Red Ikea Umbrella, Pink Guess Tote-Bag and Black Bata Chappals. All the weapons she needs in this Battle of Bambai ki Barish.
Umbrella, because obviously!
Guess' bag, as in this corporate world, impressions matter. Her chic firangi purse is a tool of psychological warfare. Atleast that's what she thinks. Female colleagues look at it. Some try to match it the next day with their Esbedas, while others enquire its origins: "Link Road se liya?" "Nahi, Los Angeles se", she replies with an air. Conversations about her trip to LA happen and someone narrates their holidays in Paris and Pataya. It's a continuous war humans have against each other in order to validate how happening their lives are.
Bata Chappals, because in her Sales stint, in Mumbai slums, in the rains, no other footwear can survive.
(1)
It is a bright sunny day. The MBA graduate, Ms. Vendetta Kumar, in her new kurti and with an enthusiasm that only resurfaces at the beginning of new things- first day in college, first day at gym, first day of internship and now first day of job-finally catches an autorickshaw that would take her to the marketplace in shanty locales of Malad.
"Good Morning Vandita! I'm Sudhir. Welcome to Team Force. Suno ye Vandita Madam hain, yahan training ke liye ayi hain".
"Hello madam". "Apse mil kar bahut khushi hui". "Kitne din ke liye ayi ho yahan?"
This is the only time Vendetta heard Sudhir utter a sentence, without a cuss word or a fake compliment. Sales is all about gaaliyan and taaliyan.
But this is not the last time the salesmen tried to treat her like an uninvited watchdog from the Corporate office.
As for the rest of the sales-force, Vendy is just like all the good looking trainees who come every year, struggle initially and then after some time act as pretentious pros.
(2)
5.5 km, 45 minutes. "This is the fastest route", the Google lady says. A mental calculation tells Vendy that the average speed of her auto would be 7.33 km/h. "Wow!", she sulks but makes peace with it. #mumbaitraffic
12 km, 2 hours. "There's unusual traffic on your route". "Awesome!", broods Vendy as she's about to have a bout of headache.
Leaves office at 8 pm. Reaches home by 9.30 pm (it's a miracle!). Has a family dinner in a classy Bandra restaurant, where she reaches by 11.15 pm. There's great food and fun cousins, so she ignores the nausea she's feeling. Back home by 1.30 am. "Oh, can I bunk office, like we bunked college ?" is her last thought before falling asleep.
Leaving for home at 7 pm. It's raining and no autowala wants to even look at this drenched lady who is obviously desperate to catch a ride. Uber-Ola have this insane 3.7x surge pricing. Travelling in locals is not Vendy's thing. Maybe a BEST bus. It's 7.42 now and finally an auto agrees to oblige the woman with lal chatri, whose tears are mixed with the raindrops, a saving grace for her. 9 pm, she's home and heads to the toilet. Is it nausea or just hypochondria?
(3)
Day 1: Vendetta posts a photo on Instagram: "Besties, at Palladium Phoenix Mall, Lower Parel"- with Ira and Malvika.
Day 7: Vendetta updates her Facebook status: " Tapur Tupur...pitter patter... tip tip barsa paani <3"
Day 24: Vendetta WhatsApps Ira: "Babe, I really wanna see you, but it's raining heavily :( Let's catch-up some other time".
Day 46: Vendetta tweets: "How can people find rains romantic? Rains bring mud puddles, mosquitoes and the walls stink. #fedup #mumbairains".
Day 52: Rashi calls Vendy: "Vandita babe! I'm in Mumbai, let's meet ya! Sherry ko bhi bulate hain.. girls gang reunion!! :D"
Day 53: Vendetta concalls Rashi and Sherry: "Girlies, count me out. It's flooded outside my place. Kab tak ho Mumbai mein?"
Day 61: Shashank surprise visits Vendy. Saturday Night. Date Night. Marine Drive, bhutta and barish. Rains are romantic again :) So this is how you win the Battle of Bambai ki Barish :D
Day 70: "Acchoo!" Vendettabunks office takes a sick leave. The Rains rise again...
