“No Bookings today ? ” Screamed Sameer with his thick eyebrows stretching up and his eyes wide open with his eyeballs almost touching his black framed spectacle glasses . In front of him was Mary with her big brown eyes piercing the ground through her round wayfarer brown eye glasses resting on her straight nose. She was wearing a blazing red lipstick and had a straightened hair . She was slim and was wearing the company’s uniform that comprised of dark grey Suit with white shirt. Her left leg was twitching constantly as that was her body’s natural reaction to extreme pressure. “Why does he always have to ruin my morning .Why does he keep cleaning his windpipes by screaming at me. I so want to ram his fancy iPhone X into his throat & see him rolling on the floor in pain.” Mary was thinking to herself while Sameer continued his cacophony of screaming with his neck veins looking like they would explode any time.
They both were standing inside Sameer’s Cabin which was all white in color and the ceiling had inverted whitish yellow lights that bounced the ceiling and then covered the room . The Cabin doors and its adjacent wall entire made of glass. It was a Ford Showroom where Sameer was the sales manager . It was a swanky showroom which had black floors and the ceiling was covered with clusters of lights falling down on 5 vehicles kept on display . The entrance door along with its adjacent wall was all glass, through people passing by used to either ogle at the display cars (men)or checked themselves out in the reflection (women).The reception desk was just behind the entrance door and at the extreme end comprised of various cubicles and cabins , one of which was Sameer’s.
Other people who were outside the cabin could only see the muted version of Sameer waving his hand and pointing it to Mary and pumping his neck veins.
“I need one booking today at any cost ” said Sameer pointing his finger to Mary. She nodded in approval while still pondering the floor. She immediately slid through the narrow door opening thanks to her slimness. Dinesh , her work associate was anxiously waiting for her. As soon as she came out Dinesh rushed to meet her, but without asking anything he got to know what happened by looking at her boiling face and clenched fist.
“Don’t worry Shiv , you will get the booking today”
“Yeah , right . Customers are just going to pour in today with cheques in their hand, searching for me and shower me with their bookings. Stop giving me fake assurances Din, i don’t need it .” said Mary and stormed away from Dinesh. He knew Mary for sometime and kind of liked her, but being a shy guy , he never showed his feelings to her. Although he felt bad the way she spoke to him, he understood what she was going through.
Mary went to the reception .
“Neelam, I need a good customer today . If you see any good prospect customer , please give it to me”
“Sure Mary, hey you know Urvashi took another booking today. She seems to be on fire these days. She has already completed her target”
“Tell me something i don’t know Neelam” said Mary rolling her eyes away from her. Urvashi was a school friend of her and they had joined the organisation together. But somehow she had become one of the top sales person in the Organisation while Mary scrapped the bottom line.
“She is just getting lucky as all good customers were given to her. Its not her talent, trust me , i know her. ” said Mary while animating her disapproval by showing her palm to Neelam.
In the meanwhile Urvashi approached the reception. She had a dusky skin but had a such a pleasant smile that lit the atmosphere with positiveness. Some of her colleagues even said that her smile took the lions share in terms of closing the sales deal . She too had frame less spectacles that made her look older than she actually was. She tied her thick black hair in a ponytail fashion.
“Hi Shiv, how are you ?” asked Urvashi with a genuine tone and that million dollar smile.
“Fine” whispered Mary and started walking away from reception desk in order to avoid any more conversation with Urvashi. Urvashi didn’t understand her response so looked at Neelam for answer. Neelam pointed her finger towards Sameer’s cabin, which was enough for Urvashi to contemplate . She nodded and went ahead with her routine work.
“That Bitch ! She knows how i am and what situation i am in , still she dares to ask me how i am . Let my time come bitch , i let you know how i am. Enjoy you good times till they last ” Mary again talking to herself. While she was tangled in her own web of thoughts , she heard someone screaming her name. As she turned back , she could see Neelam with a smile , waving at her and pointing towards a customer who had just walked in. The Customer was wearing a bomber jacket , with blue jeans and boots. He looked like he was 6ft tall with his face reflecting the arrogance of the affluent class.
Mary’s face lit up as she could already see a booking cheque floating above the customers head. She immediately paced towards the customer.
“Hello Sir, Welcome to Ford. My Name is Mary. How can i be of your assistance?”
“I want to book Ford Endeavour . But before that i need a test drive of the same” Said the customer while he was carefully analyzing the premises like a detective.
Mary was further excited when the customer spoke the golden word BOOKING . For a moment she could visualize Sameer congratulating her and she could also see herself walking past Urvashi with the booking form , flaunting off her achievement.
“Mary ? ” called the customer which immediately brought her back from her dream world.
“Sure Sir, before that would you like to know more about the car first?”
“No. I know everything about the car , can i just get the test drive of your top variant”
“Sure Sir, can you help me out with your drivers licence ”
“I don’t have it on me right now .Cant we do it without that ” asked the customer whose tone was getting impatient with each sentence.
“No Sir, Its the company policy”
“Look Mary ” Said the customer while removing a cheque book from his bag
“I want to book the car today and have come prepared with everything. I just need a small test drive to be sure. Isnt there a way around”
Mary thought for sometime with her leg again twitching .
“I have to get a booking today at any cost ” said Mary to herself.
“Neelam, the customer is not having his drivers licence but wants a test drive and will book immediately. what can we do ?” asked Mary impatiently
“Mary , you know we cannot bend the rules for anyone. No drivers licence , No test drive.”
“But you know how deep trouble i am . Please help me out ” Mary pleaded making an innocent face. Neelam thought for a while and then whispered in her ears
“I wont fill the test drive details. You just go outside , grab the test drive vehicle and give him the shortest test drive possible. I will inform the security guard.”
Mary smiled and blew a kiss towards Neelam and approached the customer.
“Fine sir , Please follow me ” said Mary while the customer followed her towards a Black Ford that was parked right in front of her.
The customer face brightened and he immediatly put his cheque book inside his bag
The Customer sat in the driver seat and closed the door. While Mary was about to enter the front passenger seat , The customer said “Can you close the door for a second . I want to check if the engine sound creeps inside the cabin. ” to which Mary promptly closed the door. She again started drifting to her dream world
“Today is my lucky day . My time has come , do you hear that Sameer . I will throw the booking file on your sorry ass face today. and you Urvashi .. you can wipe that smudge of your face bitch. My time has come ”
Suddenly she felt some motion that made her come back to the real world . She could see her reflection on the black Ford moving and then it vanished and all she could see was the tarmac. She realized the car was in motion without her and before she could even utter a word the car disappeared from her sight.
“Why did the customer leave without me ” thought Mary
“He didnt even ask me the price, didnt even come with his Drivers.. ” Suddenly a cold shiver went through her spine.
“He is not coming back. He took the car and fled. Oh my god , what just happened . my life just went from bad to worse”
Mary’s face turned red . It felt like her entire body was paralyzed, she couldn’t understand anything . She was getting a whole cocktail of feelings – guilt,anger,stupidity.
That’s when she got a call on her phone. She saw the phone Screen and it read
“Sameer Sir …….calling ”
” Well i am fucked ” said Mary .. disconnecting the call and switching off her phone and slowly dragging herself towards the nearest Chai Tapri .
