Act 1 - Mumbai Beckons

July 4, 2005 -

I came to Mumbai on Jul 4, 2005 when I made a career move from Delhi.

"It is an MNC - a very large corporate company - please do not worry about me - I am sure things will be very fine" - I had said gallantly when I had decided to take up the job offer in Mumbai.

And I landed in Mumbai. Brushing aside my assertion that I could manage on my own, my SIL's brother gallantly offered to drop me off to my guest house. I had gone to his house to drop off my nephew who was travelling to Mumbai to meet his maternal grandparents.

Scene 1 -

The office guards are taken aback when I ask for the keys to the guest house.
I am shaken.

Guards - What do you want?
Me - The keys to the guest-house.
Guards - Who are you?
Me - I am a new employee.
Guards - What’s your name?
Me - Xyz.
Guards - No one's expecting you.
Me - No, they are - here’s my employee joining letter and here’s the letter with the details for my accomodation.
Guards - What do we do?
Me - I don’t know.
Guards - Here’s the number, please talk to HR.
Me - Sure.
Me - Hey, they are sure that I am expected.

Several calls and embarassing moments later, I landed up at the door to my guest house - two and a half hours after I landed up at the office.

Scene 2 -

Action - Insert key
Reaction - The key wouldnt fit

Action - Insert key a second time
Reaction - The key wouldnt fit a second time

Action - Insert key a third time
Reaction - The key wouldnt fit a third time
Reaction from SIL's bro - Here, let me try

Action - Insert key yet again
Reaction - The key wouldnt fit yet again.
Reaction from SIL's bro - These are not the right keys

More calls and even more embarassing moments later, a property dealer comes with the key to the door.
Lo and behold!! The door opens.

My SIL's brother was now even more determined to see me settled and I was getting awfully embarassed that I had a witness to such shoddy treatment from an MNC.
It is now dark and I am fleetingly glad that I have with me someone known.

Scene 3 -

The dining table in one corner of the room doubled up as the sofa set, the TV stand and the newspaper stand. Not to speak of the dust on it.
A refrigerator that had rotting bread and loads of fungus was standing not-so- tall in the kitchen.

There was logs of wood piled in one of the rooms - that is the one I decide to occupy. The other one had a stinky loo attached to it.

Someone had tried to be innovatibe - had used the last vista of a bedcover to drape the windows.

I tried to be calm and composed - profusely thanked my SIL's brother for having been around - convinced him that I would make myself comfortable in the room.

And my sojourn started - I welcomed my self to Mumbai.
I was on my own at 9 PM, Sunday eve ... - to be contd