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Across the Arena of Corona

Conjeevaram J Nandakumar

    It was the time when the whole world was reeling under morbid fear of uncertain prospect of possible invasion of the corona virus. The calamity of the outbreak was immeasurable across the globe as the mortality rate was increasing day by day. At the same time the corporate giants were vying with each other to fish in the troubled waters and cash in on the hapless people, particularly the companies dealing with health care and hygiene products.
    The branch head of the one of those multinational sanitary product companies, Mr. Manjrekar stepped into his office with a preoccupied mind that was full of reflections upon the important decision that he has to make a few hours away from now. After evaluating some discussions on the merits and demerits of his two finest officers Naveen and Santosh he was still indecisive as to whom he should promote for the HR post. Their calibre and profile are by no means lesser than the other and both seemed to equally fit for the job. He decided to get a final opinion from Mr. Nigel and to leave the ball in his court.
    Mr. Nigel is a pragmatic elderly person with a shrivelled face and a bright acumen on taking swift decisions. He is the country head of the New York head office in USA for the overseas operations and came to India on a business trip, but unfortunately got stuck here due to the Corona virus pandemic. He was expected to hold a hurried consultation with his branch head on the advisability of the company progress and improving little bit of professional practice. Time is of the essence for him as his company charted flight was expected that evening to charter him back to USA.
    After the necessary introductions having been made with the staff and all preliminaries arranged Mr. Manjrekar led Mr. Nigel to his cabin. No sooner Mr. Nigel settled in his chair than Mr. Manjrekar without the slightest hesitation briefed him about the appraisals of his staff on the promotion list. He even ventured further in taking the liberty of giving his recommendations that he preferred Santosh over Naveen, as he handed over the dossiers of the candidates to him. Mr. Nigel studied the dossiers with great deal of attention and indefatigable assiduity among the multifarious documents confided to him.
    ‘Yes indeed!’ having uttered this brief reply, and apparently satisfied himself with another scrutiny, said Mr. Nigel, ‘I suppose I can fix this my own way, can’t I?’ Mr. Manjrekar, who had been eyeing him with great curiosity, said with considerable apprehension, ‘Yes sir, but before you leave today for States.’ Mr. Nigel raised his head and bent his grey eyes upon him with a keen inquiring look and said, ‘Call the two candidates to my room. I am gonna take them for a walk around the office.’ Naveen and Santosh arrived at his cabin with the mind in a state of ebb and flow of anticipation and perplexity. Nigel smiled broadly at them and said, ‘Common guys let’s take a tour of the office.’
    Nigel walked up the corridor like a captain flanked by his commanding officers who walked silently along, each immersed with their own thoughts and bewilderment. They turned into the cafeteria. The pantry in-charge smiled at Mr. Nigel and, ‘Welcome Sir.’
    ‘Three coffee please.’
    The coffee arrived. Nigel gestured them to take the coffee with his usual impetuosity, talking all the while as they drank. At every reply he expressed his satisfaction and approval of their track records in a most condescending and patronizing manner.
    ‘Very well,’ said Mr. Nigel, briskly smiling and shrugging his shoulders.
    ‘Let’s move.’
    They continued to walk on, rather sprightly down the corridor and Mr. Nigel continued to soliloquise with more vivacious manner than ever until they reached the restroom. The security who was sitting on a chair right in front of the entrance of the restroom upon seeing them instantly was on his feet and greeted Naveen ignoring others, ‘Hello Mr. Naveen how are you, I suppose I didn’t see you around yesterday. Were you off work yesterday?’
    ‘No, no Mr. Govind, I am pretty much doing fine just tied up with my work confined to my cabin.’
    They entered the restroom. The security resumed his posture on the chair and continued to gaze at the entrance. Mr. Nigel made a quick survey of the cleanliness of the restroom. He saw his company hand wash products and cleansing agents quite so religiously kept up in a small wooden shelf above the washbasin. Mr. Nigel by dint of great careful exertion bore it with his own hands and after having carefully washed with it, deposited back on the shelf and expressed himself quite satisfied already. After half an hour’s walking tour had brought them back to their office and after all possible questions had been asked and answered twenty times over, they parted undertaking to meet before Mr. Nigel leaves for States for the purpose of fulfilling the appointment for the HR post.
    Mr. Nigel nodded his head with a satisfied air and resumed his seat. He summoned for Mr. Manjrekar and asked him to send the restroom security person to his cabin. Mr. Manjrekar did as he was told, shaking his head meanwhile in which doubt and mistrust were plainly mingled. After a brief meeting with the security Mr. Nigel realizing that a decisive moment had arrived called Mr. Manjrekar to his cabin.
    ‘I’ll tell you what,’ whispered Mr. Nigel to Mr. Manjrekar.
    ‘I have selected Naveen over Santosh for the HR post.’
