Posted:
I'd like to thank everybody for their comments on my Arjun-Rathod OS. I really appreciated it😳 It is what has encouraged me to write this one. Unfortunately I had projects going on so couldn't reply, but thank you for responding so well!😳 though you may or may not like this one😆
Underrated
Shreekant Sen was not your average gadget freak.
Unlike the other gadget freaks who pretended to be into Star Wars and spent their time discussing girls, Shreekant really cared about technology. The way wiring and circuits and electricity all combined to form a wonderful machine fascinated him. He had studied levers and motors when other children were playing football or basketball.
Of course, his parents had been worried. In spite of his aptitude for science, Shree didn't have the competitiveness and ambition required for any major entrance exam. He wanted to become an inventor, not an engineer. However, seeing that he was the only child and that they would need him in old age, Shree applied for a scholarship to MIT and was accepted.
It was a fact that he had never shared with anybody in ETF. They all assumed that he'd done his graduation from some second-rate college. He didn't have the airs that other foreign-returned students often had.
As a child, Shree had spent his time in a world of his own. He had loved reading books-especially steampunk and cyberpunk. The characters in these novels lived in a world on the brink of Industrial Revolution and were thus surrounded by contraptions all the time. While other boys fought with each other, Shree dreamed of building a time machine and meeting Albert Einstien or perhaps Steve Jobs and Bill Gates in their younger days. He could have been one of the co-founders of Apple and Microsoft!
Not that he didn't notice girls. Of course he did. Sometimes they would approach him. He looked quite cute in his glasses and curly hair. But something in him would always be hesitant to be friends with them. He didn't have the 'macho man' qualities of Rathod and Chotu nor did he have Arjun's 'stormy rebel' look. He was just Shree, the guy who liked fixing TV's and laptops.
His parents often worried about him. He stayed by himself and he found himself unable to comprehend subjects like history and biology. Living things confused him. Human beings were unpredictable. But the laws of physics were reliable.
He was in a particularly bad mood today. He had spent hours going through cell phone records for Rawte, and all he had got was a gruff 'You could have been faster'. After that, Rathod had asked him to get information on the lead suspect in a murder case. But even Rathod didn't seem in the mood to praise him. He'd shouted at him for not having got more details.
Shree often composed witty retorts to give to the two of them, just for kicks. In reality, his hands were tied. He had become a police officer by pure luck. Companies wouldn't hire him because he lacked that 'X Factor'. He had read an advertisement in the newspaper inviting people who were proficient in computers to apply for the position of Data Analyst in the ETF. He had been asked to go through rigorous physical training along with ten other shortlisted candidates. His shyness and his spectacles almost ruined his prospects. Knowledge triumphed in the end and he got the job.
He knew that if he showed unnecessary attitude or refused to co-operate, it wouldn't take Rathod two minutes to fire him. So he stayed quiet and did what was asked of him.
It didn't lessen his hurt though. Rathod was so friendly with the senior Crime Branch officers. Even Rawte would grudgingly offer them a few smiles. Chotu got along with almost everybody. He was the only one who was yet to make a 'special friend'. Sometimes, he sensed a kind of hidden respect and caring when Rawte and Rathod interacted with each other. They never showed it to him though.
Once, Rathod had been in a good mood and praised Shree for his efficiency. He had been over the moon. Finally I got some recognition!He had dreamed of a Diwali bonus, maybe a promotion to ACP? The next day, Rathod was back to being his old, domineering self and Shree's dreams had shattered.
Just at that moment, Chotu entered. Seeing his friend in a bad mood he asked, "Hey, why are you looking so sad?"
"I'm thinking of leaving the job," Shree muttered.
"What?"
Shree took a deep breath then exhaled. "I'm thinking I have a degree from MIT. I can get a job anywhere right? So why do I have to work here?"
Chotu's eyes widened. "You have a degree from MIT!?" Seeing the offended look on Shree's face he said, "Sorry, I didn't mean it that way. Why didn't you tell me?"
"It doesn't matter," Shree shrugged. "I think I'm going to resign."
"You can't do that!" Chotu yelled. Shree gave him a shut-up-now look. "I'm sorry," Chotu whispered, "But Shree, your country needs you. Do you know, there are 200 posts vacant in the entire Maharashtra Crime Branch. If you go, where will they get your replacement from?"
"I don't care," Shree grumbled. "Maybe if I go, Rathod and Rawte will realize my value."
"Don't say that," Chotu said angrily, "They care about you."
"Then why do they never show it?" Shree exploded. "I've been doing their dirty work for five years, but they've never given me the appreciation I want."
Chotu sighed. "Look, I don't know about you, but our positions are quite small. I'm just here for muscle power. Imagine the kind of political and media pressure Rathod Sir and Rawte Sir deal with everyday. And anyway, Rawte Sir hasn't been the same since his wife died."
"I wish Riya was alive," Shree wailed. "She was the only one who cared about me. Why did she have to go and die? I hate her for leaving us like this."
Chotu patted Shree on the back. "It's okay to feel that way my friend. It just shows that you're dealing with your grief wisely."
Shree was surprised by the wisdom and experience he saw in his friend's eyes. He suddenly realized that Chotu was not just all brawn and no brains. A new found understanding and respect was born inside him.
"Sorry Chotu. I guess the stress of working 12 hour shifts got to me. You know, I might be an underrated officer, but you're an underrated friend."
"It's okay. We can be the new Rathod/ Rawte," Chotu joked.
"Naah, our friendship is unique by itself." Shree embraced his friend. Just then, they heard Rathod bark, "Chotu, get here immediately! And Shree, where are the files I asked for?"
"Back to reality," Chotu said. Shree nodded his head. The pain wasn't gone yet, but now that he had a friend by his side, he felt better.
Kumkum Bhagya
Anupamaa
