"Lucky. Lunch is ready, come over", hollered Lucky's aunt from the Dining Table.
For as long as 31 years (that's all he could remember), Lakshminathan Sambamoorthy Iyer remained only Lucky's baptized name. Except for his school certificates, university records and his resume, Lucky was the only name by which he was known and recognized among his friends and relatives. In fact not many of his classmates even knew his christened name; something he found out when they returned a letter addressed to him in his college days.
He had always felt lucky to be destiny's favourite child. That was of course until 6 months ago... and it happened.
Lucky did not feel hungry and he was pondering the excuse he should use to avoid the luncheon when ruthless questions would be thrown to him casually. Of course, he knew that he was being taunted because they cared for him and only wished for his well-being. He understood that their concerns were genuine, legitimate and he could not blame them. Given the current situation Lucky was in, it seemed as though everyone was too nice to be nice. Consequentially, in his head, he ad-libbed everyone in
Simon Cowell's voice - acerbic and mean... and it really drove him nuts.
Slowly Lucky rose from his computer desk which did manage to fit his 5 feet 8 inch tall frame. For someone who had celebrated his 33rd Birthday sometime before, he looked somewhat heavy set. Consistent and surplus rounds of ice teas, pizzas, aloo parathas and paneers ensured that Lucky looked like a traffic policeman dressed in mufti (
in disguise).
Replacing his professional attire of the neatly pressed
Van Heusen trousers was a
Bermuda that barely held his paunch and made him feel like a pregnant hippopotamus in the state zoo. He made a mental note to join the nearby gym which he had enrolled into and renounced three, nay four times before. Maybe that was one way to vent anger even if it was some innocent and harmless punching bag.
"
I am not hungry now Periamma (father’s elder brother’s wife). Maybe I will eat later."
"
It's past 1.30 after noon. By this time you usually have your second coffee break right?" asked his aunt.
There they go. Just when he wanted to forget it, she reminded him. Livid and angry, but still well-mannered enough to conceal it, Lucky gave a sardonic grin which looked like "
Oh-you-are-so-smart" but essentially meant "
Oh-free-me-from-these-morons". With that smile Lucky walked back to his computer room and sat staring at the computer screen just as any other day. 10 minutes later, Lucky's father knocked the door and sat beside him. That was something he admired about his dad and wished everyone had the same skill of diplomacy and tact.
"
Seems you are not hungry?" asked his dad.
"
Yeah. Not much. I will eat later dad." assured Lucky. In his heart he knew that the later sounded just like those deadlines he gave to his once existent and demanding clients. Six months ago thanks to the global recession, his company put a full-stop to his department and job. Since all his well wishers always thought he was doing well in his career, this was obviously greeted by exclamation marks, followed by queer advices that were punctuated with apologies and hence there was a grand question mark looming over his very simple and ordinary life.
"
You are still upset about the whole issue?"
Upset was a very decent, polite and understated word. Of course, that was because his small town-born-and-gentle-natured dad had always been the same gentleman as far as he could remember. Lucky felt like taking every possible article in the room (
including his beloved computer monitor) and break it into the most minuscule pieces possible, whilst laughing and crying at the same time. He wished he could buy some
pink chaddis (as retaliation for his pink slip) and courier it to the gang of geniuses in the Wall Street and other financial markets. The idiotic statesmen in these affected countries were adding salt to wound by passing new regulations and restrictions against outsourcing companies.
"
Can't help it dad. But I will be fine." lied Lucky as smoothly as he could.
"
What do you think about the impact of the whole situation on the country?" enquired his dad as if Lucky was
Manmohan Singh's underwear buddy.
It was quite complex and ironically simple to explain. Ravi tried to explain how the IT and ITES businesses had taken the Indian Industry by storm and how it had attracted investors, like needy bees to a flower garden, in search of rich-in-content and cheap-in-value talent. Salaries had grown to exorbitant levels and standard of living had changed. The average Indian could now own a house and car before he turned 30 and travel to foreign countries more frequently than they even visited their parents at their hometown (
or old age homes if they were unlucky). Rents had skyrocketed and land & flat prices were possibly even higher than those available in moon.
There were shopping malls,
multiplexes, bars and pubs to cater to these privileged elite. People believed to "
work hard and party harder". No one questioned when the price of butter pop-corn was hiked from 25 to 35 because they thought that to argue for it would be "cheap". Parents of girls with 36-28-36 figures had choice of US or Dubai or Europe grooms like multiple choice question. Desi groom's applications were only welcome if they were Ambani or Advani's housemates. Swarovski and Gili were spotted regularly at marriage receptions unlike previous years when they could only be seen in their respective showrooms.
Not all was bad though as some people did spread the wealth by donating liberally (
even if for the sake of 80G exemption). Economy was on the rise and women found better footing on par with men owing to liberalization. That did not stop them from being harassed or burnt for dowries, but still it was much better than before. There was a market to sell something and everyone was ready to buy anything.
Ironically, owing to the recession and the pink slips offered, many would have to wave good-bye to their AC cabins, fat pay-cheques and magnificent life-style. Worse, Lucky was not sure that he would even find any alternative job. The old adage that "
What one fool can destroy ten wise men cannot repair" seemed absolutely true.
The final nail in the already buried coffin though was that at an age that was correct for marriage, he was now without a job and not even in sight of one. All the unsaid fears and worries had manifested themselves as health problems like hyper tension, high blood pressure, sugar, cholesterol. Last week he had severe chest pain and the family doctor suspecting a weak heart, tried to cajole Lucky into changing his life style without further affecting his health.
It was not like Lucky was afraid of change, but just sceptical about it. "
Change" the one word that captured the imagination of American voters and changed their course of history. He followed Obama's progress and always felt that he was the one. And when Obama got elected, Lucky followed his now famous victory speech – "
Yes, we can". He had hoped against hope that there would be something done to resurrect his employment situation. But it changed once he announced sops and restrictions, which like a domino effect ended up further pushing Lucky to depression. Lucky never thought that a single piece of treaty or paper could be so impactful. Maybe he might have done the same thing if he had been in Obama's shoes. But right now, he had to walk bare-naked and the comfort of shoes seemed like history.
In short, Lucky's life seemed perfectly screwed.
Lucky's dad listened patiently and said "
Come with me to the hall."
As Lucky sat on the sofa, his dad switched on the television set and the channel played some B-Movie from the 70's and it was utter nonsense from the first scene. The opening scenes were sufficient proof that the movie was centered on some lost-and-found formula where the kids were lost in childhood and would take revenge once they reached adulthood. Of course, it would be filled with the routine dose of mundane jokes and some running-around-the-trees.
"
Dad. I am in no mood to watch this crap" said a disinterested Lucky.
His dad however was engrossed in the movie and seemed as if he was waiting for some miracle to happen on the screen.
And that was when Lucky discovered... something... quite odd.
(story to be continued...)
Wifey has taken to some serious blogging for some time now and her online address is available at http://punitachandramohan.blogspot.com/.
Is hope a bright shining light keeping darkness at bay
"GO ON… UNDRESS… REMOVE YOUR CLOTHES" 
