Worries of a People Manager

A story for a change - not a translated piece :D

I was doing my dishes after dinner as I heard Disha coming – rather her motorcycle coming.

Disha was my friend – one of the handfuls who used to visit my place or whom I allowed to enter into my apartment once in a while. I was working with a global software company like many others in the city. My introvert nature and habit of not wasting time in gossiping prevented me from gaining many friends in the city; and I was happy to live a solitary life after office which helped me to spend time with my hobby – reading! Disha was extrovert – a character opposing mine.  I think I met her in another colleague’s home whom I visited on her birthday. I met a many German and Spanish and French knowing professionals there. Disha used to practice German as I did. But that was not the reason she became close to me. She had a beautiful “Indian” face – with not so sharp nose, sparking eyes and curly hair which I liked – but that too, was not the reason of my letting her enter my apartment. Main reason was, it was she who found out this apartment in the unknown city for me! A solitary person like me is seldom able to manage things such as finding comfortable home in a new place. And Disha was aggressive supporter! The day I met her in the birthday party, she collected all information about me – that I loved to stay alone, that I had to vacate my previous apartment while the landlord wanted to sell the home and that I had good amount of books to carry with me apart from home appliances if I had to shift. Within a week, she brought a real estate agent to my place, a polite boy instead of the usually rude ones in the city - and she selected a nice and cosy apartment in a decent neighbourhood for me which I am sure, I could never find out! I could not avoid her any longer – though I did not like her habit of screaming every now and then. Her efforts of making me human-friendly went futile but she never stopped – though I used to get angry every time she tried to introduce me to people in her circle. She used to invade my home at night – usually after dinner, and at times started yelling at her family members two thousand kilometres away in an incomprehensible Maharastrian dialect over phone.  I disliked that – in fact wanted to run away from home as she continued yelling for long. But I could not – I was obliged to her not only for finding the nice home for me, also for books – and lot of information on Germanic studies and literary world! She also had reading habit, and had lot of information which she did not mind sharing – probably I was one of the very few in her circle with whom she could discuss weird topics – Sadat Hussein Manto’s stories, post war trend of German literature or drama in the apparently simple Patachitra painting!

So I tolerated her - her midnight tantrums, unstoppable desire for unhealthy street food and efforts of dragging me out of home at times. I do not know how much of me she tolerated, never asked her – anyway nothing seemed matter to her.

She used to ride a large motorcycle as per fashion followed by girls in her region – the sound of which made me and probably also my neighbours aware of her midnight invasion. Whenever I heard the sound of her motorcycle, I knew I had a sleepless night ahead.

As soon as I kept my last dish in the dish rack, the door bell rang. I opened the door. She came inside hurriedly as usual and closed the door. I sat on the sofa and asked, “So, what’s news today?” in my usual mocking tone. She replied, “That we are going Madurai Idly shop for breakfast tomorrow.” This lady knew about all my weaknesses, delicacies being one of them – I started sipping my tea, my post-dinner ritual, as I did not find any word anymore. She disliked tea or coffee but that was my way of concentrating before a “serious” literary discussion!

She sat in front of me – without showing an attempt of taking out her mobile and start yelling at anyone. She looked serious. She started, “KK (she had shortened even my name!), you know how bad a payment I get!” I knew that very well. She used to work as German translator for a small translation agency and I had an idea how much those kinds of companies pay. I always wondered how that girl managed her expenses with that kind of a payment. I replied, “Hmmm, can guess.” She continued, “I think I need to do something about it.”

Me: “You mean you want to start freelancing?”

Disha: “No baba, you know freelancers are never paid – and even if payment is made, that is peanuts!”

I knew that too – so kept on watching the visibly disturbed lady without a word – she almost always looked disturbed.

She went on, “I have started applying for a job change, and I went for an interview today.”

I was happy, “Where is the office?”

Disha: “Near BTM layout.”

That area is close enough to the place we stayed. So I did not find any reason to worry.   I told, “Why are you so serious then? Do you think that the interview did not go well? Does not matter, prepare for the next one.” -  I was preparing to deliver a five minute long philosophical lecture.

She looked at me – angry this time, “KK, Would you please listen stopping your blabbering for a moment?”

I was disappointed that my philosophical lecture could not even start – but found no other option other than keeping quite.

Disha told, “Interview went well, pay package is also good – in fact take home will be same to yours – the assistant manager of a stringy global software company! That is not the issue. But it’s a company that makes English subtitles for porn movies from Europe and they want me as a translator for one of their German projects.”

I could have fell down had I not sat on the sofa.

Horrified, I looked at her and asked, “How do you know that? And how did you find such a company here?”

