Natsem India Designs Pvt. Ltd.

I had a late lunch. But, unlike other days, there were a few people in the cafeteria. I took my place at a table. Someone said something about the traffic. I merely listened.

"Tick! Tick! I glanced at my watch. One and a half hour remained. I had to be there by 3:00PM."

"So, what are you working on right now?", the person in front asked.

"Oh, waiting for the new boards to arrive. The MAC needs testing and the PHY was giving some problem", I said.

"Tick Tick." I imagined myself driving through the traffic on airport road. But at that time, I did not expect it to be too crowded.

"Listen, this time round, we should plan for an overnight picnic. Even if that means stretching the budget and not giving the employees a gift. I have worked it all out. If we allow spouse and children, we can get larger participation", the person continued.

I nodded. "It has been more than a year since the last time. Remember how the resort messed up our buffet....and then had the cheek to send us a bill".

"Tick. Tick..." I imagined myself in the meeting. I wondered what we were going to talk about.

I was eating my yogurt now. Only the two of us remained in the cafeteria. He looked at me for sometime. "What?" I asked.

"Nothing".

On reaching my cube, I quickly wrote an email. I had mentally composed it that morning. Nothing too flowery. Nothing too wordy. Just a quick mail...like the ones I used to send to the guys in Israel or to the team in Longmont.

"Tick. Tick." Jerusalem, Nazareth, the Dead Sea. My own pilgrimage in the holy land. My first travel abroad. My first sight of the sea. The Mediterranean...

I walked into the nearby cubicle. It was customery.

"I plan to go home directly from there. I shall see you later", I said.

"So you won't be coming back?", the person asked.

"Not today".

A few cubicles down, I stopped to speak to another person. One much like the first person. He directed me to a seat in front. We spoke for a while. I looked into his eyes. There was a hint of moisture and just for a flicker, they glistened.

"Tick. Tick. Don't have such a late breakfast. Take care of your health....in Kerala, I too had the same experience as you had with the Haku...only it was a betal nut tree trunk"

"Tired eyes....", I forced myself to think.

"I'll see you later", I said.

Up the lift in the Leela Galleria. For once, there was no one else and I reached the second floor without stopping.

"Tick. Tick" The person who sent the mail about the lift and staircase was Keshavardhan. My name is Keshab Koch and rest assured that I shall not send out any such complaints unless absolutely necessary

It was 3:30PM when I reached. The meeting completed. All the meetings completed.

Many had read the email I had shot out before leaving for the Leela Galleria. So they came up to me.

"Congratulations".

"All the best".

"Atleast you have something. Do keep your options open".

"Do keep writing".

"I am in the middle of a debug. I shall meet you in five minutes".

"For one last time, have pani puri with us".

Yes it was the last time. It was after all my last working day at National. I looked back at all the faces I had known. The small chats, the laughter, the tears. I felt a sinking feeling and overcome by a spasm of regret.

A week later, I looked around. Happy smiling faces. Busy faces. Worried faces. It was all there. I smiled to myself...satisfied. Somethings do not change.