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Srishti-2022   >>  Short Story - English   >>  A distinct day in my office

Sujith Mammen

UST Global Trivandrum

A distinct day in my office

I had completed six years in an IT job, my yearend review said "less passionate and need more intensity", they have never seen my qualities while I finish a KFC bucket or else they might have never rated me in such a manner.  Frustrated getting the last parking spot on that rainy day, I entered office to see my colleague Mahesh with a full smile on his face. Mahesh's smile can mean only one thing, my day in office is not going to be great, his sad face usually gives me confidence. He usually slurps coffee at desk  just because he knows I think it’s annoying and gives a devil smile if I look at him.

 

Mahesh : "Due to rain all came in car, did you get parking?" (He enjoys when I take my car round and round searching for parking)

Me: "Yes, the last one, just before that VLC media player thing."

Mahesh : "It’s called a traffic cone, LOL." (I could see from his grin that he was about to say that to everyone in office, after he brags how he got a great year end appraisal rating)

Me: "Okay, let me check emails and start work now."

Mahesh : "Oh yeah, there is an email from Steve saying some logic is not working in the latest code. He has asked you to check that immediately" (now I understood Mahesh's smile)

 

I quickly sat down in my cubicle and switched on my system, the AC in office even in the rainy time was too cold that it felt too chilly. The Windows update page ensured that my system restarted again (whenever I am in an emergency) and I had to wait for a good five minutes with racing heart beats for my system to fully open and check emails. The email was given 'high importance' and came from Steve, our client manager in UK. There was some date format that was not coming correctly in few reports and the client side was furious about it(that was the main function of our code change and it was not working). I could envision the shock and anger on the face of my manager, Subramanian (who we call Subbu) who gets tensed easily even if a house fly is seen in office. I hoped the ambulance on standby was present near parking (as I didn't see it while coming to office).

 

Mahesh (leaning over my cubicle): " Any help? I can ask Steve bro to give you few days if needed to fix the issue, we are connected on LinkedIn." I felt like smashing the vase on my table on his head for starling me (not to mention annoy) as if he could prevent Steve from escalating an issue which has affected financial reports.

" No, thanks, am checking" was the only reply that I gave. From the corner of my eyes, I could see Mahesh smirk while he left.

Subbu came around 9 A.M to my seat and seemed worried.

Subbu :" What is the issue? Mahesh told Steve send an email when he called." (so the news was being spread like wildfire)

Me: "I am checking Subbu, seems the date format is not correct in few reports. The formats implemented seems to be incorrect."

Subbu: "Try to fix it ASAP, Steve may come online after an hour. Do you want Mahesh to look in to this too?"

Me :" No Subbu, let me fix this; I don't want Mahesh to waste his time on our issues."

Subbu smiled and left.

 

I didn't want to give credit to Mahesh for anything, he may even say he wrote the code for Microsoft Windows and simply let Bill Gates take the credit as he didn't want any 'recognition' for his wonderful work. Just then Manisha (our junior) came :" Team engagement activity, we need Rs.100 contribution". I quickly handed over the money as I didn't want her to further explain the activity and spend one hour near my seat. She was glad and left as soon as she got the money (marking my name in the notepad she had). Subbu had two projects under him, one existing project was handled by me and another one by Mahesh. A so called healthy competition, strict deadlines and over the top changes always made my project a challenging one, while Mahesh enjoyed a  project wherein new ideas could be implemented (thereby getting more visibility).

 

The office got crowded slowly as more people came in, some working, some chatting and some planning on what all events to be involved in the engagement activity planned by the HR later next month. I quickly checked the code library implemented and found that the latest changes were all in place but these changes were missing in production causing the issue in reports. I could hear Mahesh laughing from next cubicle saying :" Yeah. movie tonight is fine. I plan to leave around 6 anyways; Not sure he can make it though, seems some production issue." I tried to avoid him but his voice was annoying and laughs hysterical that I believe the bays other end could easily hear it without much effort.

