I have been rather out of blogging for past couple of months, and today also, I wouldn’t have come here if this incident wouldn’t have happened. A brief background before I write it down. I am currently on a 3 week trip to company’s UK office (
Nottingham), partly for training and partly for getting acquainted with the people here and for attending business meetings, though only the last thing is there in my visa papers. Two of my colleagues at
Bangalore office (
Mr X and Mr. Y) are also here for similar purposes. Training got over today and
Mr. X will be leaving tomorrow. He and I went for dinner at
Eastern Spice Restaurant, my discovery of yesterdays. It had amazing food and an excellent service and no doubt, we both went beyond what our containers could accommodate.
Having had an amazing meal, while we are coming back, we met
Mr. Y along with two other seniors (
A and
B, both from India) and
Mr. Z (who also happens to be an Indian). Just to mention, almost all Indians working in this company here are from some or the other IIT. We are going to our hotel and both of us have plans to go back and have a sound sleep. These guys are going to a strip-club. I don’t wish to sound like I am charging them of article
310,
52 and
71, Don’t ask me what do they mean (
I also don’t know) I am just telling, and one of my seniors is persuading us to go with them.. we both politely refused and arguments from their side started pouring in, which I had confronted many a times earlier (
though not particular to this conversation)
Come’On, What’s wrong in this?
You won’t get such a chance in India.
Abe tumhe kya tension hai, corporate card se de dena (
meaning company will pay)
Abe C******, Bangalore mein nahi milega, last mauka hai.
Ab ye mat kahiyo ki P**** bhi nahi dekhta.
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And a series of similar arguments.. think for a minute, and you’ll get all of them (
I wont suggest you to think though).
Fine, it goes on. Only one of the seniors and
Mr. Z are verbally indulged in the conversation from their side and both of us are also not in mood of giving in.
Mr. Z then says, “
Abe apne bacchon ko kya bataoge ki tumhara baap ******* tha”, which struck me for a moment. This guy, I am not very sure, he knows me or not, and is making such statements. Who gave him such rights? I am not waging any legal battle with him, but why is he not thinking of what he’s talking and who’s he talking to? Isn’t that a
Class 1 lesson “
Think before you speak.” But I then said, “
What did your father tell you, that he went to stripclub or he was a C*******?” (
though I admit, I was not very comfortable saying this) and surprisingly, a wild smile in both his eyes, like I am in pitiable condition. (
I admit I truly was.) And one person (
second senior), who was silent till all this time, now spoke to
Mr. Z, “
Dude, his children also will be like him.” And again, there was a series of laughter.
I am happy for all the laughter generated out of that silly discussion, but some of the ideas, which kept revolving in my head for some moments after that, were:
Why do people think their thoughts are supreme, and then try to impose them on others?
What should be called an opportunity?
Will the act of going to a strip-club be moral, amoral or immoral?
And most importantly, is it justified to lose your temper over any such occasion?
At this time, I remember a story of famous saint
Shri Dattatreya (
also known as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu). He had
24 teachers including earth, crow, water ….. and all of them because he had learnt some or the other things from them.
Mr. Z, I have learnt from you what not to speak. You'll be one of my teachers.
