Reflecting Mirrors

I have decided to add, besides stories the things that I notice and observe in my day to day life and the events that leave me thinking...

Recently our chairman (from U.S.) visited the Indian branch of the company. The cafeteria was wiped crystal clean for his arrival and every little detail was studied before he addressed us in the auditorium. I don’t complain. He is the chairman after all.

I went for the breakfast early that day in fear that they might not even allow me to enter later (That, fortunately didn’t happen which made me realize that even I am important now). Sitting there, eating a helpful amount of idly and sambhar, I noticed some gentlemen in black and blue suits (total management style) having English breakfast.

These gentlemen, I noticed had an air of authority you see in very few people. But then I noticed a guard in a blue uniform and wearing an immaculately trimmed moustache (he was probably told to make an impression on Chairman’s visit who wouldn’t even notice him).

This particular guard noticed the gentlemen in coats, bent his back a little in show of respect and said something to them to which one of the person waved a hand. The guard looked like he had found a treasure. Sitting far away, quietly observing this scene (I get very bored having sambhar everyday), I saw the guard running.

The guard ran towards the water cooler and fetched the gentlemen water one after the other with the content smile of having finally achieved something in his life. Though I don’t know the gentlemen or the guard in question, I had these few questions in mind:

Q. What is a guard’s job? Security or fetching water?

Ans: In India, a guard has to perform any work he is assigned. Even if the gentlemen had asked him to clean their shoes, he would have to do it because it’s his job.

Q. Why did getting water for the gentlemen make him so happy?

Ans: The possible explanation could be the feeling of self-importance. Or may be the poor guy hadn’t seen anyone in suits before because people in suits are generally found behind glass cabins or in sedan

Q. What have we reduced ourselves to?

Ans: For something very trifle as self-importance, promotions or ambition we have reduced ourselves to laborers in the hand of select few. Here I do not say that a particular work is menial but I just that I reflected that infact every work is just equivalent. In some manners, I and we are not different from the guard in the blue dress.

Q. Am I any different from that guard?

Ans: I have been asking myself the same question again and again. I suggest you try it once as well.

Q. Who is wrong? The guard or the gentlemen with waving hands?

Ans: I believe none of them are wrong. It is the stigma to perform and being important that makes all of us wrong somewhere or the other.

(Probably the most important question I asked myself that fateful day) : Why was I eating sambhar everyday?

Ans: No comments.

After this brain-storming, I shrugged, finished idly-sambhar and went back to working on the code.

Disclaimer: Our honorable chairman (who is infact a very dedicated person) and the gentlemen in suits have nothing to do with this brain-storming.