एक सत्ती था वो Aero का
एक Placement वो चाहता था
नींद से आ के, उबासी मार के
GD दिया करता था
रात को जाग के, सुबह भाग के
Tests दिया करता था
Apps डाल के, bookmark
मार के
Notice Board देखा करता था
कोई company target
की थी शायद उसने
जाने क्यों नही कहता था
जब भी मिलता था मुझसे, मुझसे पूछा करता था
ये Core companies कब आएँगी ?
ये Core companies कब आएँगी ?
और मैं, कुछ नहीं कह पाता था…
I’d lost my Lord
Of The Rings (the book) in the interview complex while waiting for an IT
consulting interview. The next morning, when the test for yet another IT
consulting scheduled for 6 AM was postponed by an hour, I decided to look for
my book. Arrowed signs took me to the TNP control room where I saw scenes which
would put any Earthly creature to shame. And I am one of the people who
sincerely believe that Earthlings are few of the most shameless creatures in the
galaxy.
I saw 3
PlaceComs, shivering in the cold trying to gather morsels of sleep. These
people really went through a lot of trouble and sleepless nights for us. Bah!
Who cares? I wasn’t placed. These guys simply weren’t working hard enough.
I saw printed
and unprinted sheets of A4 pages lying and flying across the room containing
itineraries, student lists, room allocation lists, and what not. I saw a
massive printer which must’ve ceased all needs to keep records of printed
papers.
But the thing
which horrified me most was not a paper or a PlaceCom or a paper stuck on a
PlaceCom (or vice-versa). The thing which scared me most was a board. A plain
white board which was mostly empty. Only in the 4th Cartesian
quarter of the board did I find words. Words which listed names and unless it
was some freakish coincidence, the names had only one thing in common. Those
were the names of all yet-unplaced fest heads. I knew most of the PlaceComs
came from the fests but keeping a board infront of your eyes all the time as a
constant reminder of how many of your friends
need your help seemed to be out of line. This was an open vulgar display of
favoritism by a team which was responsible for the careers of thousands of
TTIians. Worst part about it, if reported the only result it would bring would
be complications in my own placements and perhaps my degree too. I went out
shivering in anger.
That’s when I
learnt two very important lessons. One, life is unfair – live with it. And two,
power makes people A-holes.
The next time
I went to that room was when I was placed and that board was as white as my
Aerodynamics copy. Needless to say, all the fest heads had been by then. But a
bigger challenge was underway for me. The challenge of being placed. 10 days
down I was in a mid-life crisis. I needed to get placed – and fast!
