dodging a Quicky*

It's not what you think!

So I went to this bookstore to brush up my skills -the ones that went dormant- for an upcoming interview. (Let's not talk about the skills I never had.) I picked up a book that seemed with content helpful to me from an isle labelled 'Database' and made my way to the place lined with single sofas. More often than not people opt for comfy seats, which became obvious as I saw that all of them were filled.

So I moved my eyes towards a few rugged wooden chairs and tables, each of which seats 2. All of the tables were fully occupied except two which had only a single person each. I started towards the one with a pretty brunette donned in green top and engrossed, probably, in writing a term paper. As it was crucial that I get some work done, I immediately began battling my male instincts. Two revolutions around the 'Travel' aisle and a minute later I moved towards the other table, the one occupied by an African American male in his 30s.

As I was halfway to the table, he left, leaving the whole table to me, momentarily. I threw my black coat over the arm of the chair and absorbed the chill off the glass window next to it as the giggling of the teenagers sitting on the floor a few paces away continued. As I pulled the chair and sat myself, I was greeted with a grin by another desi, who did the same.

A courteous hey-what's-up-and-if-you-answer-me-see-if-I-care nod from me led him to begin the small talk. I would realize later that I had nothing to do with the initiation of the chat. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't mind a little banter. Today was different. Time was of essence.

A typical first time desi questions followed. "Where are you from in India?", "What's your name?", "What do you do?", not necessarily in that order. I complied and shot the same questions back. Not surprisingly, he turned out to be a 'Gulti' (Andhra Pradesh-ian). Since I have so many of Gulti friends, I know that in this particular area, other than being Gultis, they come with some common denominations - intelligent and many. (Someone is going- "Look a Gujju is talking about 'many' :))

It took me a few tenths of a second (that's how much reaction time you have when you are fielding in slips/gully/point) to realize where this was going after he mentioned that he and his wife ran a 'business'. And it doesn't take much to figure out that he wanted to entice me into his business. The business with the design of a pyramid (such as Quick*), where, the higher your level in the pyramid, the more you feed off the lower level members who have become directly or indirectly a member because of you.

In all fairness to the people involved in this business, it takes a lot of endeavor to scale that pyramid. More importantly it takes uncanny ability to absorb rejections which make a major part of the number of approaches. In fact, I have a couple of friends, who have climbed the ladder in such a business and now are making a lot of bucks but the first few years, according to them teaches you a lot.But there are people out there, who are not cut out to market or in my case, take rejection in stride or plan ahead of buying stuff.

But coming back to the events, he then asked me for my phone number, you know, to get in touch etc. I made a swift move and gave him office phone, from where I would be unreachable in a week. Because he was such an intelligent fellow he asked me whether it was my cell number and I reluctantly said "Yes". Lying is something that puts unnecessary burden on self. But at the end I think I dodged the Quicky*.

So all I want to say, after so much of rambling is that if you see (allow me to embellish) a smart and handsome, desi guy like me, holding a book and about to start reading, in a bookstore, please don't bother. It is neither the place and in most probability, nor the time. It will result, at the most, in a slog.