2016 - RESOLUTION 1. LOSE 15KGS
The taunting words, loomed large in front of her. What utter rubbish! What had she been thinking/drinking while putting that galling resolution on No.1? It put her off from going down the entire chart of ambitious and wannabe targets she had set for herself! It's just mid-Jan, a long way to go she consoled herself as she casually stood on the scales. What the devil! When, how, why were the scales showing a distinct +2kgs to her last reading?
Disgusting, the way these Chinese dump the most unreliable contraptions in the Indian markets, Nina thought to herself; mentally pledging to stay off the scales till she avenged herself!
Pulling on her battered canvas walking shoes, she trudged down the stairs, 'This should account for at least a 50mg weight loss,' motivating herself.
Walking was so relaxing, no wandering on the beaten paths for Nina. She loved traipsing on new routes, finding out which new shop had sprung on Jugnu street or which one had shut down on Manek road. But today she was dog-tired and had to go back home to rustle up something edible for the other inmates of the home - 1 husband - Nik, Son 1 - Neel and Son 2 - Varun. So the beaten track with a short-cut thrown in would have to do for today.
She let her mind wander to the day at work. Today her godawful boss had pulled out yet another bummer from his crazy hat.
He seemed to be so full of these terribly tormenting ideas and plans for his employees, she wondered how he did it! Day after day, he came up with such improbable ways and gestures, improvising and adding finesse to old torture techniques. One had to hand it to him, he didn't lack creativity, no sir, he was blessed with oodles of it!
The latest persecution was an extension to the 'Improve Efficiency by proper Time Management' - an exercise the psycho had worked out. It mandated that all employees fill out into a register kept at all desks, an entry every time they left their work-stations for whatever reasons including time out, time in and reason for leaving one's desk! That included entries for lunch, peeing, pooping, smoking etc, etc. 'Every second counts!' was the maniac's new mantra!
Wasn't it bad enough that he'd installed CCTV cameras in common areas like the locker-room, the canteen and God-knows-where-else?!
Her face twisted into a vicious scowl as she thought about the pint-sized French-bearded rascal who had made it his life's mission to constantly rattle all his hapless employees! On the other hand, she was flummoxed by the guy's tenacity at his chosen task, what drove him to be so vigilant, wary, constantly aggressive and obnoxious?
Thoughtfully kicking a pebble here, crushing a dried leaf there, she pondered the workings of this offending maniacal brain.
Probably a victim of a troubled childhood, perhaps unloved by the parents for his diminutive ugly frame, bullied by his peers for his know-it-all attitude, punished by the tutors for his unimaginative answers and ignored by the fairer sex for all these reasons. Yes, that had to be it!
She'd psychically arrived at this illuminating fact; the poor man was just venting out vendetta that had been simmering within him for all these years! He probably felt the entire humanity was against him (which was possibly true).
Oh! Maybe the poor dear was a victim after all, and he nursed a wounded yet beautiful heart beneath that hard exterior (she couldn't exactly picture the halo around the prematurely-bald pate but tried to!)
All her goodness and a budding fountain of compassion erupted, and she hurried her steps back home, she was on a mission. She had to convey her findings to her fellow-sufferers at work and plan a strategy to bring out the 'inner gentle human' disguised in the cloak of a demon of a boss!
I think we learn the most from imperfect relationships - things like forgiveness and compassion.
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Read other tales from Nina's World: #NinasWorld
13. Home ShantiHome
Disclaimer: All the characters in the Nina's World series
are fictional, any resemblance to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental
and unintentional.
This post was written for B-A-R #WordyWednesday #3, Sentence Prompt.
Copyright © 2016 KALA RAVI