paint the town red

Another day has passed away. These days, I am in the process of resuming my job after being taken away on a prolonged medical leave owing to a complicated stress fracture in the right femoral neck. Yesterday was my first day out of the couch after remaining being laden for more than 6 months. Head office seemed to me a better shelter as compared to my parent office far away in the northern areas, that’s why I headed straight towards it to renew the forgotten corridors of power in my memory. Things have changed a lot in the yester months. Security has been tightened up and the gates of the apex office remain closed to everybody. The discomfort in my leg forced the guard at duty to run towards his apex authority, a retired major from Pakistan army for special permission. After a short while an SN (real sui gasia) from the Logistic Support department appeared affixing a smile on his face. He cleared the mess for me and to my surprise offered a wheel chair if I don’t feel comfortable with the stick, which I refused with a hope that walking with the stick won’t hurt me.

I entered the lift and pressed my destination i.e., 3rd floor on the dashboard. With a thumping heart, sweaty palms and butterflies in my stomach I put my feet on the floor of Project department’s head quarter. I headed straight towards the admin officer’s desk, a standard destination for all the project engineers stationed outside the head quarter to see where I found him talking to somebody on the phone regarding the theft of two of our 4x4 Double Cabin Hilux fleet. He asked me to sit, in the meanwhile I noticed Gulab Jamins of Sharqpur on his table and made up my mind for those. He generously offered me tea and sweets. To my surprise he was not very investigative like the GM whom I met latter. After getting necessary information from the admin officer I headed towards the general manager’s office, a nice associate who turns annoyingly investigative at times which one feels a bit contemptuous sometimes. After meeting him I headed towards the material control section which usually smells cynical to me. Anyhow one of my colleagues offered me lunch which I accepted cheerfully without knowing that he is on healthy diet. After having lunch I managed to visit my senior general manager, an experienced, shrewd man who sounds like an individual who has seen everything. He welcomed me gracefully, after the ceremonial exchange of good wishes he inquired whether I am here to resume duty to which I replied optimistically.

Anyhow, at the end of the day my case was forwarded to the chief engineer wedge of the management hierarchy which acknowledged my plea and facilitated resumption of duties without being besieged to red tapism.

In the meantime it kept striking me persistently that I am not being believed regarding my illness and that I am involuntary casting doubts by somehow exaggerating the medical condition I am suffering from. Let’s see whether this approach is going to help me in the long term as I have been advised to contain movements till comprehensive recovery in an organizational environment where everyone expects a can-do attitude.