Umbrella, because obviously!
Guess' bag, as in this corporate world, impressions matter. Her chic firangi purse is a tool of psychological warfare. Atleast that's what she thinks. Female colleagues look at it. Some try to match it the next day with their Esbedas, while others enquire its origins: "Link Road se liya?" "Nahi, Los Angeles se", she replies with an air. Conversations about her trip to LA happen and someone narrates their holidays in Paris and Pataya. It's a continuous war humans have against each other in order to validate how happening their lives are.Bata Chappals, because in her Sales stint, in Mumbai slums, in the rains, no other footwear can survive.
(1)
It is a bright sunny day. The MBA graduate, Ms. Vendetta Kumar, in her new kurti and with an enthusiasm that only resurfaces at the beginning of new things- first day in college, first day at gym, first day of internship and now first day of job-finally catches an autorickshaw that would take her to the marketplace in shanty locales of Malad.
"Good Morning Vandita! I'm Sudhir. Welcome to Team Force. Suno ye Vandita Madam hain, yahan training ke liye ayi hain".
"Hello madam". "Apse mil kar bahut khushi hui". "Kitne din ke liye ayi ho yahan?"
This is the only time Vendetta heard Sudhir utter a sentence, without a cuss word or a fake compliment. Sales is all about gaaliyan and taaliyan.
But this is not the last time the salesmen tried to treat her like an uninvited watchdog from the Corporate office.
As for the rest of the sales-force, Vendy is just like all the good looking trainees who come every year, struggle initially and then after some time act as pretentious pros.
(2)
5.5 km, 45 minutes. "This is the fastest route", the Google lady says. A mental calculation tells Vendy that the average speed of her auto would be 7.33 km/h. "Wow!", she sulks but makes peace with it. #mumbaitraffic
12 km, 2 hours. "There's unusual traffic on your route". "Awesome!", broods Vendy as she's about to have a bout of headache.
Leaves office at 8 pm. Reaches home by 9.30 pm (it's a miracle!). Has a family dinner in a classy Bandra restaurant, where she reaches by 11.15 pm. There's great food and fun cousins, so she ignores the nausea she's feeling. Back home by 1.30 am. "Oh, can I bunk office, like we bunked college ?" is her last thought before falling asleep.
Leaving for home at 7 pm. It's raining and no autowala wants to even look at this drenched lady who is obviously desperate to catch a ride. Uber-Ola have this insane 3.7x surge pricing. Travelling in locals is not Vendy's thing. Maybe a BEST bus. It's 7.42 now and finally an auto agrees to oblige the woman with lal chatri, whose tears are mixed with the raindrops, a saving grace for her. 9 pm, she's home and heads to the toilet. Is it nausea or just hypochondria?
(3)
Day 1: Vendetta posts a photo on Instagram: "Besties, at Palladium Phoenix Mall, Lower Parel"- with Ira and Malvika.
Day 7: Vendetta updates her Facebook status: " Tapur Tupur...pitter patter... tip tip barsa paani <3"
Day 24: Vendetta WhatsApps Ira: "Babe, I really wanna see you, but it's raining heavily :( Let's catch-up some other time".
Day 46: Vendetta tweets: "How can people find rains romantic? Rains bring mud puddles, mosquitoes and the walls stink. #fedup #mumbairains".
Day 52: Rashi calls Vendy: "Vandita babe! I'm in Mumbai, let's meet ya! Sherry ko bhi bulate hain.. girls gang reunion!! :D"
Day 53: Vendetta concalls Rashi and Sherry: "Girlies, count me out. It's flooded outside my place. Kab tak ho Mumbai mein?"
Day 61: Shashank surprise visits Vendy. Saturday Night. Date Night. Marine Drive, bhutta and barish. Rains are romantic again :) So this is how you win the Battle of Bambai ki Barish :D
Day 70: "Acchoo!" Vendetta
