A Bend in the River of Life (35 page)

Rana replied, “Sarah, better late than never. I only hope you are glad that I have arrived hale and hearty.”

Sarah said, “Of course, we are all glad. We have heard so much about you.”

Rana said, “Something good or bad.”

Sarah laughed and said, “Without question, good.” Everyone joined in the laughter. She then said, “I know you will be in the Orientation Program for a week. However, should you need my help on anything, please don't hesitate to ask me.”

Mark then took over the task of introducing Rana to the other members of his staff. Before leaving him with Bob and Sarah, Mark told him, “Rana, usually, we take our lunch at the Executive Lunch Room. Let's meet there at the noon time. Sarah will give you a lunch room pass that you have to present at the door to enter. While taking lunch we will go over your personal matters so that you feel more at
home.” Then looking at Bob he asked, “Sorry Bob, I don't know if you already set up a separate welcome lunch for him and other new comers.”

Bob responded, “No, I would have taken him to the Executive Lunch Room only.”

Accordingly, Rana met Mark at lunch. It was a buffet but served by the servers at the long buffet table. They picked up their choice of foods and sat at a table for two. Mark began by saying, “Rana, you will find that one of the many good benefits that the company provides to its senior officers here is this wholesome lunch. The most important thing about this lunch is that the food is prepared under the guidelines set by the company approved Dietician. As such, there is nothing to worry about the calorie, sodium, sugar and things of that sort.”

Rana said, “That's great to hear. I am little careful about my food.”

Switching the subject Mark said, “Let me now try to know you more thoroughly than what is provided in your profile. I believe your wife deceased several years earlier and you have not re-married yet.”

Rana replied, “That's correct, Mark.”

Mark asked, “Do you have any plan to re-marry in the near future?”

Rana answered, “No Mark, marriage is not on the cards in the foreseeable future.”

Mark asked, “How old are your children?”

Rana responded, “My son is eight and daughter, six.”

Mark asked, “Are you planning to bring them here immediately?”

Rana replied, “I will not take that risk now. They are too young to be on their own.”

Mark said, “You are right about that, especially, when you have to travel a lot. Then you are not hung up on a big or small house.”

Rana said, “No, not really.”

Mark said, “However, let me tell you some of the neighborhoods that would be good from the commuting standpoint.” He
continued, “Some of the real nice areas that are not very far from the office are Belgravia, Regent Park, Queen's Park and Swiss Cottage. I am sure Bob would explain to you more in details and help you every step of the way. I have no doubt that you will find a good place easily within the decent entitlement we have in our housing benefits. For house hunting you will have the help of the company approved brokers. Bob will introduce you with them and provide you with all the details. Of course, you will get a car of your choice within the limit that will be enough to obtain a Jaguar but not Rolls Royce.” He laughed and continued, “Depending on the area of your residence, commuting by the Underground Train System should be the best to avoid traffic. You will need the car basically for your weekends and holidays.”

He continued further, “Now, let's touch upon the work. I will give you a detailed rundown on our operations in each country under your supervision as soon as your orientation is complete. I have tentatively scheduled your first trip to all these countries beginning a month from now. I will accompany you on the first trip primarily to introduce you formally with the management of each country in the region. All your staff in this office is well trained. You will also get a lot of cooperation from the field. I wish you best of luck. Please do not hesitate to drop by my office during your orientation should you have any questions or concerns.”

Rana breezed through the orientation. Then Mark gave him the countrywise feedback on the region under his supervision. In the next phase, he sat down with his staff one-on-one to be apprised of each country operations and credit profile and began studying the files and asking questions wherever necessary. To begin with, his staff was a little uptight as it always happens in any international posting. To loosen them up, on the first Friday Rana invited all his staff for dinner over beer at a pub not far from the office recommended by his secretary Sarah. They appreciated his gesture and welcomed him to their country. In an informal setting he carefully listened to their
personal stories; their accomplishments and struggles, their triumphs and tragedies, their likings and dislikings. There were lively discussions on sports and games, oil crunch and unemployment, government and politics, music and films. The more Rana heard them, the more he realized that the only difference between one nationality and the other, between one race and the other, was in the physical appearance. But inside they were all the same. They had the same hopes and dreams, same joys and sorrows, same cravings for peace and happiness and the same abhorrence for violence and injustice.

The impromptu get-together paid off and it was an eye-opener for him. He even came to know their birthdays and hobbies. Before they dispersed for the evening, Rana asked them if they would like to gather in an informal setting like that on a Friday evening every month. They said, ‘yes' in a chorus. Accordingly, it was unanimously decided that they would meet on the third Friday of each month at different pubs voted by the majority of his staff.

On Monday morning, Sarah gave him the birthday list of his staff that he had requested at the Friday night dinner. From that list Rana found that in the next few weeks a string of birthdays were due, beginning with Sarah's. He also noticed that a female employee was in an advanced stage of pregnancy. Sarah said that employee would be in labor in a couple of weeks. Considering that he had only twelve employees, equally split into male and female, he decided to give a bouquet of roses and a birthday cake as birthday present to each employee irrespective of gender in order to maintain exact parity. Accordingly, on that Saturday he walked into the florist's shop in his hotel. All the employees of the florist were terribly busy. Apparently, there were many weddings in the town and they had plenty of orders at hand. Consequently, no one had time to look up and see who entered the shop even though the bell jingled.

So the Manager/Partner came to help him. She was a beautiful brunette in her early thirties. He picked up a business card from the cardholder on the counter. The name on the card read Heather
Parker. Rana guessed he was being attended by Heather herself. She asked, “Sir, how can I help you?”

Rana said, “I would like to place orders for some bouquets to be delivered in the next couple of weeks.”

Heather asked, “Sir, are you a resident of the hotel?”

