The Worry

‘I got the job and I’m going to Karachi.’

‘What company?’

‘BP!!!’

‘BP???’

‘British Petroleum!!!’

‘What about MBA?’

‘What about it?’

‘Aren't you going to complete your Master’s?’

‘We’ll see when it’s written to complete.’

‘How did you get the job?’

‘Connections!!!’

That was Raja with his decision back then in the year 2007. He was always least worried about anything in this world, while we were busy worrying about our admissions in the master’s programme and he was the only one who got the job in a renowned company. Surprisingly, his attitude would not have been any different in the entirely opposite situation as well. There is in fact this aura about Raja which is contagious and it compels you to question yourself:

‘Do you know anything about the word that starts with the letter W (Worry)?’

Raja back then and Raja still says the line sometimes:

‘If anything is not supposed to happen the way you want it to happen then there should be no way that you ruin your life by letting yourself WORRY of how that particular thing should happen in your life.’

Our bachelors’ results were never great. But eventually we all friends got the admissions in the master’s programme – even those friends who never had the intentions to get an admission. University life started once again. Raja left for Karachi and was never seen during the master’s tenure. That year was different with new classmates and few new teachers and most of all with full of worries.

The year passed away in a blink and Raja was not to be seen. Raja’s half family was in Karachi. Raja himself used to live in Lahore. And the main family with immediate family members was settled exactly in the middle of Lahore and Karachi. Our masters’ programme was over with better results and this time job worry was on our minds.

That year we met Raja. It was the end of 2008. He was still the same. Nothing changed. When he saw our worried faces he was like:

‘Jobs are on their way, so better not make such faces. Plus, do not ask me to refer you guys anywhere. No favours!!!’

Half of the year 2009 passed away and almost all my friends got the job. One of my friends went for another master’s programme in Australia, he still is there. Few of us were left jobless.

‘Hello…’

‘Get ready by 11 in the morning. You have an interview.’

‘Tomorrow?’

‘Tomorrow.’

‘Okay. What company?’

‘Forget about the company.’

‘Okay.’

‘What about Saturdays?’

‘Even Sundays are on for work just for you.’

‘What???’

‘Just go there.’

‘Okay.’

That was Raja on the phone after a time span of 6 months from Karachi. He referred me somewhere. Then, after 6 months Raja, visited Lahore by the end of year 2009. It’s been 2 years and back then he was still working at BP. He was very happy. I was the one with a worried face.

‘I don’t like this job.’

‘What is wrong with this job?’

‘Phone calls.’

‘What about phone calls?’

‘You have to attend them.’

‘Then attend.’

‘I don’t want to.’

‘What do you want?’

‘Something I like.’

‘And what do you like?’

‘Not attending phone calls.’

‘Talk to higher management and change your department.’

‘I wish I could but one thing is great.’

‘What is it?’

‘Even Saturdays are off.’

‘You are always looking for rest.’

‘Not for rest but for the free time to do other things.’

‘Yeah I know those other things.’

‘Yeah?’

‘Yeah, you should have gone to Arts and Literature side. By now you would have become something at least.’

Those words added to my worries even further because I could not turn back time.

‘Hey.’

‘Hii…’

‘Open the door.’

‘Really?’

That was the year 2010 when Raja surprised me by showing himself up right outside my door. I let him in. He was more than just happy.

‘I got the admissions.’

‘Where?’

‘Where you were 3 years ago. Oh sorry, 2 years ago.’

‘Seriously?’

‘Seriously.’

‘And BP?’

‘What about it?’

‘You resigned?’

‘Yes I did.’

‘Back to Lahore. WOW.’

‘Yes WOW. Now MBA and no more work. Raja was smiling.’

‘I wish I could do the same.’

‘Again MBA?’

‘No.’

‘Then?’

‘Some other degree.’

‘Oh. Then you have to resign.’

‘I already have.’ That was me again with a worried face and Raja reached the heights of happiness.

‘Good. I’ll come to your place when I’m done with my classes. Daily. Thank God I am back in Lahore.’

‘Hey bro write me a script for my project. You are good at such stuff.’

Raja once again in his last semester of the 1^st year came to visit me with his friend. I got the brief from them and then I wrote down the script. In the meanwhile I noticed, Raja and his new friend were having fun for the whole time. And I was the only one working. The sight took me back to the days of bachelor’s programme when I used to have fun for the whole time and the rest of the crew used to work. Especially Raja. The whole scene got flipped upside down that time. I realised why I never praised my university days. I did not have and still don’t have those skills. Back then, I was only praising the current moment, the skillful me.

‘Here you go bro. It’s done.’

