Chapter 7 – The Privileged Onsiter!!
An on-site makes everything right. That evening I called my lady love…
“Hi Trisha!… How have you been ?” I asked Trisha
“Hi! I was a bit busy with my school activities. How are you Rohit?”
“I am fine Trisha. But what happened? You are sounding a bit low.”
“Nothing, actually my brother didn’t qualify in the interview”
“O! I am so sorry to hear that (hehehe). Anyways, I called to tell you that I am going to US for an assignment.”
“US! Wow! That’s great news. When are you going there?” Trisha, asked excitedly
“I am going in a week’s time. I don’t know the duration yet but at least for three months.”
“Three months! You people surely have an exciting job, travelling to places and all. But I will miss you.”
“Me too. O I remembered that my father got our horoscopes matched and the results are encouraging.”
“That’s great. I will tell papa. But surely we can’t get married before your US trip”
“No! Not so soon of course. And so…” (The chat continued)
So you see guys! When an on-site is in place it doesn’t matter whether brother-in-law is placed.
The next day, my desk neighbor, Satish congratulated me on my ‘on-site’ achievement. Also, as a former on-siter, he gave me some unwanted advices for free.
“You should take some warm clothes with you. It will be really cold out there.”
“But I am going to Texas”
“It doesn’t matter! You see those people are fair skinned. Why? It’s due to the cold out there. Last year when I went to Finland it was minus 20 and all the people were fair.
Also, have you given any thought about your food?” he asked me anxiously
“Oh! Don’t worry about that. I know a bit of cooking. Besides, being a non-vegetarian, I can munch some flesh occasionally.” I replied
“You don’t understand, what I am saying?”
The guy then whispered in my ears
“Listen! Things are very expensive in out there. Dollars! You see! When you convert them in rupees, you find the items to be three to five times more expensive.”
“But I will be paid in Dollars as well and spending a few Dollars is ok with me.”
“But you should save more. Why save less? Won’t you feel bad when others bring back more Dollars than you?”
I was really disgusted to hear the guy. He must have saved every cent to boast of a great on-site experience. Thank god ‘everyone’ was not like him.
My on-site preparations began soon and everything required were arranged in a few days. I got the invitation letter from the client, the visa, the tickets, the hotel booking and the initial foreign exchange for the trip.
But in the backdrop of all the preparations were lots and lots advices. Being the only guy going abroad from our family, there were large numbers of anxious relatives to confuse me properly. Some told me to take warm clothes; while others told me to carry less weight. Some told me to pack three months of ration supply while others asked me to enjoy American junk.
As time zoomed past my shoulders, finally, the take-off day arrived. Keeping all anxieties aside I fastened my seat belts to fly. The plane was slow at the start and then it caught the speed and flew high. In a couple of hours (about half a day) I reached heaven. I was ‘on-site’ in none other place than America.
After passing through the immigration check, I took my luggage and came out to breathe America. When I looked around, my eyes fell upon an old man playing guitar and singing. It took me minute to derive that he was actually begging in the ‘American’ way. A peek at his day’s collections revealed me that the guy was earning more than I do in India. Should I change my profession then?
In a few minutes, a cab took me to my Apartment. I had booked a serviced apartment as I needing the kitchen for my three month long stay. As I reached the entrance, I saw one of my office fellows waiting for me at the reception.
Had he come to receive me? That was great! My company surely knew how to treat the ‘Desi’ employees. Otherwise, such privileges were always offered to foreigners coming in India.
No! Wait a minute! Why would an Indian fellow come to receive an Indian in America? I sensed an unforeseen danger as the guy was none other than a well known on-siter, Kartik from my office.
Kartik was an on-site hero. In his four years of experience, the guy had been sent six times abroad. In the process he had accumulated lots of foreign reserves. There was a time, when people like me used to flock around him to catch some inspirations. He was always in high demand by the client. I still can’t comprehend why his Indian bosses never used to keep him around for long?
As I approached him with suspension, Kartik came forward and hugged me.
“Welcome to America my friend!”
My friend! He had never recognized me as a friend. As a non-onsiter he always used to avoid me in India. Something was surely cooking in his mind.
“Thank you Kartik! Have you come here to receive me?”
“Of course Rohit! As soon as I heard you are coming here, I thought of meeting you on the first day. So are you prepared for the day? What are you going to do now?” asked Kartik
“Well! I will take some rest today. Then I will join the office from tomorrow.” I replied
“That’s perfect! So here I have my luggage as well. What is your apartment number?”
“Hay! Wait a minute! Are you going to stay with me?”
“Yes! Don’t you remember the mail that I wrote to you yesterday?”
“Yesterday! Yesterday I was in the airplane. Besides, why should I share my room with you?”
“Hay! Don’t be so loud bro. Relax! See it’s for your own good. I will pay you 10$ per day…fine, 11$ per day. Also, as I know the place very well so I will help in getting your necessities at the cheapest price”
“11$ per day! What do you mean? I don’t understand.”
“See! Our company has two policies for her on-site employees. Either the company arranges for your accommodation and transportation costs and pay you just 50$ per day. Or you arrange everything on your own and get 80 $ per day. So we generally go for the second policy and share the room to save dollars”
“Oh! But..”, I tried interrupting him but the guy went on
“Till last week, I was staying with four other fellows in a two bedroom apartment. The first guy came in with the 50$ policy and he shared his apartment with four others to earn 40$ more per day. Can you imagine? He was getting 10$ for each guy each day.”
“So why do want to leave him now?” I asked
“Actually the guy has become hungry for money now. He has rented his apartment to two more guys. Four guys will now sleep on two double beds; two on the sofa and one on the floor and all of us share a common toilet. I want some ‘Personal Space’ now. Moreover, why not we make our own money by renting your apartment with other people?”
I was hot and about to explode. However, I knew the guy's super ability to influence my manager. So I made up my mind to tactfully reject the guy in a peaceful manner.
“That’s really sad. But you know what? You can’t stay with me as well as it will be even more inconvenient to you”
“Inconvenient? Why? What is the matter bro?”
“Oh! Don’t ask me about it. Actually, I can’t stay with anyone else as….Can I trust you bro? Please don’t tell it to anybody. (sob sob crying). Oh!!”
“What is it? Are you suffering from a disease?”
“Yes! I am suffering from dangerous disease called Loveamnisa Sleeposis.”
As he heard this the guy quickly sprang away from me.
“Haan! Is that contagious? What are the symptoms?”
Oops! Did I scare him too much? I realized that making my disease more dangerous could have a negative impact. Then the guy would spread the news and everyone would avoid me. The fear had to be controlled one.
“Aham! No! Actually, it is not that contagious. I am recovering fast. But for precautionary sake the doctor has asked me to stay separate for some time. Also, he has recommended not sharing my bed and toilet with anybody else.”
“Oh! Thanks for revealing it bro. I swear I won’t tell it to anyone. I would go back to the crowd then.
He made a pose to move but then he turned back to me again.
“Will it be ok, if I come to stay with you next week?”
“I wish you could, Kartik. But I have to stay alone for least a month now.”