the incident at Raipur IV

I approached the man sitting at the nearest desk, but was intercepted by the sweeping maid. I told her what I was there for, & she asked me to sit. Means wait. I sat. Though no reception, there was a waiting area. With two sofas.

I looked around. The place was overloaded. Anyway, an open arrangement of office, without cubicles, means a lot of noise. & right on the road, this place collected a lot of dust. There were cartons & cartons of copier paper. & of new LCD monitors. & the monitors too, on the sight-offending but otherwise functioning desks. In one case, the carton was lodged between the monitor & the wall...

The maid crossed me thrice, & told me each time that no-one had arrived yet. Then who were these (now 6 or 7) people?

15 mins later, one gentleman approached me & said "I did not realize it was you. You have come for joining, haven't you?" Before I opened my mouth to explain, a middle-aged lady entered, & I was directed to her desk. I showed her my letter.

They discussed. "Inka interview hua hai. Medical check-up ke liye Dilli se letter bheja hai. RO likha hai, lekin address hamaara de diya hai na". "You should go to the RO, Madam" they told me. "Ye galti se hamara address de diya hai". They gave me the names of 2 contact persons, & the address of the regional office. They also said they'd inform there.

I went back to meet Deepti. This place was on the ring road, on the highway. Not confident to find my own way there, I took an auto. Deepti meticulously quizzed the driver about his know-how of the place.

But ill -luck. The auto broke down. It won't restart. The poor fellow did everything he could, even taking out a spare spark plug. I relieved him.

Fortunately, I was not too far from the highway, & a share auto dropped me close enough.

I went up to the regional office, they were expecting me.

The divisional office had informed them. I met the lady in personnel. She took a copy of the letter, as no communication had reached them. She took me to meet the RO incharge. This was the first time Riapur regional office was performing any recruiting duties at their level. They had no designated Dr. That meant, they'd borrow a panel Dr from a sister concern with more penetration in this area. I won't mention the name of the organization, just Sister concern. this was what Dad had found out from his acquaintance. If I had heeded, I'd had thought of contacting this regional office from the divisional office itself - on phone - something these people were now suggesting ...

The incharge reasoned that the panel Dr of the Sister Concern will not acknowledge me, & so gave me a letter directing him to conduct a medical examination, & hand the results to me itself, in a sealed envelope.

I returned. (The stoooopid auto driver this time took me to Science University, instead of Medical college... but FORGET IT)

Deepti was starting to get amazed. We had Lunch. Deepti took me to the said Dr. She deduced the roads & got me there without much difficulty.