 

I opened the online ticket for the code implementation (in software companies for making changes to any code in production, we usually make the changes in some test library and raise tickets in some system which will be implemented by relevant teams in production as we may not have authority to make code changes in production). Quickly I saw the test library name was updated wrongly for implementation and it had taken some other code for implementation. Luckily, the test library just didn't have the changes we wanted and didn't have any unwanted code either. In short, our changes didn't reflect for the client but didn't break any systems also. I put another ticket highlighting to take our test library and implement it soon in production. Steve was online and he had messaged me and I replied that his approval for my ticket will solve the issue. Steve approved it and the ticket was implemented in two hours (I could see Mahesh going for tea break discussing with some freshers on how politics is going in the right place with the recent elections)

 

The code was correctly implemented and the changes we needed were also coming fine, as the jobs started running at noon, it was a great relief for me and I informed Subbu as well. Subbu seemed happy, at last.I went for lunch and sat from the table away from Mahesh who was discussing how Uber had sent an Audi Q7 as they were not able to sent an Eco-sport that he had booked to pick his parents from the airport (I couldn't help but hear it as the emotions and sound he put was so loud half the canteen was listening).

I was halfway through my lunch when Mahesh came to my seat and said :" Why sitting alone, issue is fixed right? Great work man."

I smiled and said "thanks" and as his lunch mates also had finished lunch, they left the canteen. I got a meeting invite for 3 P.M on Outlook (mobile gave a reminder as email from Subbu came) as I finished lunch.The subject simply said "New project and related agenda" and I just hoped the new project could be a great opportunity as our current project was coming to an end.

 

I reached the meeting room (Mahesh was already there, with three other members). I smiled at everyone and sat on one of the chairs. Subbu came and greeted all and connected his laptop to the projector display and showed the "new project" that was coming up which would be a big one spanning at least two years.

 

Subbu: "Mahesh, do you think you should lead this?"

 

Mahesh: "I would love to Subbu, but seems like Suresh's project is getting over so he can also handle it. My project will take another month" (I was not sure whether he was giving me opportunity or just using an excuse)

 

Subbu: "I needed someone who can mentor the freshers and has a good rapport with them to lead it Mahesh. We will have a big team at offshore and will have a lot of visibility. The project will kick off after a month only and as Steve gave us confirmation today, I thought we should have the road map clear in front of us."

 

Mahesh :"Then I can pick it up Subbu, are there more projects coming?"

 

Subbu :" I don't think so as this will take much of our time and is based on some government mandates in the UK. Also, we may have some big deliveries in the pipeline."

 

Mahesh : "So will Suresh also work with me?" (I was wondered why he wanted to know about me every time)

 

Subbu : "Well, yes and no, I can say."

 

The whole room was confused, I was worried whether I would be leaving this job itself as Subbu usually never liked to talk like this.

 

Subbu :" Ah, don't worry. As per Steve's plan, we have decided that Suresh will be going onsite soon. His UK visa is already processed and Steve was impressed how he handles pressure situations like the one today. Steve needs one he can trust entirely and Suresh was his personal choice. So, yes Mahesh, he will be working with you, but will be your onsite counterpart and the one whose approval we may need in every phase of this project. We have to deal with Steve and others and Suresh will be our sole contact in the client side."

 

Mahesh's face changed like a tube that was suddenly switched off; I was overwhelmed (I had some loans and the onsite payment could in a way help me pay that too).

 

Subbu: "So all can leave now, except Suresh, I need to get his signatures on few documents and he will be giving us a treat before he travels to UK, right?"

 

I smiled and nodded; others left the room, Mahesh the last to exit, as if a child who was leaving his mother to school.

 

As the door closed, Subbu said :" I think Mahesh is not that happy; sometimes, we need to show that 'talking' isn't everything, right? Appraisal ratings are good but not always the absolute end. So you should scan and upload your documents by tomorrow and enjoy the view of Mahesh's face today. Don't take it bad on him when you are onsite though, we need a working team, but I won't deny this opportunity to you today, at least I hope the bay will be bit silent today."

 

I thanked Subbu and left the room, for the first time wanting to see the expression on Mahesh's face