed people. I asked him why ? Papa smiled and said I won't understand. I like it when my papa smiles.

I wanted to ask you why ? But I think you'll also not tell me why. I'm a very small short girl. Papa calls me his little bumblebee. He says all papas have special names for their little girls. What is your daughter's special name ?

I don't like it when people hit each other. When Mehul hit Rohit in school, blood came out. Then Mehul and Rohit were crying, even though they are boys. Madhu ma'am was very angry. Then she told us not to hit anybody. She says it is wrong. Did your class teacher forget to tell you ?

When I told papa about it, he looked sad. He said life was too precious to waste. Then he started talking about Mumma. I don't remember Mumma very much. She died when I was a baby. Madhu ma'am says you feel bad when someone you love dies. I saw a movie where a lady was crying while a man was dying. Sometimes I feel sad about Mumma. I wish she was still here. But papa and granny say they are enough for me. But I still love my Mumma. I just wish she could come to PTA meeting like Sonia's mother.

I saw people crying and shouting on T.V. Papa said it was because of you. You shouldn't make people cry. I don't like to cry, even if papa gives me an ice-cream afterwards. Why do you kill people ? Does it help your friends ? I'm sure there are people who love those people who died, and I'm sure they feel very bad. I know papa feels very bad when we talk about Mumma. I don't want people to be sad like him. That is not how you should live life.

I read in my book that God created all men and women to be happy. He/She is a big man/woman who lives in the sky and watches everything. That is why you should not do wrong things, because God will punish you. Are you God and my God different ? Papa says that you pray differently. But that does not mean that the big man/woman in the sky looks different too ? Granny gets very angry when I ask her about this.

I have decided that in my life I will never do anything wrong. That you can never be punished. Isn't that clever of me ? Papa says it is. I think it would be good for you too.

It is raining outside today, after a long time. Everybody was really happy, because it was very hot. I was also very happy, like when I got what I want, after a long time. It's a very nice feeling. Do you know that feeling ? I don't mind the thunder or lightening also !

I saw two planes in the TV. When they were flying, they made a sound like the thunder outside. Then there was a flash. And then there was a lot of smoke and the houses were gone. The news lady says that this was happening in Afghanistan because of Mr. Bush and you. She said that the people in Afghanistan wanted peace a lot. Can you and Mr. Bush please give it to them ?

I'm sure it would make them very happy. I know that it makes you also happy when you give people something that they really want. Don't you feel sad that people are dying ?

Don't you want to be happy ?

At night, when papa and I were praying, I said your name. Papa asked me why ? I said it was because I thought you needed it. Papa said yes, praying for people gives them strength. So we prayed for you. Then I asked, why didn't anybody pray for Mumma ? Maybe she wouldn't come back, and we should pray that other people shouldn't die like that.

So, I prayed that other children's papa and Mumma shouldn't go away. Children really need their Papas and Mummas.But maybe God won't listen to me. He/She took my Mumma away, didn't He/She ? So I'm writing this letter to you. If you stop making wars, dropping bombs and killing people, kids like me will have both their papa and Mumma. It's much better than one Papa.

So, I want you to stop war, and give peace to the people. You will feel good then, because you will make people happy. you should also do good things in life, because then God will not punish you.

With love
Tara

Disgusted, no, enraged is the word.

Something really really unfortunate happened today.
While on her way to college on an Activa, one of my college friends was followed and then forced to stop by a group of 3-4 guys. These hooligans then physically harassed her. On being met with protests on her side, they went on to actually beat her. They kicked, punched and whacked her with a helmet, with the intention of somehow making her unconscious so that she could be taken advantage of. Yes, that is the level of desperation that these bastards possess. They might as well be necrophiliacs.
She has not pressed any charges so far and I - someone who has always been of the opinion that if no one else, at least the educated urban women should stand up for themselves - am forced to think about why is it that these women are so afraid to press charges ? Perhaps it has got something to do with the dismal conviction record, even in cases of rape, which only tells us that something is very, very wrong with the Indian Judicial System. It's little wonder then that they are told be a "Good Bhartiya Naari" and shut up. While the scum who molest them roam around scot free.

P.S. To all the girls reading this - Please do not think that this is something that can only happen to others and not you. My friend thought the same way. Do learn some kind of martial arts or the other to combat these sex - deprived maniacs and make it a point to always keep a pepper spray with yourself.

I hate it when the seasons change.

I hate it when my size changes from a smaller one to a bigger one.

