All In A Day's Work
Nina Varghese
31 October 2007, 02:32This was Romila Matthew’s eighth job. Romila was a tall, striking girl with lovely brown eyes and straight jet black hair. At 23, she had worked in call centres, advertising, marketing, academia and hospitality.
Romila was now the communication officer of the Wildlife Conservation and Preservation Park which was about 100 kms from the city. Other than the Chief Conservator Mr Atul Punj and his Goan wife Marie, Romila would be the only staff member to stay on campus. Mainly, because she volunteered to do so.
So one Saturday afternoon, Romila packed her belongings into the back of an old Ambassador taxi and sped away to her new job. She left no forwarding address or number. (She promised the landlord that the arrears in rent would be paid `as soon as possible’). As always, she threw herself into the job wholeheartedly.
She buried herself in wildlife research, attended seminars and listened avidly to anyone who spoke about wildlife. The little cottage, which was allotted to her, became home and she furnished it with the few bits and pieces of furniture she had. Romila cooked her own frugal meals and never spoke to anyone during the first month: she was learning the job.
``We are really lucky to get such an ardent worker,’’ said Mr Punj to anyone who cared to listen to him.
In the second month, Romila invited two senior journalists to do a story on the Wild Park, as the locals called it. One of them being a business journalist did a story on the business side of wildlife conservation that is, what it costs to fund such an effort and how this particular conservation park was doing it. The stories were a great success. The story was picked up the electronic media and was soon splashed all over the country. Corporate houses started approaching Mr Punj with funding for various projects which had never left the drawing board. Mr Punj was ecstatic, ``we must the get the new enclosure for the crocodiles ready, as fast as possible’’ he told the staff.``Romila, is the reporter from The Hindu coming today?’’ he asked.
``Yes, Mr Punj,’’ she said.
``Well! Cancel it, I have a meeting with the Reserve Bank, we might be getting some foreign funding too,’’ he said rubbing his hands together with glee.
``Yes, Mr Punj,’’ Romila said. Silly bugger, she thought, just a month ago he was running behind the same reporter and now he wants to cancel.
Three months into the job, Romila organized a number of outreach programmes with city schools. This not only helped city kids to learn about India’s beleaguered wild life but also increased the gate collection. Within months of her taking up this job, Romila had turned the Wild Park around. Soon Mr Punj was invited to speak at conferences in the city on the business of wild life conservation. Romila prepared his speeches after careful research and he always got good press. Slowly, more and more of the administrative work of the Wild Park fell on Romila’s young but able shoulders.
By the fourth month, she learnt how to manage the labour especially the tribals who worked the snakes. Raju the supervisor became her trusted aide. She soon realized that the Wild Park was not a well managed place and decided to set it right.
The first on the list was a pay revision for the workers. Mr Punj was not very keen but Romila over ruled him. She said if foreign agencies realize that you are not paying your workers properly you can forget about foreign funding.
It was at the height of summer with the temperatures soaring to 50 degrees Celsius and at the end of Romila’s fifth month that a lot of crocodiles and gharials died. The carcasses were disposed off speedily and there was no talk of it all, that day. Romila found that very strange, so she asked Raju who told her that this was a regular happening. The main cause for the death was the contaminated meat. So, that was the next thing she tried to remedy but was faced with unexpected opposition. Romila persisted and soon won. The main cause for the contamination, she found was that there was no chilling plant and the large quantities of meat rotted in a lean-to before it was used. She destroyed the meat in the lean-to, then bargained with the supplier and made an arrangement for `just in time’ delivery.
In the meanwhile Mr Punj was enjoying himself on the lecture circuit while Romila was running the Wild Park and very well, at that. Half the year was over and the rains started when Mr Punj was invited for a lecture tour of the US. There was a flurry of activity in the Park office as he prepared for the trip. Romila now had so much work that she had no time at all, for herself.
Then the great day arrived and Mr Punj drove off in a taxi.
``Don’t sell the park when I am away, ha ha’’ he yelled as the taxi turned the corner.``Old joke’’, said Romila and went back to clearing the office table. When she was clearing out the last drawer of the office table, she came across a small book. It was an account book of payments received and deliveries made. Romila studied the accounts book with interest. It was difficult to make out what the entries meant. So she made a call.
Without Mr Punj there, things were quieter and Romila decided to treat herself. So that week end she invited some of good friends over for a meal in the Wild Park. But news in the big city travels and how. By mid day, when the party animals were slowly stirring, the call went out.
`Roms has surfaced. She has invited us over’. And the news spread. By 7 pm, the cars and the bikes started coming in, by 10 pm the visitors’ car park was full and the noise inside the tiny cottage was deafening. Raju and some of the other workers, all dressed in new jeans and t shirts, were roped in to help. At midnight, Raju came to Romila and said that there were some cops at the door.
``Call them in, call them in ’’ Romila said and walked forward to greet them, glass in hand.
``What will you drink, sir, ``she asked. Romila’s luck held as the inspector turned out to be an old friend, and joined the party.
It was a great party and one of many to follow.Right through the next month, Romila and her friends partied away. The gate collections continued to rise, the outreach programmes went on and above all there was great press. In Washington, Mr Punj read the stories online and rejoiced.
It was a Tuesday when Mr Punj came back and at his desk when the phone rang. It was the bank manager who said that he had transferred Rs 5 lakh to Ms Romila’s current account from the Wild Park account. Mr Punj went blank and in a minute recovered. In a calm voice he asked the bank manager`` How much have you transferred so far.’’
``One minute,’ said the bank manager, ``about Rs10 lakh. Is there a problem sir ’’.
No, no, no problem. But don’t make any more transfers till I tell you, said Mr Punj.
Mr Punj spend the rest of the door behind the closed doors of his office. It was towards evening when he summoned Romila to the office. Romila walked in and sat down in front of Mr Punj. She looked at him calmly. Mr Punj said `` I understand that you have transferred Rs 10 lakh from the Wild Park account to your current account’’
``Yes’’ she said. Mr Punj was astounded. He expected tears and denials. ``Why do you have a current account? ‘’He asked.
``It is really none of your business, but since you asked, I will tell you. I used to run a catering business’’ was the reply.
``Well! What do you have to say for yourself? You have misappropriated 10 lakh rupees and you have to put it all back
``No chance, said Romila. ``I didn’t take all of it. I took only some of the money, as I had some old debts to settle. The rest was spent for the staff here, for medical expenses, to repair their houses and for school fees. `` She smiled as she thought of all the fun times here.
``I am calling the police’’ said Mr Punj and picked up the telephone.``Sure, call the cops and we’ll see who they cart away’’, she retorted and waved a small book at him. Mr Punj paled and then broke into sweat. He sunk into his chair and said `` you are a monster’’
`Ha, I am a monster! You have been killing off these endangered species by giving them contaminated meat so that you can sell their hides to shoe manufacturers and I am the monster. I wouldn’t be surprised if you butchering these animals and selling off the meat’’ she said. It was a shot in the dark but the look on Mr Punj’s face confirmed her worst suspicions.
A few hours later, after the staff has bid her a tearful farewell, Romila was in the old Ambassador taxi on her way back to the city when her cell phone rang. `` Is that Romila Matthew, I am calling on behalf of the Trading and Commerce Bank, Singapore. We are looking for someone with your skill sets, would you be interested in job with us?’’
