"Guys we have storms in the UK" the single most dreaded line that everyone hated had just been announced by a certain Mr. S, bossman who everyone thought had fascistic views on running the show, however whose devotion could never be question, had uttered the words. Storms - disturbed state of the atmosphere implying destructive or unpleasant weather could really ruin our day or week even. Workloads would quadruple, breaks cancelled and all privileges taken away. "Calls in queue, take those calls" this line would ricochet off the walls, every 31.5 seconds in alternate male and female voices. Shit like they say had just got real. Even then the folk stuck together and rode the tidal wave of work with earnest devotion. Such was the spirit at property claims.
Training was by far the best part of my career. "Training is like providing a Ninja with weapons" we were told, "how it is used decides the fate of the duel"...of course I never understood the real meaning of that nor did anyone else. I was mostly distracted during training chiefly because of the presence of a certain Ms. S. On one Monday morning I remember coming to work and saying, I wish someone planted a bomb in the cafeteria, we would get a holiday. To which Mr. M says, fine lets get hold of Ms. S and plant her, job done! Those were the days.
Once on the floor we were hailed as the saviors of sorts, because everyone thought that a dozen additional hands would ease the pressure, little they knew that there were people like me among the saviors. Dhruva "Skiver" Salvi never did anything without irking the ire of someone or the other.
We used to have monthly rewards and recognition functions for the team, and two months into the job I remember I was the only one besides my friend from training who was not felicitated for anything, and I promised her that I would no longer be put to shame like this and would show 'em what I am made of. Best leave the point while I can still convince you to think that I really meant those words.
Change, whats more permanent than change? A new training batch had arrived with folks fresh off the boats. We had moved from the 'new guys' to the 'old guys' in a matter of weeks. That there were people who knew less than me about the process made me feel a whole foot taller than I was. I remember them coming to ask us for advice, especially the very charming Ms. A. "Dhruva, can you help me with this please?" and Dhruva was off his chair and onto her table before she could blink her eyes. Everything after that is a little er fuzzy because, anything she said was interpreted by my brain as, "Dhruva, you are the best, most handsome, adorable and noble guy in the whole world!" Alas there is nothing you can say to someone who tells you that every time you talked to them is there?
And then there was Ms. C who I suspect suffered from partial amnesia or some such complex disorder, for whatever you ever taught her somehow always leaked out of her pretty head. Others worth mentioning are the politically correct Ms. M and Ms. C who rarely spoke to anyone for the words of mere mortal meant nothing to them. Also one of my personal favorites being Ms. S whose idlis and dosas were the most amazing ones I had.
I have met some of my best friends here, and saying that is an understatement. Just the fact that its been more than two years and some of the relationships are stronger now than then is proof of the fact. And so comes to end the story of my stint at Axa Insurance Property Claims. Long live the spirit of Property and may all the people who worked here excel in their lives.
P.S. Work of fiction based on fact. Intended as leisure reading.
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