Yet another Friday evening wasted . What a shame! This is what, the fourth? no, fifth time this year we are out drinking as a team. After work. And its been barely 3 months since the start of the year. Oh yes, I count each of these useless outings. Just like how I carefully keep track of the money wasted thus.
And its an even bigger surprise that we are part of the Finance team. We are supposed to be the role models to others in terms of spending. And here we are making fools of ourselves drinking and splurging on company money. I dont have any doubt this company would be taken over by a smarter company in a few years.
Today we are all seated in a large booth in our "favourite pub".
I dont touch alcohol or so much as take a puff. But I need to be part of these outings. Peer pressure. Else that silly woman in pink will get promoted and not me. Disgusting woman. What a slut! I am sure she slept her way through this company to get to the same level as me. Imagine, me, a rank holder in CA and she who passed the course after me, both at the same level. And being a woman, drinks whisky like a seasoned drunkard!
She's always the first one to say "yes" to coming to these dinners. Making loud jokes, pulling people's legs, she's always the centre of attaction. To me she makes herself a complete nuisance, but these silly buggers seem to love her and hold on to her words
Today she is relatively quiet and even keeps giving me looks as if trying to tell me something but deciding against it. I ignore her. She's got the reputation of being a bit of a flirt. Probably got bored with the rest of her fan followings and targetting me. Jeez!! The very thought made me want to puke.
You might think I am jealous. Oh No! I am glad even. When it comes to promotion to the next level none of these would help. I will show her. Now we maybe equals as far as designation goes, but that will soon change.. soon.
I am one up on her now anyway. I had been given the task of consolidation and analysis of the company forecasts and present it to the CFO tomorrow. A task formerly handled by our manager. We would all do a quick review and release it to the Press by afternoon tomorrow. You have no idea how thrilled I was to have been asked to do this. So many things like Company share prices etc ride on this after the press release. Its a big responsibility and I am naturally proud. Things like this Miss Pink cant handle. Oh No! I had been especially smug when I had marked her in the mail I had sent to the CFO today, that contained the Forecast details.
Currently, to my right sits my manager. He is already on round 3 and egging the team to drink more. Stupid fellow. One day I will become head of department and put an end to all this. Oh yes!
To my left is this silly trainee. A small chit of a girl, but man, what a loud mouth. She is trying to make me drink.. "Hey, why are you not drinking ya... have at least a breezer no.."
I feel like giving her a tight slap. Breezer indeed! This one will be fired when I become head of department. Thats for sure. Somewhere in the table, a small group is doing a bottoms up.
Someone else is making a joke about how I am the only tee totaler here and the only thing I am useful for is dropping everyone back home. OK, the jokes on me this time... Some day, someday, I will show you.. I will show you all you son-of a bitches.
Woman in pink has been giving me stealthy looks the whole time. Finally she gets up and wriggles her way out of the booth. She touches my arm and asks me to step out a bit. I freeze, more out of apprehension than shock. But I dont want to create a scene here and leave with her. As I walk out so many thoughts fill my mind. I always thought she had the hots for me. Do you think, she would open up now? Oh My God, I dont want to get into all this. Now. Not with her... or...do I maybe?
We step out into the lobby and she turns around facing me.
"What is it?" I ask, as if I am dying to get back to the drunken party.
She chews her lip and takes awhile before answering "The forecast that you sent out today. Um, doesnt it look a bit on the higher side? Growth percentage Quarter on quarter has never been this high. Seems a bit strange, no?"
I give this sweet and sarcastic smile " The second quarter always is a lot higher than the first.Clients are usually still holding their purses at the start of the year making their own budgets. But Q2 is a different story. Oh buts its natural you wont know these things..."
She fishes out her ipad and taps furiously on it while I wait impatiently. I am fuming inside. Look at her, jealous woman. Trying to sabotage my career I am sure.
"This" she points to the excel file I had shared. "You see this? This business unit has more than 70% growth. I know this is not possible at all. I looked more closely and I saw a formula error in here"
I pull the Ipad off her hands and look for myself. Holy Cow, this pink woman is right! How did I miss this? Such a silly goof up. I did a quick math and realized that the overall growth percentage for the company should actually be 10% and not 14% as I'd calculated. And the Forecasts were off by $500M for the quarter. Thats big money and when actual revenue starts to flow in we'd be way behind forecasts. That would be a loss of face for the company! Especially in this age of cut throat competition.
My very first assignment of this sort and I goofed up. I would have looked like a fool if not Pink had shown me this now!!
I look up at her and simply say.."Thanks for pointing it out"
She waves her hand dismissively and walks back inside, to her whisky while I ponder outside. She could have easily saved this for tomorrow and pointed it out in the meeting with the CFO. I'd have looked like an idiot . But no, even though I have been a moron all along by branding her with cheap names she responded back with kindness. I am totally overwhelmed.
I go back inside and discretely bring my laptop outside. In ten minutes, I am done making the changes and double checking all formulae.
I resend the updated document with a mail.. "Dear all, please ignore my previous mail and use the attached file for your reference." I pause.. "Thanks Aradhana, for pointing out the error which I have now corrected". I smile.
I snap the laptop shut and join the team inside. I am feeling a lot lighter.
"Hey Ram, wont you stop from working at least here? We saw you take the laptop outside.. Chill dude.. like the lady says, have a breezer.." Loud guffaws ensue.
