"I lost my appetite"

The wait was finally over. The time felt right, or did it? It had been almost six years and one of my friend - colleague had been working in the same project (almost) since he joined the corporate industry. I met him nearly a year ago when I still a newbie to all this corporate thing and also after I had wasted a good part of the year doing nothing. Well, thanks to the establishment I was working under, it had it's perks, what would I say? I could have just used that time to do something more useful, something more important and found a better job, perhaps. But I was too lazy, could I say? Or I wasn't sure what the next big thing was supposed to be for me. Anyway, our person in question has come from a very good college, the kind of college which compels to ask questions like, "You studied in that college and are working here? Why? You could shift to a better paying, better qualified work as per your intellect. ... " kind of questions and suggestions kept hearing for a very very long time. 

But he chose to stick to the same organisation even though he knew that there was nothing big for him or for anyone. He would give suggestions to me to get into some higher studies or likewise. But I was being me. Well, the wait was finally over. This is for the fact regarding an onsite opportunity. The project he has been associated with is a Canada based project. The process of getting Visa or other formalities wasn't a big thing compared to the US visa, but there was still a catch. There is always one. The catch here being that a person has to have minimum five years of experience in the same organization. This was one of the biggest BS norm I had ever heard of. 

When I came to the project still fresh, while the mind was totally empty, thanks to the 8-9 months of prolonged exposure to TV series and wall ceiling of my room, I was as sharp as a ....umm.... exactly. The person in question had received a certificate for successfully completing 5 years in the same organization. Great, innit? Anyway, after nearly 6 months from that date, the Visa process was finally initiated. Almost everyone he knew would ask the question of his onsite, some even thought that he already went and came back because they did. But he was still here all the time. He used to feel bad when the people younger than him and with whom he used to work in the early years have gone and came back, already. I had no idea why a person with that much intellect and expertise in his field would still be doing in the same organization that doesn't give back to him much, let alone much anything. 

But when the whole Visa process was initiated, he was kind of hopeful. But then again, after a struggle for nearly 2-3 months, the Visa was approved, but there was no opportunity on the onsite, as in there was no requirement for a developer. That fate is literally a bit*h, I must say. But, but, almost a week away from completing six years he was told to go to Canada that very weekend, with a notice of 3 days. Well, it wasn't like he was going to miss that chance anyway.

Over the period of one year, I have been his lunch buddy. We used to have a group of nearly 5 people when we started this going-out-of-office lunch thing, because the food at office sucked like big time. Or at least was it free? No, you had to pay for it. Well, thanks to the biggest organization which can't provide a lunch meal for the employees. I wonder what it does with all the money it has amassed over the time. Well anyway, the group of five got reduced to four since a guy was rather inconsistent in coming to office and also that the project I was working with him had to ramp down due to so called "budget issues". So, the four of us were a regular batch the 3-4 restaurants that were in the vicinity of the office. It was going fine until last couple of months, when the fourth guy recently got engaged. That still wasn't the problem. The problem was that he was un-allocated as in the project he was working in ended and also that he was planning to shift to Kolkata. Now, the group of three, however odd it seemed were on the daily rampage of exploring and eating outside as usual. And then out of the blue, the third member, the person in question got an opportunity to go to Canada, a long awaited dream, one could say. And within a day's notice he was gone. 

Now, this was odd. We were trickled down to two people, just two people. However odd, we felt we still did the same thing that we had been doing for the last one year or so. And then, another batch of colleagues just came into the restaurant just as we were about to finish. I had just finished but the other guy has almost there. This new group of four were occasional visitors as in like once a week or only-on-the-weekend type. On seeing them, my other colleague who was just about to finish just blurted out,"I lost my appetite". I would too, given the possibility if I hadn't finished by then. 

By the way, any volunteers? We sure are going to share the bill, unless its' your birthday or your cat's or any special occasion that you could possibly think of. Seriously though, we need to recruit new members to this dry team of two. Probably, distribute playcards or vouchers of sorts. Just saying. 

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*Prints the vouchers saying "Lunch mates needed". Interested candidates can contact the below mentioned ..............*.  

Wait, what are you still doing here? You weren't supposed to see this! Oh, crap!