Rana answered, “Yes Mme.” However, he followed up asking, “But what that's got to do with my order? I do not want to include this in my hotel bill. I will pay for the flowers right now in cash.”

Heather said, “We give some discounts to the guests of the hotel.”

Rana said, “Oh, that's very gracious of you, Mme! I like that.”

Heather said smilingly, “I knew you would like it.”

Rana asked, “How did you know?”

Still smiling Heather responded, “Because everyone loves discount.”

Rana said, “You are a genius.” Heather laughed but did not say anything.

Then she asked, “What's your first order and the delivery date, sir?”

Rana answered, “My first order is for delivery on the coming Tuesday. It would be for twenty-seven roses, nine each of yellow, red and pink varieties interspersed with some bright colored flowers like tulips and daffodils.”

Somewhat bemused, Heather asked, “Just for curiosity's sake Sir, may I ask why twenty-seven, why not two dozens or two and a half?”

Rana smiled and answered, “Oh, that's for my secretary. She would be twenty-seven that day.”

Heather said, “Look at the lucky secretary!” Then for the consumption of her employees she said, “We now have a customer who designs the bouquets for us.”

They looked up at Rana almost in unison. Someone said in the air somewhat humorously, “Oh God, we are going to lose our jobs!” Everyone laughed.

Rana promptly responded, “I have not applied for the job yet.”
They laughed again. He then told Heather, “The second order would be for the next week. Can I place the order and pay for it now?”

Heather replied, “Will you check out of the hotel soon?”

Rana said, “No, I will stay here few more weeks till I move into my house.”

Heather said, “Then why are you in such a hurry to pay? I suggest you better put it off for the next week.”

He paid for the flowers. Heather asked the address of delivery. Rana gave her his business card and said, “My secretary's name is Sarah Parkinson.” He added, “So I will see you next week again.”

Heather said very courteously, “You are most welcome, Mr. Roy.”

Next Friday evening, on his return from the work, Rana went straight to the Florist's shop, apprehending the shop might be closed early. It was about six in the evening. Only Heather was in the shop. All the employees had gone for the day.

Heather said exuberantly, “Pleased to see you again, Mr.Roy.”

Rana responded, “Pleased to meet you too, Ms. Parker. Are you closed for the day?”

She said with a smile, “I am still here. You may call me Heather.”

He said, “Heather, you may also call me Rana.”

Heather continued to smile but did not make any comment on that. Little later she said, “I guess this time you want to place order for a birthday bouquet for the other lady.”

Rana replied, “Very much so. This time the lady would be twenty-five. Her name is Emma Dawson. Of course, the address is the same. So you know what to do.”

Heather said, “Pretty much.”

Rana said, “I also mentioned about another employee who was expecting. I believe she might be in the hospital over the weekend. This bouquet should be somewhat different. Since it has got nothing to do with age, reduce the number of roses to two dozens. In view of the fact that this is also to welcome a baby into this world you may make it more colorful. Throw in some carnations and violets of
the Alps and other bright colored flowers. My secretary Sarah will call you on Monday morning and give you the address of the hospital. But I will pay for it now.”

Heather said, “Wow, I wish I had a boss like this before my children were born.”

Rana said, “Heather, be careful what you ask for; you might end up getting it.”

Heather laughed at that, but asked a different question, “Mr. Roy, how do you know so much about flowers?”

Rana answered, “Heather, I know nothing about flowers. I love flowers and I love bright colors. So I try to spread colors when I order bouquets.”

Heather said, “That leads me to the next question. I am curious to know where you are from. You are so polished.”

Rana asked, “Can you guess?”

Heather replied, “Not really. You have a feature that is not common.”

Rana said, “Then I am from the Planet Mars. For more than a century scientists are looking for life in Mars. You can now claim to have seen an animal from Mars, who does not look very much different from human beings on earth.”

She burst out into laughter and said, “No, you can't be from Mars. You are just increasing my curiosity. Please tell me where you are actually from.”

He said, “Okay Heather, I come from India.”

Heather said, “It is hard to believe. Your family name is Roy; your complexion is so light; you are so smart and polished and your accent is so different.”

Rana laughed and said, “Many thanks for the attributes you have enumerated about me. I hear them all the time from my clients, at my work, at my club, and everywhere else. However, if you ask me to tell you the truth and nothing but the truth, then I come from India. I do not want to concoct anything else.”

With the purpose of clarifying her thoughts Heather said, “Mr. Roy, please don't get me wrong. I am not saying Indians are not smart. My family physician is also an Indian. He is also smart and polished. But his complexion is brown like most of the Indians.”

Rana said, “Heather, don't worry about it. I understood perfectly what you wanted to know. As I mentioned earlier, I keep on hearing the same questions repeatedly from my colleagues and clients.”

Changing the subject somewhat, Heather asked, “I know you have bought all these flowers for your secretary and other staff, but may I ask if you are visiting us temporarily?”

Rana replied, “No Heather, I am actually an International Officer with American Inter-Continental Bank. I have just been transferred to London with the responsibility for their African Operations.”

Heather asked, “Then you will be living here for a few years.”

Rana responded, “Usually, that is correct, unless you do not like the way I walk.” Heather laughed rather embarrassingly and said, “No, no, we want people like you to live here forever.”

She almost finished preparing the orders and the bill. With a little pause she asked again, “Have you gone around London yet?”

Rana answered, “Not much, except what I see on my way to and from my bank. I do not feel like going around alone; nor do I like to go with the tour companies. They are like the shepherds herding the sheep. I don't have any suitable companion yet to take me around on weekends unless you want to take that task on yourself.”

Heather said, “I would love to, but you are still a guest of the hotel. Though we are all independent businesses, in terms of our contract with the hotel we are not allowed to go out or be too friendly with the guests of the hotel.”