This cruel city

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For 5 months in the capital, I was fed with statements like, “Our house is like your house”, “I am your friend, you can always count on me”, “I am always there for you”, “You are like my younger sister/ daughter/ grand-daughter”, “You have nothing to worry about, we’ll take care of things”, “I will not be partial to my family; I will not judge you”, “You are part of us now”, “I am there to help”, .…and then have everyone disappear and flit away neatly when the time came to actually do something.

And now, in Bombay after people hear my tight voice explaining why I am looking for a job in a different city so soon, etc. etc., all I get is, “This is the job, this is the money…you want or not?”

Thank you, heartless witch.

Comments

Aries said…
Interesting. I have completely divergent views. I cant imagine glib punjabis and tough haryanvis going out of their way to make anyone feel at home. I've always found Delhi to be rough...and I actually have to check myself and be polite when I travel elsewhere.

In Bombay on the contrary I've met some of the most helpful people in life. A guy got up from his seat three rows in front to tell me where I needed to get off the bus. No less than 5 people pointed me out detailed directions on how to head from there.

Rum....how perceptions can be completely different.
3:05 AM
madhavan said…
sheesh. you are doing it all wrong. don't let the gratitude show.

ask for 15% extra, fuel on actuals, entertainment allowance, Sodexho coupons, compensatory offs for working weekends, an Apple iMac, club membership, no more than one five minute interaction a day with boss/client and a bell which rings at end of minute four ;)
9:11 AM
anumita said…
Always their loss. The best employer will get you. None else.
5:01 PM
Collection Of Stars said…
Completely agree with anumita :)
6:30 PM
swati said…
Do we really not become very judgmental and territorial sometimes? Anyway very humbly with the notion that we agree on the right to disagree I feel that its not the cities or the people that make us feel so, but the inner seclusion that drives us to think so about it, or may be few circumstances specially occurring to us. Otherwise how come a city harboring millions and millions of beings all of a sudden attains a scowling face at us. But, yes places drive us to and fro. When there, making us sick and when away, making us home sick.
8:50 AM
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