Hell ! I hate it when my mom changes the T.V. channel.

I hate it when the taste of my favourite dish at my most trusted restaurant changes.

I hate it when the movie adaptations of books change the storyline.

Tell you what ? I hate to change. ( Yeah I'm a lazy AND an unhygienic person. )

I hate it when Sunday changes into Monday.

Most of all, I hate it when people change.

Poor Me : "Good afternoon, ma'am."

CCMA ( Chatur Chalaak Moti Aunty) ( with a smirk on her face ) : "Have a seat. So, what do you remember of our presentation in your college ?"

Poor Me (to myself) : "Man I'm so doomed right now!"

(to CCMA) : "Fluor Daniel is basically an engineering, maintenance, procurement and" [(construction) - which I didn't say, rather this is what i blurted out)] - "...there is one more thing which I don't remember- services provider."

[ Helllooooo !!! What was I thinking ?? ( Oops, don't really wanna answer that one) What was the need to say that ?? Anyway....]

It was established in 1912...blah blah blah.....started off as a construction company ( Nope, I still didn't remember that this was what I had missed out)....Fortune 500....

CCMA : What exactly do you understand by a Fortune 500 company ?

Poor Me (to myself) : "Damn I gotta upgrade my GK soon!"

(to CCMA) : Managed to say something about Time Inc's Fortune magazine taking out a list of the top 500 U.S. companies according to the profit that they make. ( Yay !! My blog is turning informative!!)

CCMA : What about the job profile ?

Poor Me : After answering almost correctly, I messed this up in the end by saying that Fluor, India manages the accounts of countries like Japan, thinking, thinking, blank, Japan, still thinking, still blank, Japan......Philippines !!

The expression on CCMA's face makes me realise my folly and I realise that I've mixed up Wipro with this company's PPT. So having no option left, I admit the truth to them.

CCMA (smirk on face intact) : "And what do you recall of the compensation ?"

Poor Me : Of course I answered this flawlessly. What do you think of me ??

CCMA : "Okay Isha, so tell me something about yourself."



And from this point on, the interview was more or less a piece of cake because this happens to be one of my favourite topics - myself !

And guess what ? However intimidating the interview room might be, it is one place which does not mind boasting. ;)



P.S. Yes, surprising as it may sound, I did manage to clinch the job. But ended up pursuing MBA, which btw is one step further than working as here, I actually PAY to get tortured.

Well, what can I say - C'est la vie.

Now don't think me to be insane after reading this but I was really nervous - not because I was scared or anything but because of the fact that everyone around me seemed to be nervous save me. And somehow this ended up making me nervous !!
Anyway, there were two HR people taking the interview. One was a middle aged lady who liked the typical chatur chalaak moti aunty of the neighbourhood and again a middle aged guy who looked kind of sweet though in my opinion he was merely serving as a showpiece.
So these people seemed to be interviewing each candidate for an eternity. After the candidates had appeared for the first level of interview, they were taken to another room so as to prevent us from asking them anything. (Yes, apparently they were oblivious to the concept of cellphones.)
Luckily I had three of my besties for company who made the interminable wait bearable. But after two of us had gone for the interview, the remaining two - which included me and Champa (yeah, that's the latest nick name that she has been bestowed with :D) - started talking about - make a wild guess....DOPING !!! I mean of all things - DOPE ??!! Sometimes I surprise even myself. And it wasn't until my name was called for the interview that we were sucked out of this immensely interesting topic.
So with my mind trying to block out any thoughts about dope, I entered the interview room and this is what ensued.
( to be continued)

Being a final year student (yes, I had written this almost a year back. But it's being put up now as I'm kind of at a similar stage again.) I too had to go through the gruelling process of giving interviews after interviews in the hope of landing that elusive "dream job".

And today was my first real corporate interview so to say. Fluor Daniel, a company which provides engineering, maintenance, construction and procurement services had shortlisted 16 students during their campus recruitment process, who were to appear for the final interview at their office in Gurgaon.

The day couldn't have started on a better note. I got up super late and of course didn't make it in time to the college. And to top that, our cab driver was someone whom Michael Schumacher would have gladly buried alive. I mean, the guy wouldn't drive above 20 km/hour. And thus we ended up reaching half an hour late at their office, courtesy our aforementioned driver, the new Gurgaon expressway (yes it was new THEN), and of course me!

Once there all of us were completely in awe of the building. But our happiness was shortlived, for soon began what is known as the third degree.

(to be continued)