COCKTAIL IN THE RAINBOW - Chapter - 3

Chapter –3

Binoy Bhar came in and said, “Sorry to disturb you Sir again.”

I said, “You are most welcome Mr. Bhar, tell me what I can do for you.”

Bhar looked at Nandi. I could understand that he wanted to talk to me something confidential in the absence of Nandi. Probably Nandi also understands Bhar’s mind and left the cabin saying, “With your kind permission Sir.”

Bhar checked up his tie knot and clearing his throat said, “Sir, is your car free and can be spared for some time?”

I said, “Yes, it’s absolutely free and you may use it without any hesitation. I am not going out anywhere.”

“Sir, you are so kind. Actually it is not for me. I will have to send to Mrs. Nag.” Bhar said.

“Of course you can send to Mrs. Nag. But I suppose Mr. Nag’s car is free for her use as he is busy in pharma conference in Hotel Emperor Intercon.” I said.

“Yes Sir! You are right. But Mrs. Nag requires two cars as she is having some guests.” Bhar said politely.

“That’s all right. You may ask my driver to go to Mr. Nag’s residence with the car.” I said.

“Sir if you kindly advise Mansij, I mean your driver, it would be better as the fellow does not obey anybody other than General Manager or Divisional Manager under whom he works.” Bhar said scratching his fatty chin.

Bhar was correct in his assessment of Mansij whom I had already known for his trickery and slyness.

I did not get the car and driver on the first day of my joining Rainbow. Some formalities were to be complied with by the office. Second day he came with the car which was parked on the road in front of the building in which I used to reside. He appeared before me in white uniform bearing insignia “Rainbow”.

 He saluted straightening his body in upright position and said, “Good Morning Sir! I am Mansij at your service.”

He took my briefcase in his hand and led me to the car. He opened the door of the back seat and requested me to get in. He behaved upto this stage like a gentleman. But on my way to office I felt little uneasy for his undesired question.

“Sir, I heard you were better placed in the previous company, why you have come to this dirty place?”

Though little irritated I said calmly, “Today will be my first day. How do I know which is dirty or which is clean? Let me go to the office and work for sometime; only then I will know whether it is dirty or clean, O.K.!”

After sometime he said, “Sir! Please excuse me for my impertinence. My only defect, I want to be free and frank with my boss.” I saw his cunning face in the rear view mirror above the driving seat. He eyelids were quivering below thick brows.

He was driving very fast. I asked him to slow down the speed.

Reducing the speed to a great extent he said, “Sir, I was scolded many times by my previous madam for the same reason. Bad luck! She was so nice lady, but I left her services. You know, now my madam is a minister. Had I stayed with her, I would have become a government servant.”

“But you should not repent. You are well paid in Rainbow.” I said.

“You are perfectly right Sir. But there is no security here. In government service even if you do not work, your service is hundred percent secured.” Mansij said touching his forehead with his right hand.

I felt very much amused with this man and said, “When you are so much repentant, you should have gone back to your Madam. I think she would have taken you back.”

Mansij suddenly looked behind and said, “Sir you have told perfectly what I had thought. But my second wife did not approve of my going back to her.”

“Why?” I said in exclamation.

“Sir, it is difficult for me to tell you the reason as I feel shy to express in words.” Mansij said with quivering eyelids as I could see in the rear view glass.

“If you feel so, you need not tell me.” I said.

 Car was held up at the traffic signal for a longer period behind so many vehicles as the police gave away smooth passage to a VIP car following pilot motor bikes and followed by a fleet of cars and police vans. I became very much impatient though there was sufficient time to reach the office, because there would be terrific jam on the streets ahead already traversed by the VIP, his foregoing and following security personnel.

“Sir, I am illiterate, uncultured and a rural man. May be I am wrong, but it’s beyond my imagination when I see these leaders of public are so much afraid of public. In my childhood I saw leaders and ministers travelling in open hood less cars taking salutation and ovation from the public.” Mansij said with seriousness. His eyelids were normal, not quivering.

