Mainak Dhar - Heroes R Us

Arnab just said thanks, but he was thrilled within, and contrasted how much easier it seemed to get appreciation for doing his job compared to the mess he had got into when he had begun to harbour delusions of accomplishing something more with his life. He met Jayantada just before leaving work to share something he had begun working on in his spare time-an idea to totally overhaul and computerize the library's records and catalogue. Jayantada looked it over with interest, while Arnab waited anxiously for his reaction. His biggest fear had been that Jayantada would resist changing how things had been done for years.

'Arnab, this is a big change versus how we have done things.'

Just as Arnab began to hang his head in disappointment, Jayantada completed the sentence.

'But this is a brilliant idea. I'll set up time with the Principal and I would like for you to present it to him.'

Arnab left college that evening feeling like he was on top of the world. On the bus ride home, he was engrossed in a novel he had picked up from the library, when he saw three boys get on the bus. Almost immediately, they started passing comments about some of the girls in the bus, and one of them walked up to a group of four girls and asked them if they were free for a date. The girls just hung their heads, trying to ignore him, while the other boys roared with laughter. When one of the boys reached out to touch one of the girls, she shrank back. Involuntarily, Arnab got up, scanning the situation. He would take out the boy on the right first. He had his back to Arnab and would never see it coming. The smaller boy on his left was to be next. A simple jab at short range would sort him out. The leader of the pack, the big lout now near the girls, would be last. Arnab would let him take the first shot, and then dispatch him. Sharpened with months of practice and action, all of that planning took a nanosecond, and Arnab was about to spring into action, when he stopped himself.

What was he thinking?

He had decided what direction he wanted to choose, and he did not want to look back, no matter how much he was tempted. He quietly sat down and tried to read his book as the harassment continued for five minutes, ending when the girls got off at the next bus stop. Back home, he did think about whether he had done the right thing by ignoring the incident on the bus, but every time he did so, he would glance at the newspaper clippings denouncing him as a fraud, opportunist, gun for hire or worse. No, he had chosen his path and would stick to it.

The next day brought with it a courier delivery boy who caught Arnab just as he was about to leave for work. As Arnab took the envelope and opened it, he blinked in disbelief a couple of times. The letter began,

'Dear Mr. Bannerjee, we would like to inform you that you have qualified in the written examination for the State Banking Services. You need to appear for an interview.'

He read no further and sat down, relief flooding over him. He had been hoping against hope that he would qualify, and while he had prepared as well as he could have, with limited time to prepare and the turmoil going on in his mind, he had never been sure he would make it. Yes, there was still an interview to clear, but clearing the entrance test was a big milestone that gave him the confidence that he could indeed make it.

The next week passed by quickly. His presentation to the Principal was a resounding success, and he got the funding and upgraded computer he had requested to put his system in action. All day, he would toil away at his new pet project, and from time to time, Jayantada would come and stand behind him, looking over his shoulder at what he was doing. He usually said nothing, but one day when Arnab called Jayantada to demonstrate how the system would look like and how to operate it, he smiled at Arnab and said,

'I have no idea how it works and I suspect I will have a tough time learning how to use it, but it is, as you young folks say nowadays, quite cool.'

With that, Jayantada walked off, chuckling to himself and leaving Arnab smiling in amusement. At night, Arnab would prepare furiously for the interview that was fast approaching. When he did go for the interview, it ended up being much smoother than he had anticipated. In school and college, Arnab had found himself tongue-tied whenever the spotlight was on him, but now he felt no fear. He walked into the room, looked the three interviewers straight in the eye, and calmly answered all their questions. When one of them asked what his goal in life was, he answered,

'To earn a decent living and to do honest work which I can feel good about.'

All the interviewers smiled, having heard dozens of other candidates bullshit about wanting to improve the lot of people, and of wanting to make a difference to the bank they would work in. Arnab was not the brightest or most highly qualified candidate, but his confidence and disarming honesty won them over. When a day later, he was informed he had got he job, Arnab was ecstatic. Not once did he pause to consider that this newfound self-assurance and confidence had a lot to do with the side of his life that he was intent on leaving behind.

Arnab was at work when he got the call to inform him that he had been selected. He shocked Jayantada and earned glances of disapproval from the few students reading in the library by standing up and shouting 'Yes' at the top of his lungs.

'So Arnab, won a lottery?' Jayantada asked him.

'Even better, I got the bank job!'

Arnab rushed out and returned a few minutes later with a large box of sweets that he proceeded to give out to everyone in sight. All the students and staff alike were caught up in his infectious energy, and soon Arnab found himself mobbed by people wanting to wish him well, and also grab a few free sweets. Even Jayantada grabbed two sweets and wolfed them down. Arnab looked at him with surprise.

'Jayantada, I thought you were watching your blood sugar.'

'Arnab, my boy, its not every day that I both regret losing my best Assistant and celebrate a fine young man like you moving ahead in life.'

He then further shocked Arnab by engulfing him in a bear hug. Arnab hardly remembered anything of the trip back home, so caught up was he in imagining how his life was about to change. He'd earn a fortune compared to what he made now. Add to that the prospect of a steady career, a government house down the line, a car, and it certainly looked like Arnab Bannerjee's lifestyle was about to change so much as to be almost unrecognisable. On the way home, he bought some sweets for Mrs Bagga and chocolates for Chintu. When he reached their house, Mrs Bagga congratulated him profusely while Chintu sulked at first, still remembering the scolding he had got. That disappeared as soon as Arnab produced the chocolates in his pocket. There was one more person Arnab wanted to meet. Someone whom he owed an apology to.

Arnab was planning to change before going to meet Khan, but when he reached his apartment, he was surprised to find Khan pacing the corridor outside his door. He rushed up to Khan, and temporarily forgetting his own strength in his excitement, lifted the old man cleanly up in the air.

'Khan chacha, I got the job!'

He put Khan down when he noticed the forced smile on his face.

'I am so sorry for what I said to you that day. It was not right of me to say that to someone I owe so much to. I hope you're not still angry with me.'

Khan looked down and started to leave, but Arnab stopped him.

'Khan chacha, what's wrong? Aren't you happy for me?'

'No, my son, I am so thrilled for you and to see your dreams come true. It's just that I don't know how to bring up what I came here for.'

'What is it?'

'Nothing, Arnab. Let's just celebrate-it's your day today. Come to my place tomorrow and I'll cook you a dinner you won't forget. Till then, let me get the ingredients. The last time I made Chicken Biryani was on my wedding anniversary 10 years ago.'