    Mr. Manjrekar might very probably have reasoned himself into the belief that Santosh had an edge over Naveen for the post and ventured to ask, ‘May I know the reason for your decision sir?’
    ‘You know I am a practical man. My methods are simple but innovative,’ replied Mr. Nigel with something of pride in his tone, ‘When I took them around the office I found out that Naveen possessed some extrovert qualities which are prerequisite for HR manager. He is down to earth in reaching down the line of hierarchy with an open mind. You better prepare the promotion letter. I’ll handover it personally to him and congratulate him.’
    Mr. Manjrekar hastily professed himself very much obliged and proceeded to comply with his wish. Soon after, Mr. Naveen was called upon to his cabin. Mr. Nigel forgetting the pandemic precautionary protocol for a moment, handed him the letter and shook his hand firmly, and shook both hands with him a great many times nodding his head expressively and said, ‘Congratulations, all the best.’
    Having accomplished the main end and object of his job Mr. Nigel resolved on immediately returning to States and with the view of boarding his charted flight on time hustled out of the office without much ado. Mr. Manjrekar was sufficiently engaged himself during the two hours that ensued, but was in a contemplative state of mind. He could not resist so tempting an opportunity of knowing the fact behind Mr. Nigel’s practical method of selecting a candidate. He held many a grave deliberations with Naveen and Santosh and devoted more time in questioning them to find a satisfactory answer, but could not deduce the reason behind Mr. Nigel’s selection procedure.
    It was at his home that night, and in the sleepless hours which followed, when he lay in his bed that the thought first occurred to him that Mr. Nigel before taking his decision had a talk with that restroom security guy. Whatever they had talked about, no doubt it must be the reason that prompted Mr. Nigel to take his decision and act upon that. Having by this time racked his brain as much as possibly could he, he began to think it was of no use postulating a theory, but to learn from the horse’s mouth itself.
    The next morning the first thing he did, when he came back to the office, was to call the security person to his cabin.
    ‘What did Mr. Nigel ask you yesterday?
    ‘When I came to his room he asked me whether I knew his name.’
    ‘Then?’
    ‘I said no, and then he asked me if I knew the name of the other person who accompanied him to the rest room. I said no.’
    ‘Oh yeah.’
    ‘He then asked me how I could remember only Mr. Naveen’s name among all other employees.’
    ‘And what did you say for that?’
    ‘I said he is the only person who always greets me and talks to me with an open mind, and not only that......, and before I could complete he said, ‘That’s enough, I got what I wanted. You may go.’
    ‘Before I could say any further he dismissed me.’
    ‘Is it? Very odd, and what is that you actually wanted to say further?’
    ‘Before that you actually must know how our friendship started between us.’
    ‘Go on’, said Mr. Manjrekar in a quite impatient manner.
    ‘All day long I sit right in front of the restroom entrance and observe staffs getting in and out of the restroom. I keep watching their behaviour as I have nothing else to do rather sitting in wait for my shift to get over. I could clearly see the washbasin from where I am sitting and see everybody diligently using our hand wash products to clean their hands after using the restroom. But Mr. Naveen never used the cleaning products.’
    ‘Not even once?’
    ‘Yes, forget about the products. He has never even cared to wash his hands with water. He simply walks out rubbing his hands behind his trousers.’
    ‘That’s nasty indeed.’
    ‘I was curious to know and asked him the reason for it.’
    ‘And what did he say?’
    ‘I was really shocked with his answer and couldn’t help myself laughing.’
    ‘Oh, yeah!’
    ‘He didn’t get angry at all, but smiled at me and said, ‘Why is there any problem? What’s the great deal about it? After all I am holding mine to use the restroom, not yours or anyone else’s for that matter.’
    ‘So, this is why you said to Mr. Nigel that he was open-minded person.’
    ‘Yes.’
    Mr. Manjrekar was taken in with a peal of laughter, and after two or three bouts of those violent attacks, he dismissed the security guy. Perceiving that beyond all questions, some awkward mistake in this matter was committed by Mr. Nigel, he proposed to inform about this to him and revoke his decision. He at once made a call to his number, but the phone was constantly ringing and there was no response from him. He put a mail and waited almost till evening. Still there wasn’t any reply. He grew more restless and made a call to the head office in USA in a frantic effort of trying to reach him. After a brief amount of elapsed minutes he heard a voice, ‘Hello, this is Jim here. How can I help you?’
    ‘This is Manjrekar from India. Can you put me through Mr. Nigel? It’s very urgent.
    ‘Hello Mr. man JAY car how are you, said the voice accentuating on the second syllable of his name though mispronouncing it entirely.
    ‘I am afraid I cannot comply with your request’
    ‘And may I ask you why it is so?’
    ‘The moment Mr. Nigel landed here in New York he was found to be infected with the corona virus and has been quarantined.’

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