“Those were the bygone days which you can not get back.” I said.

VIP fleet was gone. As anticipated even after getting green signal, car was crawling at a snail’s pace. Mansij kept silent for sometime. Suddenly he said, “Sir, do you know what was my wife before marriage?” His eyelids started quivering.

I was bit confused for his odd query as how could I know what had been his wife before their marriage.

“She was lady’s-maid of my Madam, I mean my ex-employer.” Mansij said without waiting for my reply.

I kept silent and looked at my wristwatch being worried of reaching office in time.

The chatterbox could not remain silent for a long time. He said, “That was the only reason why she did not allow me to go back to my Madam. She was envious of Madam’s affection for me. Madam was never beautiful, rather her face looked ugly due to her protruding foreteeth. But she was very young having robust health and well-shaped body even at her middle age, which made her attractive specially……” He could not finish his lecture as the car was about to hit a Rickshaw-puller crossing the road suddenly. I asked Mansij to be careful and not to talk further before reaching office.

Bhar was awaiting my instruction to Mansij who entered my cabin with clasped hands.

“Mansij, take the car to General Manager’s house and meet “Memsaab”.” I told him.

“Thank you Sir.” Bhar said.

Looking at Bhar obliquely with concealed rage Mansij left my cabin saying, “Thank you Sir!”

“So your problem is solved.” I told Bhar.

“Terribly Sir! You are great.” Bhar said and left my cabin.

Within few days it was not possible for me to know much about office environment as I got to be busy whole day for planning the marketing strategy of the new division to make it a profit center. That was my answer when I was interviewed by Rozario in Bombay in his chamber.

“Tell us why we should select you for the position?” asked Rozario.

“Because I will make the Agro-Chemical Division a profit center.” I replied.

“Any other question, Mr. Gupta?”  Rozario asked Chandra Nath Gupta, all India Manager of Rainbow Agro-Chemicals.

“No more Sir. We have got the correct answer.” Gupta said.

Shaking hands with me Rozario said, “So Mr. Bose! You are selected for the post of Divisional Manager, Eastern Region for our Agro-Chemicals. We will shortly start laboratory chemicals which will also be looked after by you in your area. Congratulations!”

After coming back to Calcutta from Bombay initially I recruited one Sales Executive namely Chandan Purakayastha for my division. Chandan was recommended by Chanakya Nag. When I would appoint Area sales Representatives, Chandan would become District Sales Manager. Nag advertised for a lady secretary for my division and assured of recruiting a beautiful girl for me.

I was very happy to get cordial and friendly treatment from Chanakya Nag who was overall head of eastern regional establishment of Rainbow India. He was meticulous in maintenance of office, manager’s cabins, conference room, anteroom, toilet, etc. he left strict instructions with Binoy Bhusan Bhar to move around the office everyday for a check up fifteen minutes before the beginning of office hours.

On the first day of my joining the office I reported to Nag who after introducing with all the staff members accompanied me to my cabin.

“You like your room?” Chanakya Nag asked me.

“Thank you sir. It’s excellent.” I said.

I leaned from Nandi afterwards that Santunu Majumdar, ex-Divisional Manager, Home products used to sit in this cabin which was specially designed by Nag for his good friend. After his departure from Rainbow, Chanakya Nag did not allot this cabin to his successor Tarit Ganguly who was given the cabin of Ramani Talukdar. All these changes were done very recently.

That was about allotment of cabins. I could learn further from Mansij regarding reallotment of cars. After being elevated to the post of GM (East), Chanakya Nag got one new Mercedes Benz car sent from Bombay. His brand new Ambassador car was allotted to Ramani Talukdar who had been using so long one four door standard Herald. Santunu Majumdar got a new Ambassador car for his use which I got along with his driver Mansij. Tarit Ganguly got the old four door standard Herald so long used by Ramani Talukdar.

Fatik Nandi entered my cabin and said, “Sir! Mansij is down with diarrhea. He could not go to Mr. Nag’s house with your car.