I wake up at 6.00. As is my practice for years, still feeling lazy I roll over and think of what to do that day. These days it is mostly ‘Nothing’ and so it boils down to just rolling for few minutes. One might wonder, why the hell then should I wake up at 6.00? That is because my father use to wake me at 6.00 every day since I was 11. It has become a biological rhythm since then. Soon after I will be urged for stomach cleansing, a part of the rhythm as well.

I am fresh; Ha! I shake myself to face the day. With a cup of coffee, I go over the daily news – mud slingshots of local and national politicians, police atrocities, death of this one, murder of that one, some strike in some part, more Americans dying in Iraq after Dubaya’s announcement of ‘major operations over’, and his claim that he has done something good for the world (= his supporting CEOs?), few pages of ‘Business around the world’, and another page of how Indian Cricket team lost against almost any other team in the world, and pages filled with ads ranging from Bra to Brandy. Wow! So much happening in the world. I am tired reading them, so I lie down and imagine how I could have changed the world if I was… suddenly a flashing thought: you idiot, get up and change your world.

After a long shower and dressing up, I have breakfast. What is the time? Only 10? I read something until I realize that I do have a job. At 11, I put on helmet and start my lovable motor bike. After riding through the bumpy roads of Chennai, I arrive at work. I login to the network and check emails. There are still few good friends who keep sending emails. I reply them. I browse through the subject lines of official mails. Mostly nothing urgent. When the clock ticks 12, I am at the lunch hall. It is a buffet every day. How is food? No complaints, no compliments. Sometimes I am joined by team mates. Mostly I go alone. After food, it is time to visit library. Read through some more news papers – same garbage from a different viewpoint.

Now starts tough part of the day – I got to work. Well, having been a workaholic, it is really tough to stare the monitor for a possible inspiration. Somedays I have some development to do or some coaching for the team mates. But mostly I am left alone to browse through the net and send emails. At around 15h00, I go for a coffee and come back to repeat whatever I was doing. Some of my team mates who are doing night shifts start arriving around 18h00. Then we have a chat and if they have any doubts, I clear them or confuse them more. By the time we finish, it is time for evening snacks. After snacks it gets busy, as we are in offshore production support team and our American clients start coming to their office. Team mates start to work and I pose to work. It is 20h30 and we are ready for dinner. Normally dinner is better than lunch, may be because it is less people. Do we pay for food? Yes, indeed. We have a monthly deduction of Rs.25 (little more than half Euro) for food – lunch, snacks, dinner all inclusive. Yes, believe me, I pay Rs. 25 for a month’s food. No, it is not that cheaper outside. We have subsidized charges. After food and a bit of work, it is time to hit the roads again.

Some days, I feel bad to be a paid jobless. Some days I feel, yea, for whatever the firm has done to me, they are repaying me in another way. Other days I am just scared to be laid off; But whatever the feeling, I tell myself, ‘Thou shalt relax, my boy’.