Mixie

Amma, pls stop this mixie while I am working at home, have lot of calls to attend and this mixie is not allowing me to speak nor hear ...

Yeah, I will stop, but do not ask what is for lunch or snacks every day. I cannot manage like this … anyways let me know when I can restart.

This was a routine conversation at Karun’s house, a small place, suiting his monetary condition in this big metro city. This house has also become his home office after the lockdown and keeps arguing with his mother to shutdown kitchen work while he is on calls.

He is the only earning member in family after his father’s retirement. With lot of dreams and responsibilities to manage, he had joined this small firm and was indeed a hard worker and was putting lot of efforts to ensure the job demands are met at any cost. He was one of the favorite in team for being humble, soft-spoken and no nonsense attitude , due to his background, he was shy and tried to be alone, never spoke to his team members other than his work and stayed away from all other conversations.

When the work from home started due to a pandemic situation, like everyone Karun took some time to settle down and eventually got adjusted as way of life, except the mixie’ s noise. Though this sound was noticed earlier, his family was not in position to buy new one and the repair shop guy had to given up hope on it long back, so they continued with it.

Few months into the crisis, things did not seem to improve across globe and thus his company also got in to trouble. The client for whom he was working in backend but in critical role did not want to extend the ongoing project as they felt it will not be liked by their end consumers and had given notice to end it.

Karun’s job was in stake. Lot of deliberation was done on retaining but company finally decided to let him go with one-month notice. It was a tough decision they had taken but without any option.

On that unfortunate day, while Karun was working in his laptop, he got an unannounced video call from his Manager. Surprised to see it, Karun joined the call and after all the initial greetings, Manager started talking about the client position and difficult situations due to this crisis. Just when his supervisor started to talk about the job and how regrettable to tell him he has only one-month notice to end the job, Karun’s mother switched on the mixer in the nearby kitchen.

Karun could not hear anything and in panic of his manager scolding him of noise, muted his audio also, thus other side did not know Karun is not able to hear anything. Being a video call, he was not able to walk or signal his family to stop the mixer as well and pretend to hear what has been told in the call.

After couple of minutes, in coincidence, the mixer work ended, and his manager also completed his talk on giving notice and wishing him all the best and keep continue good job, Karun in his way of being humble said , he understood what has been told without realizing he has been served one month time to exit.

Karun continued his job in natural zeal and continued his backend support for the client with innovative ideas. His management felt bad of not able to retain such good associate who is being so committed during notice period.

One of the idea’s Karun had given turned the clients fortune and they decided to continue the project. Management quickly decided that this employee must be retained immediately since only he can implement this idea and delight the customer.

Thus , another Video call from his Manager to Karun, this time to inform him to stay back and as fluke the mixer started at same time, forcing Karun to mute his audio and pretend agreeing to his manager words. Only words he heard at end was his Manager was appreciating and thanking him for being passionate despite in this situation.

Well, what If he had heard the initial decision, would he be continued to be passionate of job, nor give ideas, leading to client business reviewed, company retaining project and finally saved his job… is it because he was ignorant of the message or mixie played different role for him, no one can predict.

As the lockdown continues and return to office is not yet confirmed, Karun’s life underwent a roller coaster ride without himself realizing it in this unpredictable life.