Chapter 5: Showdown and Revelation

Just then, the boss popped out of his cabin. "Meeting in ten minutes. Everyone, get ready." His voice always cut through the noise, silencing the entire bay.

My stomach twisted. I knew what this was: layoffs. Headquarters needed scapegoats, and the boss didn’t want the blame, so he made me do it. For me, though, it meant a transfer closer to Amma.

Nobody else guessed the meeting’s purpose. My colleague shoved the IOU at me, blocking my path: "Jaldi sign kar, meeting ka time ho raha hai!"

I looked him in the eye and said, "I’m not signing. Nahin sign karunga. Samjha?"

He looked stunned. "How can you be so shameless? Sharam nahi aati tujhe? Kitna bhooka hai tu paison ka!" In our country, it’s called ulta chor kotwal ko daante—the one with least shame calling others shameless.

I let my anger show: "Tu hi toh bola tha, main khana khilaun. Tune toh menu hi saaf kar diya! Aur ab ulta mujhe lecture de raha hai?"

He shot back, "When people help you, shouldn’t you treat them? I kindly helped you and you turn around and insult me? Tu toh bilkul bhi value nahi karta, namak haram hai!" (You’re completely ungrateful, a real traitor!)

The office fell silent as the drama escalated. All eyes were on us. I replied, half exasperated, half sarcastic: "Tumse paisa liya, khana bhi khilaya, ab tu hi mujhe dhamka raha hai? Kya baat hai!"

He folded his arms, daring me: "Himmat hai toh tu police bula. Dekhte hain kaun sahi hai."

I felt like a clown. Why did I even think of saving him from the layoff list?

Just then, the boss poked his head out, irritated. "What are you two arguing about?"

My colleague jumped in, hands waving: "Sir, yeh toh bilkul bhi value nahi karta. Bilkul hi namak haram hai!"

The boss looked at us, stunned, then at my colleague: "Are you sure you’re calling him namak haram? Pakka keh rahe ho?"

My colleague nodded, dead serious. "Haan sir, pakka. Bilkul sahi keh raha hoon."

The boss’s face twisted into a mocking smile. He looked at me, eyes glinting, then turned back to his office, shutting the door with a muttered, "Bas ab aur nahi."

Oblivious, my colleague turned to me: "See? The boss is on my side. You’d better sign."

The others, thinking the boss was backing him, began pressuring me too, their voices blending into a chorus: "Arrey, sahi toh keh raha hai. Dosti mein itna toh chalta hai. Paise mil gaya hai, split kar le. Meal ka paisa minus kar ke de de, fir toh sab khush."

I noted each eager face, mentally adding them to the layoff list. Office politics, no MBA needed.

My colleague was smug: "The people have spoken. If you don’t sign, you won’t last long here. Dekho, majority ki baat suno. Nahi toh kal tu yahan dikhai nahi dega."

He had no idea he was the one about to be out of a job.