Save Me..

Morning

Arriving at the gate of the office, I went inside without looking anywhere else, the ramp went upwards to the left where there were a lot cars parked, some personal, some of the company. I used the company car as I didn't have a personal. at the front door, the security scanned my id and let me inside. 9:22 am, great! I was still 8 minutes ahead of the time. So I went to grab a quick coffee from the canteen. There I saw some familiar heads.

My colleagues, the good ones, Gautam Vishwakarma, Madhav Kumar, Jitendra Singh, all standing together near an empty table. I grabbed a cup and went near them, while my sight fell on the bench, and one side of it fallen down on the floor so it made a slanting slope from the other side down to this one.

All of them were my seniors, but we all were like friends, basically because our awkward humour. I looked at Jitendra and said, "I guess they're testing poop disposal by the slant?"

Jitendra sighed and looked back at me, "try that cup of coffee on the slant, let's see if it follows the tile pattern and goes to the HR desk."

Gautam started his hysterical laugh like a dying hyena again. "These assholes won't ever fix a thing, they're too lazy to even get up from there to go home. Someday soon the whole office would be slanting like this, a ramp from each of their offices towards their homes."

I moved my hand forward in the gesture of handshake to Gautam da, it was my signature gesture with him. "Good morning Gautam da, how is everything?"

Gautam da gripped my hand and vibrated it, not shook, vibrated it. "Slanted, as the bench looks like."

"What happened this time? Another marriage proposal?" I sipped some coffee from my cup and looked at him, while he closed his eyes and shook his head, "You don't understand the issue here Devraj. The issue isn't marriage here, it is that they won't give me the dowry I want."

I honestly didn't like the system of dowry much, it made me feel so offended. Why should people give or take dowry? A father raised her daughter with very much difficulty as much as the son's father does. Then why do we need to support this system? Specially in uttarpradesh, it was a great deal of thing. Dowry everywhere in every marriage, let it be a few hundred thousand or even millions. Motorbikes, cars, fridge, air conditioner, cash, many things. If the groom isn't even capable of buying these things on his own without taking the dowry then, how does he find himself capable enough to marry?

Some of the colleagues, even Gautam da supported dowry system, he kept saying that he had spent a lot of money on his education, and he's making a decent amount of money too, so he deserves to claim his worth. I opposed him saying so you're saying you're someone who can be bought with money and not love, right? Well, the argument ended him not talking to me for the rest of the day, seems like only I defeat him decently enough in arguments. He eventually either gives up saying I am idiot, or accepts defeat by not talking to me and being offended.

"We should complain to the authorities." Madhav da said while playing with the kada in his left hand, he was the most perverted one among us four. And he always believed in the theory, let someone else work for you. Gautam da didn't like Madhav da at all, because of his bad habits, laziness and habit of blaming others.

Well, I was also lazy but I wasn't that bad in other fields of human nature.

We stayed a while longer until the clock struck 9:30 and people started rushing to their desks. I also walked towards mine, and looking at the clipped pads on my task board. There was a picture of me when I was a kid, a picture of whole family, and some sketches done by me.

I sat down on my desk, looking forward, across me would soon arrive an assistant manager of the civil department, he would be either busy with the stock market or just scrolling Instagram. I sighed and opened my laptop, there were some topography sketches remaining for the dam project, and I needed to submit the part of my drawing soon. I had been busy lately being sad and suicidal, so didn't get much time to finish the work.

Probably if Vani didn't stop me yesterday, I'd be far from these works and responsibilities by now. But, alas..

Remembering her, I noticed the time around 9:35 am. I thought maybe I could text her and ask about her. Without thinking much, I pulled out my phone. Obviously even while in the office, none of us were that dedicated to work. Why? Because there wasn't much work to do, it was just energy company that idly could make money too.

D: Good morning Vani. Slept well last night?

I sent her the message and waited for her reply while turning on the laptop. The laptop was old, and company assigned, so it took time long enough to boot it up. It turned on with the windows music, ah.. that's a nice melody to the ear.

I was playing with the cursor and taking our my earpods, while my phone pinged with another notification.

V: Good morning Devvvv!Morning text early for me huh ;)

I opened my mouth to say something, but my lips curved into a smile instead. I pressed my lips together and suppressed my smile. I'd look like an idiot in front of my colleagues for smiling like this, looking at my phone.

D: I just arrived office a while ago, thought I'd text you, when did you wake up?

V: I woke up around 9:00 am Dev, need to go to college too by 10:00 am.

D: Oh, okay. Take care there?

V: Sure!! You too take care Dev, and text me when you feel free, ok?

I smiled at the phone again. I thought girls are less of social and more timid than us, but I guess I was even more timid than she ever was.

What an amazing person..