Book excerpt: In 'Job', an exploration of what one is willing to exchange for a promising career

In Video Mariamman and Other Stories_, writer Padma Narayanan translates 14 of acclaimed author Imayam’s short stories from the Tamil. In one, Poonkothai goes looking for her daughter who has eloped with a ’low caste’ man. In another, a girl born into a family of black magicians who’s abducted grows up to be a tough survivor. In another story, music prodigy Chandravadanam dies and Kalaiammal who brought her up mourns her death._ The following excerpt is from the story ‘Job’ and has been reproduced here with permission from the publisher, Speaking Tiger Books. *** ‘PRAY TO GOD first. Then you can switch on the internet and answer the interview questions. Come, come and pray,’ said Perumal. ‘Just wait, appa. Let me get amma and thangachchi as well,’ said Dhanusu, and went to the prayer room, taking his mother Vimala and his younger sister Shanthi with him. ‘Why are you standing quietly? Light the camphor.’ After Perumal directed her, Vimala lit the camphor. First she waved it before the pictures of gods, then she held it out before Dhanusu. Vimala’s eyes clouded over. Seeing that, Perumal said, ‘God has done something good for us today, for the first time in our lives. Why are you crying now, amma?’ Not listening to what he said, she told Dhanusu, ‘Prostrate before the gods, appa.’ Then she also prostrated before the gods. Following them, Perumal and Shanthi did the same. Perumal applied the holy ash on all their foreheads and put some on his as well. ‘Go, amma, go and switch on the computer with your hand.’ With tears in her eyes, Vimala went into the computer room. The others followed her. ‘Anne! Open the mail quickly, don’t you see that it is time,’ said Shanthi and forced Dhanusu to hurry up. ‘Fold your hands in prayer and then open the mail, appa,’ said Vimala. Dhanusu did just as she asked him to. He opened his mail. Seeing the letter of invitation for the interview from I.K.S.C. company, all four faces brightened and their anxiety increased. They looked at each other and smiled. Perumal, sitting to the left of Dhanusu, patted the boy’s shoulder affectionately and said, ‘See what he is asking.’ ‘He has already asked all the difficult questions in the campus interview. There is nothing more for him to ask. They will all be merely formality queries,’ said Dhanusu, as he looked at the computer screen. Together with him, the others also began to read the interview letter anxiously.

Congratulations, Dhanusu! After I.K.S.C.’s face-to-face interview, we are happy to talk to you again. Your interview has been divided into three sections. In the first section, you have to furnish details about your educational qualifications, your family, friends, your likes and dislikes, things you want to do and things you would rather not do. Along with that, you have to also give particulars about your passport. The second section will specify the conditions of employment at I.K.S.C. Only after you have responded to the first section will the second part meant for you appear. The third section will be based on your responses to the second section. After you have answered each question, the next one will follow. After the question-answer session is over, the result will be communicated to you. Now, go to the first part of your selection interview. Dhanusu, we wish you all the best.

After reading this, Dhanusu began to type fast, filling in his personal details. As time went on, the anxiety and excitement levels of not only Dhanusu, but also of the others, kept going up. The others were worried that in his anxiety, Dhanusu might make some mistakes in typing. After typing all the information about the institutions he had studied at, right from his pre-KG to his engineering and the marks he had scored at them, he turned to look at Perumal. As Perumal dictated the details of his passport and other issues, Dhanusu typed them in. In a short while, the computer showed an affirmative reply. To the query, ‘particulars about your physical fitness as well as that of your family members should be obtained from the medical centre prescribed by our management,’ Dhanusu replied, ‘Okay.’

The Conditions: I.K.S.C. is a wonder, a wonder that cannot be described in words. It is a world without rain, wind, heat or sun. There is no horizon for I.K.S.C.’s skies. There are no clocks here. The computer is god here. It has no place for average or even super brains, only illuminated intellect has a place. The position will be according to one’s intelligence and the money befitting the position. Money is life. Money is authority, tradition, culture, respect, honour…everything is money. Love, wife, children, family will all be just money. The entire world depends on money. Earning money is a great art. As far as I.K.S.C. is concerned, time is money. Time is more valuable than everything else. There is no place for exaggerated Indian sentimentality like friendship, love, kindness, empathy, sympathy, compromise or tears. The heart should be hard like a rock. I.K.S.C.’s main redeeming mantra is that we get only what we seek. One is not allowed to talk, interact or laugh during working hours. Technology, success, money: these are paramount. Innovation is important. One of the ideals of this organization is that speech is a waste of time. Words should be used only if absolutely necessary.

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Shanthi, who was reading with the others, whatever was on the computer screen, suddenly thought of something and hurried to pick up the mobile on the table. ‘Hi! Good news! My brother has been selected to work for I.K.S.C….’ She began to talk excitedly. Vimala hit her head in despair and said harshly, ‘Chee! Ass! Switch off the phone. Before it gets confirmed, why do you want to tom-tom to the whole town? Let him join, work, and get the first month’s salary. Then we can tell everybody about it. You don’t have to talk about it to anybody before that. Shouldn’t this donkey know that this world is full of jealous people? Switch off the phone.’ Shanthi said, ‘Okay. I’ll talk later,’ and putting the phone down in its place, sat down where she was sitting earlier and looked at the computer screen:

On the I.K.S.C. campus, only English should be spoken. Your English should amaze others. All that you see, think and act should always be concerning the organization. You can dream, but the eyes that dream should be the eyes of the management; your identity the management’s identity; the language you speak the management’s language. You should cooperate with everything without whining. If you are successful in this interview, you will be given a six-month training. During the training, the focus will be on the growth of individual talent, personality development, enhancing mental aptitude and the manner of interacting with others, the relationships you should cultivate, the way you should talk, the way you should carry yourself, the way you should dress and such other things. To change your appearance to suit the organization, you will be sent to foreign countries now and then. If necessary, you may even be sent to a different planet. That would need physical and mental transformation. You may be cut off from the day-to- day world. Indian people have not yet progressed from their beastly conditions. Indian faces are like those of animals. Their hair, mouth, teeth, complexion, manner of eating, walking and attitude are all still like animals. India has not yet become a proper human race. So, a transformation is necessary. You should be prepared for any change of personality. All these are undertaken to make India more prosperous and progressive. I.K.S.C.’s goal is to serve the country.