Episode 145 : Hyde in America, Part II

People talk about jet-lag. I heard horror stories from former colleagues at Hickle Tech as to how a change in time zones can cause havoc with your sleeping patterns.

I slept for 4 hours on Saturday, more out of fatigue than anything else. And went to bed at the usual 11pm-midnight time. Sunday was as normal as normal should be and on Monday morning, I was ready to work.

My project lead, Vic, offered to pick me from my hotel. After breakfast, which I normally skip in Bangalore, I waited for him in the lobby.

'Good morning sir!' a cheerful American voice greeted me.

Huh? I looked around. Oh, the receptionist. I reciprocated with a smile.

Now, is this part of their daily routine, or was it my formal outfit that did the trick? A sky-blue full-sleeved shirt, black trousers, black shoes, a pullover over my left hand and my laptop over my right shoulder. I sure stood out among the older guys dressed in the same fashion.

I walked out of the hotel as I saw Vic drive in. He took one look at me and sent me to my room to get my coat. I wasn't feeling the cold wind, except on my unprotected face and hands. I was wearing a layer of thermal inners, and was quite comfortable. 'I don't want you to take a chance' he said. 'It will get colder after sunset'.

The office is only a few minutes drive away. The roads were lined with ice and trees were bare. I should remember to take my camera with me.

'Oh, you have arrived... finally! Got your visa? We have warm weather for you' Manager Ken joked.

'This is your first visit, isn't it?' another asked. 'And you brought cold weather with you... this is the coldest we've had in this time of the year!'

I woke up today morning and saw I had a voice message waiting for me. Who could have called when I was asleep…?

'If someone calls you, you are expected to answer the phone. Monkey! Call me on this number...' the message said. Now who can be so brazen as to not identify herself and still call me a monkey? I replayed the message again. When I heard 'monkey' again, it struck me.

But of course! It has to be her. My sweetheart Fi from eGI, whose heart I 'broke' by moving to Hickle Tech. Of course, she was getting married in another 5 months and everybody in the office knew our display of “affection” was just for fun...

A colleague from Hyderabad is staying in the same hotel and we planned to leave for work together. Only later I realized my faux pas. If I hang out with him, I lose my chance to chat up with the pretty receptionists. Or other employees in the hotel.

Darn!

We got into the shuttle service to go to the office. That chauffeur asked us in jest if it was cold enough for us. My colleague groaned.

‘It seems alright, but I stood in the open only for 5 seconds’ I admitted.

‘Maybe I should let you walk for a minute’ he replied. ‘It is 4 degrees out there and once the wind starts, the temperature will fall below zero.’

And he wasn’t talking in terms of Centigrade.

I am beginning to enjoy this weather. Maybe it is because I haven’t ventured out that much. Maybe it is because of the (subconscious) excitement of being in a new place…

Maybe I am crazy.