Monday, January 12, 2009

Business as Usual

What just happened? What’s this buzz…places of work are not supposed to be so refreshingly lively… but hold on, the undertone, its scary…something’s wrong,,,forget it gotta wrap up a few tasks before lunch …sloppy deadlines, hate em, business as usual...

After all that transpired over the last few months it was evident that things at Sat(y)am were bad…really bad… but then it came, as a nonchalant forward,, “FW: Ramalinga raju’s resignation letter”. Big deal ! I thot as I often do, on receiving stupid forwards. Just another forward, even if he did resign, it must be, owing to a string of bad decisions over the past few months… acquiring Ma(y)tas cuz "sonny should shiny" was a bad idea..lets restore investor confidence.. lets resign…” well done! but my heart goes out to u man, it must hurt leaving something u built…”

K now lunch time, Akshai’s (friend in office) gone to another location, so will have lunch alone…In the cafeteria I notice the same buzz, this time only louder. In the distance, on the cafĂ©’ TV a yellow trend line on CNBC, looks eerie. Its more like a yellow step down, the edge of a cliff with shadows of people in the foreground, its surreal. Its only when I take my food n get closer to the TV I realize its the movement of Sat(y)am stock, 80,78….65….33!!!!! 33!!!!....beat, shit I’m thinking wish all of us learnt our counting wrong and 33 actually means 333 and the bottom is still some distance or may be down is the real up… the heading reads “Sat(y)am Fraud”, I’m like what nonsensical bullshit…media can blow up anything..meaning anything….I haven read the “fwd” yet u see…

Get back to my desk after lunch, still that buzz with associates huddling around computers discussing stuff, techies turned financial experts, Dog knows why…
Neways, I’d discover the reason only a moment later. There is a near sudden halt on business, I haven received some much awaited mails…So I decide to read them forwards… “that forward…”
As I read, I sink, cuz with every lineof the letter, the last one hour is falling in place and everything else is falling apart (not really, but I like the effect)… I cant avoid thinking that only the last one hour is the truth, “Satya” everything else I’m hoping is a lie,,,,and well I’m still hoping, which is business as usual,,,

The next day in office is even worse, Business as usual has acquired a new meaning, no body knows what to work on wt to touch, wt to avoid,, so there is this mad show of support, organized by one of the several units at the company…meaning suddenly people rushing down the building, mostly taking steps…
Its always mind boggling to look at a sea of humanity, tho this was more like “downstream” of humanity… I joined the crowd, like I often do…I’ve never been in a crowd so big without any pushing and shoving, there was none. I guess that’s what education is about, its just "business as usual" climbing down stairs…when we reach the company compound downstairs everyone is painting their hands and imprinting them on these massive sheets as signatures of support for Sat(y)am, people singing and chanting the name of the company.. its crazy, but me, the only thing I’m thinking is,,, “there are so many people in this company, so many, I’ve never seen them, this building just covered them and there are so many other such buildings,,, its like when I was a kid and used to throw a paper or a cloth on ants, then I’d observe them crawl out..…” I couldn’t help but wonder, why so many people around the world get fooled again and again. I think its because reactions to adversity are typical. If I fooled you once, and I know well, how you would react anytime I want to fool you, I sure will again.
Neways, deep down looking and listening to the crowd, I also felt that this show of strength was shallow; it is a desperate attempt at saving themselves in their minds, to hold onto that comfort zone tat a cushy job gives u... It’s amazing the strength and courage a crowd can give those associating with it.… Crisis brings out the best and the worst in people….its true, one can see it…the big talk is worth nothing and men from boys are not separated by age or bands (Sat(y)am governs itself bandwise)…its true and its exciting to see it unfold even if it is unfortunate…. And there is nothing like business as usual, if u’re in business or out of it, u know its only “frequently unusual”.