Alpha (Manjiri)

 It was a gloomy day in September. The returning monsoon had brought a wet spell with it. Shubhada was staring out at the lashing rain at the glass wall of her corner office.  The morning status call was in progress on her laptop. Her group leads droning on, one after the other. Bina, her trusted maid had just sent her the routine whatsapp text that Jui was back home from school, and had her lunch. 

Shubhada was agitated because of the FYI mail that Jude has sent her. Actually he had forwarded the mail that he sent to her division manager Vishram. Jude was the engineering manager at Zoon. Their important client account. The mail was to demand more attention from the team managers, for them to be hands on. Shubhada knew that their team was giving 100% but Jude would drag his feet in taking decisions and then whine about time lost. It would be real tedious to babysit Jude and Zoon! Jude had FYIed her because he knew she made things happen actually. 

The status call was done, and now it was time for the weeks Badi status meeting. The account manager status meeting with Vishram the division head. 

All the Jet setters and the Go getters were trickling in to the board room for the meeting. She was heading for her usual seat in the second row. But Surili, called her to come sit next to her at the table. Surili was the new marketing head, who had joined 2 months back. She was a bright and hardworking woman. Shubhada really liked interacting with her. She went and sat next to her, was a bit uncomfortable sitting front center. Surili has chided her about it. She had said "No one is going to call you to take the seat, you need to assume it and act accordingly."ch  

Vishram walked in with Ray, bantering as usual. Ray was the Blue Eyed Boy of the division. He always found something to discuss with Vishram. He also made sure that he got in onto all the important accounts and happenings. Zoon was no exception. 

As they walked in, Ray looked at Surili and just said "How about a Coffee Surili?" Shubhada saw red! Why did the men treat women like this? Why should they make there arrangements? She looked at Surili. Surili smiled at Ray and said "Yes please Ray, actually why don't you order for all of us?" Ray got confused and then had to say "Ok!"  and went out to arrange.  Shubhada looked looked at Surili with new found respect! You should not just seath  but get even. Shubhada just tilted her head, as she was wont to do when she was planning something interesting. 

The meeting started, As usual everyone trying to one up the other. Men talking over her but Shubhada was calm today. Shubhada started her status with Zoon, in a routine way, getting ready to set the trap. Without mentioning the mail she had received, just what what they were working on for Jude.

 As soon as She mentioned Jude, Vishram asked "How is it going with Jude?" 

Shubhada made to talk and gave a tiniest of pause anticipating and as expected Ray barged in.

 "Oh Vishram, Jude is cool. I just had a talk with him, I told him about our new customer king campaign and ..." 

"Hmm so it was you who put this idea in his head."

 "what idea?"

 "Then Ray I give you the honor of Babysitting Jude thru next year. And mind he does not talk into promising any extra unbilled resources to him .  And let Shubhada's team work in peace." 

Shubhada had hard time making sure that she does not grin.