01 March, 2013

Final Frontiers - Chapter 6/8

Of all the crazy wild-ass messed up stories I heard and saw during the placement season (in my dream ofcourse!) one stands out. Luckily or unluckily, it involved me only as a spectator. But it left me thinking, what kind of world are we living in? For those of you who visit my blog for a few laughs, please stop at this point. You might be disappointed.

I was woken by cries of joys and screams of “CONGRATULATIONS!” I opened an eye and looked at my phone – 10:30 PM. Someone in my wing had gotten placed. I sat up, rubbed the sand out of my eyes and opened the door. Raghavendra was literally humping Vala. Parun Valacharla, better known as Vala, must’ve gotten in that day’s company for him – iRanAway.

‘Congrats,’ I said sleepily into the air. No one seemed to listen. I went out to wash my face and brush my teeth. Later when I came to Vala’s room, he was already in the midst of his story.

‘…and then they told me that I was waitlisted. In that case in someone selected from their list gets selected for another company as well, and chooses the other company then I slide up into a permanent selection. They’d selected 4 guys and I was put on waitlist. One of them, Rihani of RK, you know, the gay dude, was also selected by Ceccenture. I was waiting in a room when a PlaceCom came and congratulated me. Rihani took the job at Ceccenture.’
‘But I know Rihani,’ I had to interrupt. ‘He didn’t like the job at Ceccenture. How come he chose that over iRanAway?’
‘I asked the exact same question to the PlaceCom,’ Vala replied, apparently too happy today to be irritated by my interruption. On any other day this would’ve been enough to turn him into the Tasmanian devil. But today was different. He continued, ‘Rihani had initially chosed iRanAway. But then the PIC of placements, took him aside and told him that since he was selected in both Ceccenture and iRanAway and iRanAway had a waitlist, him choosing Ceccenture would mean better records for the institute.’
‘But this is wrong,’ Joose said. ‘A guy has the right to choose the company. The PIC can’t push him to make a choice.’
‘From what I heard, he can. Apparently the PIC threatened him to not forward his details to iRanAway and then Rihani would’ve been left unplaced. I know it’s wrong, but it worked out well for me.’
‘Alright,’ Joose replied. ‘I’m happy for you. Sometimes you’ve got to work for the greater good. You should go and thank him sometime.’
‘I did. And that’s exactly what he told me. He did it for the greater good.’
‘So now quick get ready. This calls for a treat…’

I came out of the room at that point. Perhaps it was my drowsiness thinking, but I felt it immoral of the PIC to push a student like that. Somehow, I didn’t feel the greater good in the event. I knew Rihani personally and I knew what this would mean for him. Somehow, this was just ethically wrong and yet there was no one who could do anything about it. But then, I’d acted ethically correct all this while and it took me nowhere. Perhaps it were people like me and Rihani who were on the wrong track. Perhaps, we were too naïve to understand how the world works. Perhaps, it was time to change my ways.