Human nature

"No matter what the job description says , your  real job is  to make the boss look good." -  Lois Wyse 

"Good morning Mrs Poddar." She had wished , timidly, even before entering the room . As novices are wont to .

But it wasn't Mrs Poddar at the table, it was Mrs Ray , her successor. She was tall , lean ,dark , athletic, and wore a kurti on a pair of jeans. No nonsense. 

" Hello Uma ! Please come in ." " Have some water. " She pushed the glass of water towards her across the glistening glass topped mahogany table. 

"Listen Uma. I called you to tell you , that you have to give up your portfolio of secretaryship." 

Uma choked and sprayed the water from her mouth on the glass top.

"It's ok . Sorry we couldn't give you much notice." She grabbed a napkin and dabbed on Uma 's saliva mixed water everywhere on the table. 

Mrs Ray was efficient and didn't believe in wasting time. 

" Come lets go for a walk." 

" Ma'am." Uma sputtered as she was guided from the room.

On her way out , Mrs Ray, redolent of French perfume, rang the bell, " Bintu , isko clean Karo ." She motioned the peon to the table.

Uma was reminded of the day last week, in this very office. 

Humans are strange beings . They exhibit strange behaviour . Their actions are not commensurate with the expected result . I find the most intelligent of people do strange things. 

So, this day had dawned . The Organisation , we will call it that , for the time being , suffered from a shortage of manning ( or should we call it womanning ) staff . The secretary had held the position for a back breaking second year , in succession , and it was telling on her patience . 

Of course , she had held it for two reasons . One , she was at the bottom of the hierarchy , and aspired to weave her way up . The hard way . The second reason was , she loved the adulation that came along with slogging . The podium speeches , long winding poems and presence . It was a despised job and a coveted one , at the same time . You had the power over the powers-that-be . Wrapping them around your little finger , but you had to slog hard for it . Organise meetings , be an errand boy at functions , be the fall guy when things go south . In short , the works .

The Secretary was a quirky lady called Praja . She was always on the edge . Always doing things . When not organising picnics , she would plug her favourite music into her ears , and ran for miles . Specially in foggy winters , where lesser mortals were still squirming inside quilts , warming themselves . She was what is called in Medical parlance , a type A personality . Competitive , fast . Always . 

Mrs Poddar was the Head of the department . One would envisage a portly , fat matron at this post , bearing that name . She was anything but . She was sprightly , pretty , well dressed . Mostly , outrageously . If it was a welcome occasion , she was the one to lead the pack in an off shoulder gown with a thigh high slit . Leading a posse of clucking , saree clad matrons . 

Mrs Poddar created a nuke race of sorts . No one wanted to be left behind , to appear older than their boss's wife . But , all didn't have the panache to carry her sartorial excesses . 

That too in their doddering middle ages . Praja was the closest rival . However , she was aeons ( read decade ) younger than any of the afore mentioned matrons . 

Praja had held this post for two years . Now , two years is a long time , specially when kids are growing . Being a tiger mom didn't stop her from furthering her own career , and doing a jolly good job of it . 

Now she needed a break . She put her point forward , rather bluntly , at the meeting . 

" I have kids too. I need to pay attention to my family too." She said , after all other potential candidates had professed to putting their family first . 

Now , Mrs Poddar was in a fix . A fix she had never been in before , thanks to Praja . The ever present , all efficient praja , who more than likely had made the entire organisation look like a bunch of buffoons ( which they were , in essence ). 

A recent addition was Uma, a lady with two small school going kids , who painted wonderfully well and sold her painted cloth , canvas , paper crafts , flower vases , with mild degrees of success . 

She was tasked with taking in charge of the secretary's job . It was taken on with great deal of reluctance . 

Until one day,  one week later .when she was summoned to Mrs Poddar's office. 

"But , Mrs Ray , I thought there was no one else to do it ."  Uma stammered, sunshine pouring rainbows into her eyes smarting with tears , due to recent choking. 

.

" Eda Uma " Mrs Ray broke into permissible amount of Malayalam , as there was no one in sight. 

" There still isn't." 

"Then why / how , Mrs Ray? " 

Here Mrs Ray lowered her voice and spoke in rapid Malayalam into Uma's ears .

"That girl Praja , no ? She called Mrs Poddar , and Mrs Poddar called me saying I should reinstate her. " 

Uma's mouth fell open. She was speechless .

" Human nature da . Can't do much." 

Mrs Ray shrugged .