SOME LUCK!

orginally published in www.passionforcinema.com

http://passionforcinema.com/some-luck/

A quick idea which came to me while slugging it out in office...

Scene 1
4:30 PM
Sreehari’s Office

Sreehari sits facing the computer, tense, veins distending on his forehead, sweating in spite of the air-conditioning. The problem reported in his code had huge impacts and could incur huge financial losses for the client of the software firm for whom he was working for.

The client was one of the biggest privatized banks in the country.

The bank people had already kicked up a huge ruckus. The issue had already been escalated to the top management of the company.

And he was solely responsible.

Damn. What a horrible time for the issue to crop up, he thinks, with just a month more to go for the probation period to get over. The whole thing could even affect his confirmation.

Then, the cell phone rings. It’s Mom.

“Sreehari”, says Mom, endearingly. “That girl’s mother hasn’t responded yet….”

He was already into his third unsuccessful year of girl-hunting. This one suited him to a T; the horror-scopes gave in too. He wished her family would be as interested as he was.

Horrible day.

“Too bad. I’ll call you later Mom”, he tells. “Very busy now.” He disconnects the call.

Then, he nose-dives into the task at hand, frowning at the monitor, taking occasional sips of cold water, and furiously massaging his aching temples.

Scene 2
6:30 PM
Sreehari’s Office

Two tense hours whizz past, in a flurry of intense activity.

Then Sreehari goes out, has a smoke, comes back and strides confidently towards his Manager’s cubicle.

There is no tension now. Cool and composed, with an air of a person who was unjustly convicted, he starts to speak.

The issue reported has nothing to do with his code, which is working perfectly. Pucca.
All the fuss was a result of a mistake by some ignoramus dealer at the bank, who knows nothing about software. God help these fools!

The manager is happy. He realizes that he wouldn’t get the firing that he dreaded, congratulates Sreehari profusely and rings up the client, the Bank.

The manager waxes eloquent on the quality of his product, and on how unlikely it was for bugs to be found in the system.

Buoyed by Sreehari’s discovery, he even audaciously suggests to the bank that they employ people who are better trained so as to prevent such confusion in the future.

To which, the bank agrees and they also furnish their embarrassed apologies.

In the meanwhile, Sreehari packs his belongings and starts to leave home. The girl’s family must have called Mom by now, he hopes.

He rings up Mom, she doesn’t pick the phone. Must have gone to the temple, he guesses.

Feeling relaxed, he switches on the car stereo, and drives back home.

Scene 3
8:00 PM
Sreehari’s Home

A bit of shopping and Sreehari is back home. Mom has reached back as well.

“Did they call, Mom?” He asks.

Mom answers in the negative.

“Why don’t we call them up?” He pesters.

“I will call them now, then.” Mom consents, looks up the number from the directory as Sreehari waits by her side.

She finds the number and proceeds to dial.

Scene 4
8:05 PM
Sreehari’s Home

“We had come across your daughter’s profile in the matrimony site...” she says. “Wanted to know your reply...”

There is a click at the other end, and then the line goes dead. Mom places the receiver into the cradle.

“The girl’s brother says they are not interested.” Mom says with a tinge of sadness in her voice.

She feels for her son. She knows that her son had really wished that this proposal would go through.

Sreehari has a cup of tea, a quick bath and then climbs upstairs into his room, hiding his disappointment. He tries to get it out of his mind, but cannot.

He wonders what could be wrong, but he is not able to figure out.

He then locks the door, plays his favorite movie on the computer, and sits idly, smoking, cigarette after cigarette.

Scene 5
Ten Minutes Ago
Lakshmi’s Home

Lakshmi and her Mother looks up at her brother Vimal, who has come back from work.

He looks distraught.

They anxiously enquire and come to know that he was fired by the bank for which he worked as a contract employee.

“Initially I thought that it was the mistake of the software people”, he said, wiping the sweat off his brow. “Then they realized it was my mistake, and my contract was terminated.” He sinks into the chair, devastated.

The three of them sit around in a circle, immensely worried, pondering over what could be done. The job loss is a big blow. More so, in these times of recession. And he being the sole breadwinner in the family.

Scene 6
8:05 PM
Lakshmi’s Home

Then the phone rings, its shrill tones cutting through the silence of the room. Vimal gets up, and picks up the phone.

At the other end is the mother of the guy from whom Lakshmi had received a proposal last week.

“We can’t proceed right now”, Vimal mutters into the phone, in a dejected tone, “We are sorry.”

Then he disconnects the line.