Love at the interview (short story)
Megha was running late. Unexpected heavy rains lashed the streets below. It was December, an unusual time for rain in Mumbai. She observed people scurrying about, and she desperately needed to attend this interview. Dressed in a chic skirt-blazer suit she had purchased just yesterday, she looked stunning. The maroon top and beige skirt, complemented by matching shoes, made her feel confident.
She somehow could locate the umbrella and hurriedly texted the Human Resources lead, a guy named Rishi that she was just a bit late because of the rains and without waiting to see the reply, she just rushed down her apartments, which was incidentally called “Megh Vihar Housing Society”, a cluster of small two bedroom apartments, which looked like structures from a bygone era.
She managed to find an autorickshaw and the journey started. A big SUV splashed the rickshaw by and her shoes got some bit of the muddy splash, and a bit of puddle struck her left lower foot. Eventually, she reached the office and told the receptionist that she came for the interview for the role of Social Media Manager. The nonchalant lady looked at her as if she arrived from a different planet.
She asked for Rishi and waited at the reception. After five minutes, a tall yet nerdy looking bespectacled person came outside. Megha could see that he had a very intense looking eyes, almost penetrating in a more compassionate way.
“Megha, I am Rishi. Didn’t you see my text”?
“Hi Rishi. Good to meet you. What text”?
“Well I suggested that today we could do a zoom call”. Then he looked at her and exclaimed, “Oh so you got some mud on your feet”
Megha felt embarrassed and looked at her feet. Then she was horrified that she did not see his text. She cursed herself for not going to the restroom first.
Rishi chuckled and said, “Let us have a conversation in one of the conference rooms over some hot chocolate, the perfect recipe for your condition”
Still embarrassed, Megha followed him till they reached a small conference room, her head down.
“Now, please cheer up, and now that you are here, let us make the most of it”
Megha asked him, “Can I ask you something? Are you this nice with all the prospective employees?”
He looked at her and with a gentle smile, said, “Not exactly. I do not even order hot chocolates” and he smiled again, gesturing her to sit. The hot chocolate arrived at the small center table, inside the cabin.
She looked at his face and could see a confident man, with an air of intellect combined with a touch of empathy.
“Let us talk about you, Megha. Let us not look at it as an interview today. What makes you happy? If you find this questioning weird, we can stop right now. Anyhow we could do a zoom interview in a day or two”
Megha blurted out, without thinking, “Right now, sitting here and sipping Hot chocolate with you is making me happy”
Rishi smiled and exclaimed, “Lucky me”
“Can I show you something? Come along and carry your mug”
He took her to a corner office and opened it. They moved to a big window, from where there was a lovely sea view, with waves crashing to the shore and she could also see people rejoicing in the rains and she could see a couple who was dancing, hand in hand and the view was almost surreal.
Rishi said, “Today majority of my office has gone to a conference. This gives me time to open the CHRO’s cabin and look at this view. There is life outside this office, right now!”
Megha’s boldness suddenly find a rescue. She cleared her throat and asked, “Would you like to go out and experience it”?
He looked at her and thought for a few seconds. Then he nodded.
“Provided you do not mind sacrificing your hot chocolate for the tapri chai*”. His smile was charming and a bit contagious.
“You have my word”, Said Megha
“Nice dress by the way. Muddy foot and all”, said Rishi and she blushed.
Sandeep Kulshrestha is a Leadership Coach and a writer/poet based out of Hyderabad, India. He is reachable on info@sandeep.com.co
*Tapri Chai means Tea available at the local tea stalls in Mumbai, India”