I explained them the script and was waiting for them to leave. They kept sitting and mistakenly I stood up to see them off. My misunderstanding was cleared and before it was too late Raja spoke up to cover the situation before it got too late:

‘Don’t make tea without the cinnamon stick.’

And in an instant everything was cleared after Raja’s dialogue I pretended that the reason I got up was to go into the kitchen and make tea for my friends.

‘There is no tea without the cinnamon stick.’ That came out from my mouth to hide my worry and to cover up the situation because the fact was only the half the line was true. ‘There is no tea.’ Raja still does not know the fact ;).

‘Raja!’

‘Hey!’

‘I got the job.’

‘Where?’

‘In an ad agency.’

‘As What?’

‘Copywriter!’

‘Great. How much?’

‘20k.’

‘Cool.’

‘What agency?’

‘Screw the name. Where are you?’

‘I’m in college, will get free in a while.’

‘Ok.’

That was a short conversation over the phone with Raja. I called him because I was very worried. Nobody liked the offer I had landed. Family members were but no one in friends. Except for Raja. Rest of the crew was like you will get yourself stuck in 20s for life.

‘When you get back to college after working 3 years in the corporate world. It’s like weekend forever. It’s the most amazing feeling but one should realise that in time. I was never that enthusiastic about college during my bachelor’s programme. Now the 2 years master’s programme is also over and once again I’m looking for work. But these 2 years were the best. I wish this master’s programme should be of 4 years.’ Raja said those words with a sigh but there was no sign of worry over his face. He just said something real sad very happily.

‘Hey.’

‘Hey.’

‘I got the job.’

‘Great.’

‘Did you get the increment?’

‘Nope.’

‘You will get it in a while.’

‘What company you are working for?’

‘What’s in the name?’

‘Yeah.’

I got no promotion no increment after 1 year of work. In fact it was more than 1. Raja easily got the job.

‘Brother.’

‘Yes.’

‘I got promoted.’

‘Congrats.’

‘How was the interview?’

‘I just got fired.’

‘Ohhh.’

‘Where are you?’

‘On my way back to home from work. You don’t worry you will get a call soon where you had an interview.’

1 more year was gone. Raja patted me spiritually. He always did. But this time I really did not care that I got fired. In fact, I felt that I got free of slavery. But, to be honest, I was worried.

‘Hey.’

‘Hey.’

‘I got a job in another company.’

‘That’s cool.’

‘What’s happening?’

‘Still hunting bro…’

Another year was passed and there was no luck.

‘Hey.’

‘Hi.’

‘Job?’

‘I got the job and they fired me after 1 week. So, no job.’

‘Why did they fire you?’

‘They said: Dear Mr. Talha, I regret to inform you that we have decided to discontinue with your services w.e.f 18^th March, 2015. Kindly come tomorrow to collect your dues.’

‘They did not mention the reason?’

‘Wait, here you go with the reason: Regards! The quality of output was not up to the required standard, not because we did not like your work, but we actually needed your presence in office more frequently so that we could complete the job on there-and-then basis. However, if you could make yourself available in office for some time on alternate days, we may could get along. Please send me your bank account number so that we could transfer your dues in your account.’

‘You got the work from home offer?’

‘Yes!’

‘And then they changed their mind.’

‘Yes.’

‘Then try going to office.’

‘I asked them to revise my package I’ll come on daily basis.’

‘Then?’

‘They said we don’t have that much work.’

‘Oh.’

‘Yeah oh. So how’s you?’

‘I’m not feeling good.’

‘What happened?’

‘Depression.’

‘Why?’

‘I do not want to work anymore…’

‘Raja it’s just a phase.

‘One day in Lahore, 2^nd in Karachi, 3^rd in Islamabad, 4^th in Faisalabad and 5^th the last in Multan and then back to Lahore.’

‘Oh.’

‘Yeah oh. This whole thing is driving me crazy.’

‘Trust me this is not crazy.’

‘I want to get rid of this system. I’m no servant. I want to sit at home and rest rest rest and just rest.’ Raja was damn serious.

At that moment I could have replied Raja with:

‘Raja, you are always looking for rest.’

But I did not because of the seriousness of the situation.

That happened after a year in 2015 and whatever Raja disclosed to me was only surprising regarding Raja because he was the least bothered and the least worried kind. He was never like that and now he was new to the club and I really did not want to welcome him in it. But, people like me are born to live in this club because after knowing the condition of Raja I felt the WORRY slipped into my heart. I focused what should I say to reverse the situation and then, there it was:

‘Raja, if anything is not supposed to happen the way you want it to happen then there should be no way that you ruin your life by letting yourself WORRY of how that particular thing should happen in your life.’