My Rambles

“Laxman… schezwan dosa” said Neha, opening her breakfast tiffin from home.

“Laxman.. plane-dosa” said Kartik, taking a bite of thepla from Neha’s open tiffin.

After placing their order they resumed the everyday discussion in the cafeteria over breakfast.

“This management just does not care,” said Kartik. 

“Ya did you hear HR has stopped pantry service at desk ”, said Neha while checking out if Laxman was making her dosa

“Do you remember the Diwali biryani, it was so horrible,” said Kartik, “earlier Diwali party used to be so good”

Neha was from operations and Kartik from the Finance team of ‘Doogle’. Their day would start with the name of Lord Laxman, and hot gossip over special dosas in the office cafeteria. After being in the organisation for close to a decade, there was never dearth of gossip. And worst case scenario, they would reminisce about the good old days when the office was more like Karan Johar film rather than Bimal Roy film. Parties were frequent and lavish with food being flown from all over Mumbai, booze was free-flowing and discussions were more heart felt.

Breakfast and bitching would fuel Kartik and Neha for the day’s work.

Laxman was the cafeteria cook. He was like a regular Indian who would have gotten lost in the crowd, medium built, wheatish complexion, hailing from Kolkata. His attitude was his differentiator which stood him out from the millions. Like Lord Laxman, he served selflessly with no greed for money or fame. His only objective was to make each of his customers smile. He had the superpower to remember the preference of each customer and the special power of serving everyone with a personal touch and a beaming smile. Be it the king or the serfs, he would serve everyone with equal gusto. The sight of Laxman and his food cheered the people even on the most hellish day. He had earned the title of ‘Mother of Doogle’ for a reason

Life had settled into a rhythm for Kartik and Neha. One day, like always they came in the morning only to find Laxman, not in the cafeteria. 

Their heart skipped a beat. After running helter and skelter, they found out that the new Admin ‘Manthara’ had tried to add value and revolutionize the place with a new caterer ‘Super Care’. With no delay, Kartik and Neha boycotted the new vendor in a display of loyalty towards Laxman. 

There was a formal protest by the employees led by Neha and Kartik. “Super Care go back” and “We want Laxman,” echoed in the corridors of Doogle. Management felt the ground shake underneath.

An emergency meeting was called in and an impeachment motion was passed against ‘Super care’. 

Laxman was brought back.

Life regained it’s normalcy. The food for thought and stomach was once again in abundance in the cafeteria. Laxman continued to shower his motherly love on everyone.

The time has this unique attribute of shrinking in hindsight. Soon it was Diwali time and Laxman informed that he was going home for a month. In his absence, the cafeteria would be manned by Shambhu, his replacement.

Whoever heard, the interiors of their stomach contracted. Neha and Kartik applied for a day’s leave to absorb the shock but then came to work to relish the last couple of days before the exile. Laxman went on his holiday.

Neha and Kartik were confident that the new man would not be good. It would be a disaster in the absence of Laxman. 

The next day, they tentatively stepped into the cafeteria, wary of any lurking threat in the absence of Laxman. They met the gaze of Shambhu. Their lips broke into a half smile, bordering on grimace, and received a similar response. After some deliberation, they ordered their dosas with their fingers crossed and prayers in their heart. 

The schezwan dosa came, Neha touched it gingerly, it was not crisp the way Neha liked it and she broke into a tirade “ I knew it I knew it that no one can be as good as Laxman,” she said while pushing the plate instinctively away from her.

In the meanwhile, plane-dosa also came and Kartik with great trepidation took the first bite, and alas it was not made in butter the way Laxman made it. Both Neha and Kartik vociferously expressed their disapproval and lamented their misfortune. 

Shambhu who quietly had been observing this scene had nothing to lose, he was just filling in temporarily. Why should I disappoint my customers, thought Shambhu and his lips curled into a mischievous smile.

The whole of next week whenever Neha and Kartik came, Shambhu cooked the dish contrary to their demand and served with a glare. Neha and Kartik faces turned apple red everytime and Shambhu suppressed his laughter with great difficulty.

They fussed and fumed and he managed to irk them so much that they stopped going to the cafeteria. They would then be found sitting in the smaller pantry with their packed food and long faces. The animated gossip had given way to angry grumbling about Shambhu. As a few more days passed, it was replaced by forlorn looks of hope and wait.

The month went by and still there was no sign of Laxman. While some people were feeling it more than the others but the entire organisation was feeling the void. Neha and Kartik were feeling it perhaps most acutely. They forgot their pride and went to ask Shambhu about Laxman. Shambhu was also clueless but looking at their somber faces, he took pity and gave them his contact number. The number was not reachable. They tried frantically for next couple of days but eventually gave up. They even approached the admin Manthra to find the whereabouts of Laxman but to no avail.

They could see the end of the world. The past month, they had neither met their deadlines nor had they fulfilled their gossip quota. They were losing both hope and weight. Their constant irritation was even noticed by their families and they also joined in the prayers.

Another fortnight passed and after encouragement from some other colleagues, they again ventured in the cafeteria of Lord Shambhu. Lord Shambhu saw the dejected faces of refugees in place of earlier warriors. He decided to activate his benefactor mode. 

He welcomed them with a wide smile and made their schezwan and plane-dosa with care. A wave of happiness ran through each and every cell of their body. They could feel the contentment of being back at home. They returned the next day to the cafeteria and the day after. Each day they gave a wide smile to Shambhu and were rewarded with an equal heartfelt smile.

They learnt that unlike every action which has an equal and opposite reaction, every smile begets an equally earnest or frivolous smile.  

When in doubt, smile, as a smile begets a smile. A relationship that starts with a smile is a relationship that lasts.

They had also come to terms with their fallacy. With their negatively preconceived notions, Shambhu never stood a chance and he in all zest had taught them a life lesson.

Though Shambhu was nowhere worthy of the title of ‘Mother’ but he managed was doing his job. They still missed Laxman but were coming to terms with their fate.

Over two months had passed and people had reconciled to the new normal. Then one day they heard from Shambhu that Laxman would be returning the next day. Kartik and Neha were overjoyed.  Laxman was welcomed like Lord Rama was welcomed back to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile. Laxman came back and reclaimed his cafeteria. He continued to serve everyone with his selfless dedication with a smile and Doogle’s productivity went back soaring.