"What is this Eeeh?"
Aggarwalji's long drawn out eh at the end of every sentence is signature . So , is his habit of pushing his specs up on his nose bridge in the middle of every sentence . Then , the sharp intake of breath when someone enters his cabin , with a jumpy look , as if he was in the midst of some criminal act.
Right now , he is looking at a xerox copy of aadhar card , which has travelled across half the nation , in various electronic media ,by email and whatsapp, downloaded , uploaded , printed and brought to him for his perusal . The journey equivalent to an elderly relative paying a visit to you , by bus , taxi , auto , bullock cart , and apparating at your doorstep one month later , reeking of stale food and cow -urine .
Aggarwalji sniffed . He could definitely smell long distance travel , and probably cow -urine , in this piece of paper fluttering apologetically , on his table . The ceiling fan kept up its assault.
Mr Aggarwal has an assortment of beautiful paperweights , souvenirs from his around the globe sojourns .
He still didn't rescue my paper . I made a sudden , ungraceful , dive and saved it from taking off. Pouting his lower lip, he shook his head .
Then lowering his head , went about tying something on his keyboard . Whatever he was engrossed in doing , before I barged into his cabin with my well -travelled paper .
I waited , somewhat impatiently. He , then pulled out his drawer . There was a lidless tiffin box , full of diced papaya , with a fruit fork , in it . Picking up the fork , he impaled a juicy bit of papaya and put it in his mouth , commencing to eat it slowly , very slowly.
Then his phone rang . Still chewing , he picked up the phone ( Ye olde dial-a-number phone )and answered a sweet "Halloo" , juicy with the sweetness of papaya. Then , he commenced a conversation in a language , which though comprehensible , seemed to be full of words that sounded like codes. Aggarwalji was chortling with happiness , his cheeks shone , and his gaze was fixed on one point in the glass cage he sat in .
He flashed smiles , that were like flashes of lightning on an arid , jagged landscape . Thunderbolts of happiness . Then I saw her . Long ,straight hair , worn unprofessionally loose , red lipstick, black mascara , pointy chin , fair cheeks . Office romance . I was a ringside spectator. Aggy had probably forgotten I existed .
"Ahem!" I cleared my throat . Aggyji took a sharp breath , a serpentine hiss , and started at the sight of me . "Yes ?" A hand on the reciever . A pair of mascara lined hate filled eyes stared at me, from outside the glass cage .
"The copy of the card". I murmured.
"Nahin chalega"
"Why?" Aggyji replaced the reciever , pushed the papaya drawer from my sight , shifted his chair close , pushed his specs on his nose bridge, started hammering the keys and spoke in the same breath.
" The photo is faint , the numbers smudgy , anddddd bekaar hai .Nahin chalega ."
He dismissed me with an imperious wave of his hand .
It didn't help that this was my third visit to the bank and Aggyji was the branch manager . Now there was only one authority left above him to appease , and that was God .
#########################
We had forgotten an intermediary . A higher official . An angel called circle officer. Puriji , a family friend .
A friendly call , and a call was put through to Aggyji.
Next visit , Aggyji was jumpy again . Only , he scooted out of his cabin , grabbed my hand , and dragged me inside before I could say , "Namaste ". He had hot tea brought for me and forced me to take "namkeen" and biscuits from various colourful plastic dabbas which emerged from his hitherto concealed , cavernous left drawer.
Then , wearing an apologetic plasticky smile , he brought out my papers , and the job was done pronto .
At one point , he also solicited the help of the mascara'd beauty sitting beyond the cage , with a fake smile of sincerity , and looked up at me with eyes that said "f@@@ you".
The hot water of confrontation with a senior had frightened Aggyji , and he bent over , backwards , desperate to please.
##########################
Aggarwalji's long drawn out eh at the end of every sentence is signature . So , is his habit of pushing his specs up on his nose bridge in the middle of every sentence . Then , the sharp intake of breath when someone enters his cabin , with a jumpy look , as if he was in the midst of some criminal act.
Right now , he is looking at a xerox copy of aadhar card , which has travelled across half the nation , in various electronic media ,by email and whatsapp, downloaded , uploaded , printed and brought to him for his perusal . The journey equivalent to an elderly relative paying a visit to you , by bus , taxi , auto , bullock cart , and apparating at your doorstep one month later , reeking of stale food and cow -urine .
Aggarwalji sniffed . He could definitely smell long distance travel , and probably cow -urine , in this piece of paper fluttering apologetically , on his table . The ceiling fan kept up its assault.
Mr Aggarwal has an assortment of beautiful paperweights , souvenirs from his around the globe sojourns .
He still didn't rescue my paper . I made a sudden , ungraceful , dive and saved it from taking off. Pouting his lower lip, he shook his head .
Then lowering his head , went about tying something on his keyboard . Whatever he was engrossed in doing , before I barged into his cabin with my well -travelled paper .
I waited , somewhat impatiently. He , then pulled out his drawer . There was a lidless tiffin box , full of diced papaya , with a fruit fork , in it . Picking up the fork , he impaled a juicy bit of papaya and put it in his mouth , commencing to eat it slowly , very slowly.
Then his phone rang . Still chewing , he picked up the phone ( Ye olde dial-a-number phone )and answered a sweet "Halloo" , juicy with the sweetness of papaya. Then , he commenced a conversation in a language , which though comprehensible , seemed to be full of words that sounded like codes. Aggarwalji was chortling with happiness , his cheeks shone , and his gaze was fixed on one point in the glass cage he sat in .
He flashed smiles , that were like flashes of lightning on an arid , jagged landscape . Thunderbolts of happiness . Then I saw her . Long ,straight hair , worn unprofessionally loose , red lipstick, black mascara , pointy chin , fair cheeks . Office romance . I was a ringside spectator. Aggy had probably forgotten I existed .
"Ahem!" I cleared my throat . Aggyji took a sharp breath , a serpentine hiss , and started at the sight of me . "Yes ?" A hand on the reciever . A pair of mascara lined hate filled eyes stared at me, from outside the glass cage .
"The copy of the card". I murmured.
"Nahin chalega"
"Why?" Aggyji replaced the reciever , pushed the papaya drawer from my sight , shifted his chair close , pushed his specs on his nose bridge, started hammering the keys and spoke in the same breath.
" The photo is faint , the numbers smudgy , anddddd bekaar hai .Nahin chalega ."
He dismissed me with an imperious wave of his hand .
It didn't help that this was my third visit to the bank and Aggyji was the branch manager . Now there was only one authority left above him to appease , and that was God .
#########################
We had forgotten an intermediary . A higher official . An angel called circle officer. Puriji , a family friend .
A friendly call , and a call was put through to Aggyji.
Next visit , Aggyji was jumpy again . Only , he scooted out of his cabin , grabbed my hand , and dragged me inside before I could say , "Namaste ". He had hot tea brought for me and forced me to take "namkeen" and biscuits from various colourful plastic dabbas which emerged from his hitherto concealed , cavernous left drawer.
Then , wearing an apologetic plasticky smile , he brought out my papers , and the job was done pronto .
At one point , he also solicited the help of the mascara'd beauty sitting beyond the cage , with a fake smile of sincerity , and looked up at me with eyes that said "f@@@ you".
The hot water of confrontation with a senior had frightened Aggyji , and he bent over , backwards , desperate to please.
##########################
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