Four men in a Room

Welcome to the Odd family…a “house” which is lovingly (almost lovingly) shared by four aspiring young men. Our house includes a kitchen, two bedrooms with attach baths, and a living room, fully mosaiced somewhere in the dingy, crowded and so called notorious area of the country’s capital. Well, I will come to the description of our locality in detail, later.
Though we share our room as most of the young men and women do in Delhi to save their earnings…but our story is quite different and interesting than others….as I think so because neither I have been so fortunate to know the story of other such roommates nor I am actually interested.
So where should I begin with…Our lifestyle first or about the bond that is shared between four different individuals living under a same roof?
First things first…let me tell you, how we got to know each other. The tale started in 2005 August at Dhenkanal, a sleepy hamlet in Orissa. Actually three of us including me belong to the proud alumnus of Indian Institute of Mass Communication. Yours truly, Arun Jyoti Pegu, the son Ahom and Dhiren Dhuku, all way from the land of Habib Tanvir’s inspiration, Raipur were in the same batch of 2005-06 of IIMC. And this is how we got to know each other. You must be wondering who’s the fourth one? He is Ajaz Khan, born in Raipur, Chattisgarh happens to be a long time friend of Dhiren.
We live in a place called Khirki Goan, which is supposedly a den of cheap females but till now none of us have been so “fortunate” (read loser) to come across one. In any case I like the place… I like places which are crowded, shanty looking and having shady lanes. Where people celebrate their neighbours daughter’s wedding with as much passion as their own daughter’s. Actually, I find a great attachment with lower middle class people as they carry no pretence and all those high-class shits.
Not boring you much let me tell you that what is so “INTERESTING” about these four odd men. Now stop trying to read between the lines and expect weekly gay orgy session amongst us.
Nothing of that sort…..it is just a simple story of four humans living together with different lifestyles and mindset. But despite all differences a common thread that links us is…we all are unsatisfied with our professional lives. Isn’t that interesting…the losers’ paradise?
Start with Dhiren, because he is the proclaimed boss of our “Home” (Dhiren would be happy to hear that word HOME). I don’t think others will buy my argument but I a care a fig. I think he is born a leader. Even during our Dhenkanal days he was the one whom everybody use to look up to for any kind of arrangements…you can also call him a Jugad King!!
This dark, bulky chap works in Financial Express, presently one of the best business newspapers of the country as a sub editor. Sad part, he really wants to make it big in mainstream reporting. Where he would cover social issues and all those pro- Aam Admi
type stories. But alas, he is making pages…. that too Page 3.
Now, Arun PEGU Jyoti’s story….No no they are not three people. Arun, who is better known as Pegu, Pegs, Tsumani among us is all the way from Arunachal Pradesh. He is actually trying hard to get a sarkari job. But bad luck he is stuck in making smses for a news agency called Indo-Asian News Agency. At times I think that he wasted his money, energy and his precious time (age) in doing this mass communication course. He should have started preparing for some government jobs as soon as completed his bachelors. But again he is Pegu, the man who is always confused!!
“Please yaar 5 minute aur sone dena”….this how I associate Ajaz Khan. When the world wakes up to start their daily errand. Mr Khan goes to bed. I think this is enough for guessing about Ajaz’s profession. Yes, he works in a call center.
Ajaz is a wonderful character. He too is fed up with his nocturnal lifestyle. He wants to quit this BPO sector and get something for himself in the finance sector, especially banking. But he too, is waiting for a right break.
The best part about this chap is he is a real hard worker. I believe he is the only among us who can work 24*7….have seen him doing two 12 hours shift at a stretch. Hats off boss!!
That’s it, this was the story of my roommates…Oops! How can I forget telling about myself…chal ab meri bari. Hmmmm, where should I start?
Okay, I started my career as a free lancer for a month with The Hindustan Times. But when things didn’t work out there, I moved into an unhappening paper called The Statesman in Siliguri. Unhappening, because, despite of its 130-year in news making business, Statesman is dying now. There lots of issues behind this degradation, I think I should better not start discussing about it. Initially, I was very happy to go back home and do reporting from my birthplace. But gradually I realized after witnessing the office conditions and the slow pace of Siliguri, that Siliguri is not for me. I am dreamer and have always dreamt of making big in life. When I saw the progress of few of my batch mates in Delhi….I felt that Delhi is THE place to make my career. Left the job and packed my bag and raised the slogan of Delhi Chalo.
Tough luck followed here too…struggled for around 2 months and finally got a job in MOBILE ESPN. The last think I had ever thought in my life…doing sports journalism. I never played any cricket in my life and now I am making stories on cricket world cup. I don’t know when will I get a break in the thing which I want to work and i.e. crime reporting.
Any editors reading this piece???
So, lastly I am done discussing about my roomies and myself. The story of four simple, unadulterated, aspiring individuals.
Life is tough for all of us but still we are trying to make our selves comfortable in doing what we actually don’t like (rather deserve). I think this is LIFE…is it ??