Mesmerizing Mumbai - My first interview

I bought a newspaper "Times of India" a Wednesday edition which specially publishes a lot of recruitment advertisements.  I am seriously going through the newspaper ... my eyes are continuously searching for a suitable job.  I circled some jobs which I am pretty sure about my getting selected.  Under one advt. it was written that "interested candidates please walk-in with your resume".  Now my worries started and I never knew what a resume is .... I thought it could be another word for "Bio-Data" which everybody calls in my town.   So this is something I have read for the first time.  Presuming that its just another word for Bio-Data I preferred to appear for the interview.  I checked my documents if everything is proper.  I thought I'll get the Resume typed in my way to the office.  I asked "Anwar bhai" the owner of the New York Restaurant at Gateway of India for a "lamba pani" chai. Anwarbhai asked me "hero kahan jaa raha hai" in a very funny way.  I replied in full excitement, "for an interview".  He wished me luck which I probably need more than anything else at that time.  I went to the Esplanade Mansion near Kala Ghoda which houses a xerox shop with a typist on the front side to get my Resume typed.  I asked the typist, "Mujhe ek resume type karwani hai".  While extending his hand towards me for the details he said, "10 rupya hoga" with a pan in his mouth.  I was literally shocked. My dad was a typist at my native place.  I know very good typing.  But I remember he used to charge some Rs. 1.50 per page.  I thought there must be a mistake in hearing.  I asked him again, again he replied with annoyance "bola na 10 rupya". Bombay mai naya aaya kya?" I checked my pockets. Luckily I got a 10 rupee note in my pocket. I was about to ask the typist to type a Resume, I preferred to buy a white blank paper as I don't have any spare money left with me for bus ticket to reach Thakurdwar, where I am supposed to appear the interview". So I asked him, "Bhaiya 1 white paper milega?" with a little surprise he gave me a white legal size paper and said, "ek rupya". I gave him the only 10 rupee note and he returned me the change.  I went to the bus stop enquired about the bus.  Finally after half-an-hour I got down at Thakurdwar bus stop.  Showing the newspaper, enquired about the address.  Some gentleman pointed me the way to the building.  After reaching the building I sat down on the verandah of the office and wrote my Resume same as my Bio Data. Just changed the heading to Resume presuming the Biodata and Resume is nothing but same.

Finally I am all set.  Its big time to be before my prospective employer. I knocked his door and said "May I come in Sir?".  I heard a voice, "Yes".  I said, "Good Morning Sir!" with a smile on my face with which I am trying to cover my tension. He wished me with a smile.  I showed him the newspaper advertisement.  He said "Oh, where is your Resume?"  I handed him over my file.  He gave me a silly smile and said, "you should have get your Resume typed". I put my head down with little uncomfort and said "Sir I don't have the money to get it typed, so I preferred to write it with my hands. I understand its definitely don't look nice and clean, but I am helpless".  He said, "Oh, its fine". That gave me a sigh of relax.  I immediately asked him, if he can allow me to use his computer I can type my resume in just 5 mins. He gave me a smile.  Next Question - while reading the address of correspondence column, he asked me that "you stay in a hotel" as I have written like "C/o. New York Restaurant".  I answered him, "no Sir".  I just use his address.  He immediately asked me "then where do you stay".  I replied politely, "outside Gateway of India" as I don't have a place as yet".  He closed the file and said, "I am sorry, I can't give the job to you" Before I would say anything else, he again said, "you should first arrange for an accommodation in Bombay, they search for a job, as nobody would give a job to a "foot-pathie". Those words sound a bit harsh,  but I realised that was a  bitter truth. Without saying anything I took my file back and came out of his office.  The receptionist gave me a pale smile.  I came out.  I wandered here and there for some time in the vicinity. Its about 6 O'clock in the evening.  I don't have enough money to buy bus ticket.  So I preferred to buy a 'chai' instead.

As the sun set in the west, the Bombay streets lit up with bright lights and huge hoardings.  I got lost in the hoardings. I am surprised and thought how the hell is they make such huge prints. In this process I lost my way to Gateway of India. I reached somewhere else instead.  I was wandering here and there and its been 12 O'clock in the night and I reached a place called "Lamington Road".  I sat at the bus stop outside a theatre "Naaz" putting my head between my knees.  Another hour passed.  A police wireless came by stopped in front of me and asked me in a rude tone "hai kaun hai tu aur idhar kya kar raha hai".  I replied, "Sir, mujhe gateway jaana tha aur mai raasta bhool gaya" in my tooti-footi Hindi.  He again asked me "bus kyun nahi liya?".  I politely replied him in a scary voice, "Paise nahi the sir!".  After a small conversation with his colleagues, he asked me to sit in the van.  I was scared now.  I requested him to let me go.  He said with a smile, "are ghabrane ka nahi, baith mai chorta hu".  With a sigh of relief, I sat in the police van.  The van started.  He asked me, "Gateway mai kahan rehta hai?".  I replied, "bas sir footpath pe sota hu,  yahan koi nhi hai mera". With a smile, he questioned me, "hero banne aaya kya?". I nod my head in "No".  He smiled at me and asked me to get down in front of Regal. And said, "seedha jaaneka, aur kiske saath machmach nhi karneka".  I nod my head in "Yes" and said "Thank you sir!".  He said "chal jaa abhi".  Thanks to Mumbai Police who helped me reach my home (my tree, if you can remember from my last post) safely.

Will post the next part of the story in my next post.  Till then ba bye.  And please don't forget to give your valuable comments.

Thanks,
Love
Ramesh