Life of an Engineer
This story is about an Engineer who hails from South India. His name is Rajarajan Cheruku and he is called as Rajan by everyone. Rajan is dark, medium height approx 5'8", corpulent physique person. He is very sharp, quick witted, highly determined, spirited and vehement for his work. He is one of the most sought after in his Office for his rationale thinking and quick decision making abilities. He is a known "Technophiles" who is very enthusiastic about technology though more of an introvert on a personal side.He is usually quite and busy in his work, hardly interacts out of work... Seen as a very tough nut to crack by his team members as he never settles for anything below perfection. He is a Gold medalist from Chennai Technical University and this is what makes him even more sharp and arrogant.
People around him doesn't know of his real soft side or rather the case has been other way round. He has always lived his life on the edge ,to such an extent, that he himself has forgotten about his softer side.
He belonged to a very poor family where meeting the basic needs like two times meal was a struggle. His parents have worked really hard for his education and the reason for his dedication to work is self explanatory...He is the only son to his parents after four daughters... He hails from a family where people have not seen school. After getting the job,when he first bought the Computer, people at his home were amazed to see how it operates... One day Rajan while working on his system got a call from his friend and he rushed out of house and while cleaning the house his mother saw some movie running on his system.. she was surprised to see that movie can be viewed on Computer too.. this was the first time she could see movie at her own home...she forgot everything else she was doing and sat down to watch movie running on system.. When Rajan came back home after a while, he finds his mom sitting down on his chair with dusting cloth on her one shoulder enjoying watching movie. Seeing her giggle like a kid, completely lost into the movie, putting her coffee cup on the sliding tray for the CD-ROM drive (thinking its made to place coffee/tea mug), he was almost into tears. That day he realised how far he has reached but still those small -small things brings happiness to his family... In his busy life he forgot that his family is still devoid of basic necessities while he has all means to now give them a better life.
In the evening, Rajan remembered that he had to finish a presentation to be presented next day, at down to work, he saw his system mouse missing...he went from one room to other looking for it but couldn't find. Suddenly his eyes got stuck to the sewing machine... his sister sews clothes and earns money..she was trying her luck stepping on the mouse like it was a sewing-machine pedal. He bursted into laughter.. Such is his family and personally when he is around his family he is very emotional but when he is back to work he is the same hard headed, practical manager.
In his intent to be jovial and sociable person, he learns lessons of life... It's rightly said that a debator should not aim to disguise as a protagonist... as the real self cannot be hidden for long.As one part of his life blesses him with laurels and makes him an outstanding performer, the other phase introduces him to his most vulnerable self. He strives hard to be congenial however there is something or the other that inhibits his inner self to be introduced to the world.
He found himself most troubled as whenever he wanted to talk there were no ears to listen, whenever he needed any suggestions related to his personal life, there was no one available. he was taken back and started feeling alone.. There was a drift in focus from his work to the real life concerns.. Problem in his personal life started bothering him more, with the passage of days.. this way he started deviating from his work. His mind was full of negative thoughts.
One day he thought rather than wasting his time repenting on how people see him and treat him, he should focus on something that will help him in his self development..He questioned himself, "Do I have a hobby??".. Answered to himself... "A hobby..., ohh no I don't own any.. yeaahhhh there were those childhood days when I loved watching movies... used to jump neighbours wall to watch movies as had no TV at home... those were the days..." With a heavy breathe he again got back thinking what to do now...??
He then thought, "Why can't I work on developing a hobby for myself that I can connect to, that can keep me busy after work, that can help me forget how lonely I am and a way to keep myself busy and occupied while I am away from my family and office. What an idea he murmured to himself.I love watching movies.. so why not learn something from movies and enjoy them"
So he got a new friend at home.. he bought a new TV with cable connection and DVD player with few CDs/DVDs..he started watching movies munching on chips and hard drinks every evening after office... Rajan seemed to be in love with his new hobby...he was enjoying this new phase of life..he almost started loving this change, treating TV as his real friend but soon he was made to face the reality... he was usually late for his office now a days...Reaching office late, taking short naps in office hours was more of a routine for him now....his boss was closely observing this and was not taking it in good spirit.. slowly he started to loose his control on his work... he was given yellow slips due to back to back mistakes he was doing....soon he realized that he was not heading into right direction and he must come back to his normal state.. with bit of efforts, he was back in the form again however nonetheless to say he was left bored in the evenings and lonely again...
Worry of being alone started to haunt his brain again... This time he thought, "Why not try and make some real good friends :-)... sounds like a good idea.. Let me try and be sociable, I can also make friends... after all I am talented, Technical Solution Architect, brainy person.. It should not be that difficult for me..."He tried and failed again.... he failed again drastically ....Not to doubt his technical abilities however, his soft skills were always at question.. he couldn't be the one who could charm people around or make real good friends.. he started to feel as if he was cursed..
There were series of events that and this time he landed into a pub.. he drank like an empty vessel.... as if a drenched river demands water... and he got into an argument with another drunkard present there... who started challenging him on his technical abilities and his work areas and how he has screwed up his life with no-one in his personal life to help him and support him, to spend evenings with him.... Rajan started to yell, "First let me tell you that the computer scientists succeed in developing intelligent machines that can do all things better than human beings can do them. I can develop a machine that can be permitted to make all of their own decisions without human oversight. I don't need people like you in my life... With that in place, I would need none of your human races to make me feel devoid or any less."
With this Rajan went back home and certainly in persuading people of a point of view or course of action - such as the one he faced last night in pub...there came a turn in his life.. development of something new through means which he adores, through the technology love which can help him change his life in person... he now had a new zeal in life..to innovate a machine for himself which leaves with him no more disgusted thoughts of being alone...
Was this a beginning to his new life...or an end... Any guesses????