Disha, “They run business as normal translation agencies. I got the news that they are searching for a translator through one of my colleagues (she kept in touch with many people who I disliked). So I applied and got the call. Its only after the interview, one guy in their office communicated this to me. I have to sign a special confidentiality statement while this should not go public. See the contract form.”

She took out two pages from her handbag. I looked, and yes – some statements were little too fishy - that the employee is strictly prohibited to let anyone know the nature of the job.

Me, “Well, but why does a company involve in this kind of a business while doing mainstream business too?”

Disha, “They are a normal translation agency doing translation for mainstream companies. But also take up these jobs, as these kinds of work pay much higher amount.  If they go for porn movies only, then they will lose their reputation ...and none knows how long these kinds of business channel will yield.”

Me: “You mean it’s all about quick money?”

Disha: “Of course!” She looked relieved cracking my kind of a bonehead.

But my sense of ethics opposed. “I find this a lame excuse – they can try selling vegetables instead!” – My voice sounded loud to myself!

Disha was even louder, “A vegetable seller would not offer me the money they are offering. Even a mainstream translation agency won’t! My company earns Rs. 4 per word and pay me 25 paisa\word. I am being exploited! Moreover, this company will pay me extra amount if there is extra workload. Who wants to know what I am actually translating sitting inside an office? At the end of the month, it’s all about money!”

I knew her plight, she had to somehow survive in the world on her own, with least support from family and friends – but could not digest the logic, so I tried to use another weapon, “Well, but we do not know what kind of language is used in a porn movie. My common sense says that they will use more vulgar expression than what you and I do know.”

Disha started laughing, “That one can learn within a week. Dictionaries for vulgar expressions will help! It’s a knowledge area! Other translators working in the agency will support too! Moreover, language part is not important in these films like mainstream movies. Viewers concentrate more on the pictures – so small mistakes do not matter.” She seemed to have freed herself from the initial hesitations. She sounded cheerful as she added, “You know language translation agencies for this non-mainstream industry is also flourishing in the city? EU is into outsourcing mode in every sector! Later I can change the company for better payment! Suppose nothing works at that front, I will apply for a translator’s job in a software company of better repute then, May be I will work with global giants then  – my salary slips of this company will help me get those jobs too!” – She never sounded so optimistic before.

I was clueless about what to tell. This girl needed money and found an easy option to earn the amount she wanted whereas I was more concerned about safety – her as well as mine. I had an idea of what kind of people take up these kinds of assignments and what kind of colleagues she would be working with if she took up the job. Not only would her life be unsafe, if her colleagues traced another single women who is her friend, even my life would not be peaceful any longer. I suddenly found the reason behind all my worries – safety! I did not want to face situation that could make me unsafe as per my idea of safety. 

I took my final attempt to dissuade her. “Are you aware of background check formalities of large software companies?” I never worked in HR departments - so was not aware of the exact process – was not even convinced that all big shots follow foolproof recruitment systems. But what’s harm posing a wise person for a good purpose? I went on, “You think none else will come to know what exactly you do - that too in this small software city? Big companies have thousand methods to check your past – and they do it for each and every employee they recruit. Once you attach yourself with porn movie translation, you will never be able to come back to mainstream. Do you want to spend rest of your life as a porn translator? All agencies you are talking about must be working in secret. What if govt finds it out and ban them? What will happen to you then? You won’t be eligible for mainstream world and you don’t have option for non-mainstream open.”

I, a service manager of a global software company, sounded convincing to myself – my experience of handling people worked it seemed – the translator of a small translator agency looked pale for several minutes as she sat speechless.

I was wrong; she did not belong to class of kids I handled. In another few minutes, she found her form back! She started yelling at me, “Do you think you are going to control my life? I know you are always jealous of my creativity and success (her two favourite words).....” she was using same words, those she used for her family members – only translating them in Hindi and English. I continued gazing at her; not listening to anything but only watching her movements - my way of interacting with wild people.

After almost half an hour, she ended with “I will do what I want to do.”

I responded, “I cannot keep in touch with you any longer then.” I was not at any cost ready to compromise with situations that could harm my ethical stand. And I had to keep myself safe even if saving her is not possible.  

She stood up; picked her bag and moved to the front door without a word. The sound of her noisy motorcycle also faded away in another few moments. It was 12.30 on the clock. So I closed the door and went to bed.

Disha never invaded my home after that night. I did not find her even on the roads though her apartment was close to mine. She made me inquisitive about language used in porn movies and I thought of watching a couple of non-English movies of that type to get a clear idea. But being a stingy employee of a stingy software company, I was never ready to spend the money and time I needed to spend for that. Some knowledge areas remained unexplored by the proud people manager.