My face which would have broken into a frown before, merely smiles now.. "Who knows? Next time maybe??"
And its an even bigger surprise that we are part of the Finance team. We are supposed to be the role models to others in terms of spending. And here we are making fools of ourselves drinking and splurging on company money. I dont have any doubt this company would be taken over by a smarter company in a few years.
Today we are all seated in a large booth in our "favourite pub".
I dont touch alcohol or so much as take a puff. But I need to be part of these outings. Peer pressure. Else that silly woman in pink will get promoted and not me. Disgusting woman. What a slut! I am sure she slept her way through this company to get to the same level as me. Imagine, me, a rank holder in CA and she who passed the course after me, both at the same level. And being a woman, drinks whisky like a seasoned drunkard!
She's always the first one to say "yes" to coming to these dinners. Making loud jokes, pulling people's legs, she's always the centre of attaction. To me she makes herself a complete nuisance, but these silly buggers seem to love her and hold on to her words
Today she is relatively quiet and even keeps giving me looks as if trying to tell me something but deciding against it. I ignore her. She's got the reputation of being a bit of a flirt. Probably got bored with the rest of her fan followings and targetting me. Jeez!! The very thought made me want to puke.
You might think I am jealous. Oh No! I am glad even. When it comes to promotion to the next level none of these would help. I will show her. Now we maybe equals as far as designation goes, but that will soon change.. soon.
I am one up on her now anyway. I had been given the task of consolidation and analysis of the company forecasts and present it to the CFO tomorrow. A task formerly handled by our manager. We would all do a quick review and release it to the Press by afternoon tomorrow. You have no idea how thrilled I was to have been asked to do this. So many things like Company share prices etc ride on this after the press release. Its a big responsibility and I am naturally proud. Things like this Miss Pink cant handle. Oh No! I had been especially smug when I had marked her in the mail I had sent to the CFO today, that contained the Forecast details.
Currently, to my right sits my manager. He is already on round 3 and egging the team to drink more. Stupid fellow. One day I will become head of department and put an end to all this. Oh yes!
To my left is this silly trainee. A small chit of a girl, but man, what a loud mouth. She is trying to make me drink.. "Hey, why are you not drinking ya... have at least a breezer no.."
I feel like giving her a tight slap. Breezer indeed! This one will be fired when I become head of department. Thats for sure. Somewhere in the table, a small group is doing a bottoms up.
Someone else is making a joke about how I am the only tee totaler here and the only thing I am useful for is dropping everyone back home. OK, the jokes on me this time... Some day, someday, I will show you.. I will show you all you son-of a bitches.
Woman in pink has been giving me stealthy looks the whole time. Finally she gets up and wriggles her way out of the booth. She touches my arm and asks me to step out a bit. I freeze, more out of apprehension than shock. But I dont want to create a scene here and leave with her. As I walk out so many thoughts fill my mind. I always thought she had the hots for me. Do you think, she would open up now? Oh My God, I dont want to get into all this. Now. Not with her... or...do I maybe?
We step out into the lobby and she turns around facing me.
"What is it?" I ask, as if I am dying to get back to the drunken party.
She chews her lip and takes awhile before answering "The forecast that you sent out today. Um, doesnt it look a bit on the higher side? Growth percentage Quarter on quarter has never been this high. Seems a bit strange, no?"
I give this sweet and sarcastic smile " The second quarter always is a lot higher than the first.Clients are usually still holding their purses at the start of the year making their own budgets. But Q2 is a different story. Oh buts its natural you wont know these things..."
She fishes out her ipad and taps furiously on it while I wait impatiently. I am fuming inside. Look at her, jealous woman. Trying to sabotage my career I am sure.
"This" she points to the excel file I had shared. "You see this? This business unit has more than 70% growth. I know this is not possible at all. I looked more closely and I saw a formula error in here"
I pull the Ipad off her hands and look for myself. Holy Cow, this pink woman is right! How did I miss this? Such a silly goof up. I did a quick math and realized that the overall growth percentage for the company should actually be 10% and not 14% as I'd calculated. And the Forecasts were off by $500M for the quarter. Thats big money and when actual revenue starts to flow in we'd be way behind forecasts. That would be a loss of face for the company! Especially in this age of cut throat competition.
My very first assignment of this sort and I goofed up. I would have looked like a fool if not Pink had shown me this now!!
I look up at her and simply say.."Thanks for pointing it out"
She waves her hand dismissively and walks back inside, to her whisky while I ponder outside. She could have easily saved this for tomorrow and pointed it out in the meeting with the CFO. I'd have looked like an idiot . But no, even though I have been a moron all along by branding her with cheap names she responded back with kindness. I am totally overwhelmed.
I go back inside and discretely bring my laptop outside. In ten minutes, I am done making the changes and double checking all formulae.
I resend the updated document with a mail.. "Dear all, please ignore my previous mail and use the attached file for your reference." I pause.. "Thanks Aradhana, for pointing out the error which I have now corrected". I smile.
I snap the laptop shut and join the team inside. I am feeling a lot lighter.
"Hey Ram, wont you stop from working at least here? We saw you take the laptop outside.. Chill dude.. like the lady says, have a breezer.." Loud guffaws ensue.
My face which would have broken into a frown before, merely smiles now.. "Who knows? Next time maybe??"
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