Due to Obama's visit

Obama’s visit made me feel like the school inspection that happens…. Entire school would be freshly painted, playground would get a new look , 100s of Dos and Don’ts would  be circulated time and again, we would be asked to come in neatly ironed uniforms…once the inspection is over, my principal would be beaming from ear to ear with pride which would drive home the point that inspector was impressed! Similarly, newly laid roads, tourist venues that were being neglected for years had sprung back to life with Obama’s visit… like in mythologies where a stone/tree/anything else waits for the blessed soul to curb the curse on it  For the past few days whatever happened in the country had the same reason ‘for Obama’s visit’… Not only in Delhi but also in Chennai (Don’t ask me why  )! Security was high…reason: Due to Obama’s visit, people were guided in proper queues while boarding train/bus…reason: Due to Obama’s visit, traffic was less or even zero…reason: Due to Obama’s visit (yeah…people were busy watching the emotional scene and wiping tears of joy when Modi Bhai was hugging Barack Bro) 

Mass Layoffs at TCS was reported…Reason: Definitely not due to Obama’s visit! There can be no connection between Obama’s visit and layoffs except that I read about both on the first page of newspaper  It was really disheartening to read about so many people losing the job that was a part of their life for so long…Not that I don’t know the seriousness of the issue but just that I am not able to ignore the lighter side! The news (both Obama’s visit and layoffs…now am talking about the latter) created waves across the nation and people who were not in any way part of the IT sector were the ones most affected 

I had heard my aunt  complaining about a maid who was irregular to work and her nonchalant attitude was definitely putting her in the “under performer” category in the performance meeting that was going on. Final verdict was clear that the maid had to look out for another job from the following month. After few days , my aunt calls up saying she retained her… She explained that she had decided it after reading about layoffs fiasco. Quoting from the conversation, “I can’t fire her from work calling her an under performer as she has been with me for 2 years now..I saw her work for a week and then only made her permanent…May be her disinterest at work could be due to my negligance…I have increased her pay this month…. Let’s see.” *mindvoice* Wow…Whatte learning! May be I should ask her about counselling the people incharge of layoffs.

One worried relative called me up (who doesn’t call otherwise)
She: “Are you working?”
Me: No no..Am not…Am watching TV.
She:..OMG! Am feeling so bad… You don’t be depressed!
Me: Aunty?????? *mindvoice* Watching TV=Being depressed?This aunty reads too much of medical columns and reads too much into my answer.
She: Ya…Everything happens for a reason…You will get something better…But don’t lose hope! Keep yourself engaged with some activity till you go to work.
Me: Errr…Aunty…Ocassionally watching TV doesn’t mean am depressed :S Am fine!
She: You said you are not working right? I saw it in news…
Me: I just informed my TL… Am not well so took a day off  what are you talking about?
She: Ohhhh…I thought you are one among the ones who got terminated.Your company has sacked many people right?
Me: Aunty…Am not working there and my job is absoultely safe as of now (sounding definitely pissed off) *mindvoice* Ufff…these abbreviations are causing Great Confusion in the Nation.
She: Guess…Somebody is at the door…Will call you back (and the back may be when next layoff news goes around  )

A shop vendor was scolding his employee as he had received complaints from customers… I happened to be at that shop for buying groceries. The owner went on to tell that boy , “Thank your stars for working here… Do you know such kind of complaints are never excused in those big big Computer companies… They will throw you out of the job instantly… You should be happy that you are working for a person who is spending all his energy in making you to realise your mistake rather than asking you to go out”. I was stunned to hear that working in grocery shop is considered to be a better option  I was about to argue but at second thoughts dismissed it as I didn’t want to intervene  the employer-employee one-to-one discussion  *IT traits*

So what made me to write a post today…Definitely…Heard you loud and clear… Post today Reason: Due to Obama’s visit  (Reacharge shop anna had closed his shop due to Obama’s visit yesterday…No net pack for chatting which made me draft this post ,thereby making use of the travel time  )

Obama-ji Ki Jai Ho!