Earning an Earful!

Corporate Mumbai! That smell of business, the colour of money, the touch of notes, the thrill of disposable income. All sensory organs get equally pleasured in this monetary paradise. If not, there is the dream, hope and passion for one to oil his sensory perceptions in the absence of the green alternative. All senses get massaged, save for one. “The ear”. Where will the ear fit in this diagram of human-money relationship?

“Tu kitney mein sunta hai”?, asked Pavan. “Matlab”?, I replied, secure in the safety of not having understood the question. “Matlab, I get (xxxx) amount for listening to my boss, waisey hi teri pagaad kitni hai”?, “Oh”, I said, before quoting the figure asked. Deepu interjected, “Its not about that. It can never be. It is about that zest for life, it is about working really hard, it is about carrying that flame of passion alive. I don’t earn my salary to listen to someone.” “But if the boss shouts at you? Tu kya passion aur hope dikhaayega? Chup-chaap sunega na”?, Pavan countered. Every bud around broke into jeering laughter. Deepu was silent.

“Tum log nahi samjhogey!” answered Deepu in renunciatory exasperation. Pavan noted, “See!, you earn as much depending on your capacity to listen to the boss’ shoutings.” Everyone voted in agreement by vigorous shaking of their heads which indicated an immediate approval of Pavan's statement on the topic. Emboldened from the unanimous support around, Pavan philosophised further, “See, everyone listens only because he is paid to be listened. You go to a beggar and shout at him without giving him even one paisa. Do you think, he is going to listen to you? He will just pull you aside, place you next to him and say, “Chal baaju mein aa! Aur saath mein bheek maang!”

The room again resounded with cheers and jeers dissolving the sound of a beer can being opened.

Image from here