I AM A GIRL, NOT THE FLESH - PART 9

I AM A GIRL, NOT THE FLESH - PART 9 

No Affair? Get Out!

ढलते सूरज सी मैं ढल गई

सांसों की डोर ढीली पड़ गई

तेरे मिलन के इंतज़ार में कृष्ण,

सांसें बुनती रह गई।

फिर भी मैं ध्वस्त, निर्वस्त्र हुई।

जिन पांडवों, दरबारियों में भरी थी ग्लानी

आज वो सब हैं प्रसन्न शकुनि

हे कृष्ण अब तो आओ,

हम द्रोपदी ही हैं दुनिया को बताओ।

दुर्योधन दुशासन से भरी इस पृथ्वी को

आज फिर मुक्त कराओ।

No Affair? Get Out!

A man has the right to get into an affair with anyone, and he has the freedom to blame the girl for why the girl falls for the man. But sadly, he doesn't want to give the right of refusal to a girl to have the affair, and once the girl refuses, it becomes almost a crime on her part. Strange?

And this I witnessed when I was on a deputation in one of the government organisations selling premier items to tourists. The company was going through a financial crisis, and the government decided to inject funds. I was deputed to manage it when the current management was suspended.s

After taking over the charge, I visited all the departments spread over three cities, met all departmental heads in all the cities and created a profile in my mind as per my interactions. I realised that the salespersons were very aggressive, and a class unto themselves. Not all were honest to the company. Many private players were competing, and sales staff had a mutual interest with those private players. They were also living beyond their known income, and that was the primary trigger for the suspicion.

They operated in groups and looked down at all other staff. Their unwillingness to share information led me to red flag them. Later, my inquiries revealed that my apprehension was correct. They used to be in touch with private players in the market and serve some of the visiting customers in their hotels with goods taken from such private shops. Few of such salespersons had no other way; their wives were working with the private players.

With my attempts to take control and put in checkpoints, some of the people started having sharp conflicts with me. As I introduced strict timely reporting of attendance, sales, expenses etc. In that reporting, I was dealing directly with the cash and accounts cells of all the stores. I ensured that staff posting was revisited and did so on the basis of my information and judgment. The taming and lading, which most of them were indulging in by delaying reporting, was controlled.

The reports from a particular outlet were not satisfactory, and the accountant, a girl, continued reporting missing items and the delayed deposit of sales proceeds. While she was in regular touch with me over operations, the salespersons were speaking against her in unison. Still, their statements were conflicting.

They were blaming the cash staff, saying that the cash staff would leave the office even when the customers were there, and they had to carry the sales proceeds with them; on the other hand, the cash staff refuted the claim. The replacement of the security staff and access to the CC Camera system in the store, without informing the staff, revealed something else.

As I stepped more into the affairs of the store, I convened a meeting of all people in that store, informing them of their in and out timings and other things, the complaints got diverted. Fresh information was fed to me that the cashier girl was having affair with an employee of a rival store and will never wait for the closure of the showroom. She would leave the showroom a number of times to meet her boyfriend during the day, pass on the information and thereby causing the loss to the company.

On getting the reports, I strengthened further the security apparatus to furnish the reports. I was aware that the salesmen and the cashier had disputes several times. Salesmen were trying to bully the girl down through every possible means. I deputed one person from the head office under the garb of checking the records of the showroom, and that cleared the haze of allegations, charges and cleared the fact before me. More than one salesman had tried to become too friendly with that girl. Due to the continuous harassment, she used to be in a fighting mood, irritated, and still performing nicely. With some changes in the organisation with my entry, she had become a bit more confident and salesmen a bit shaky.

Doubtful movements of salespersons were recorded, and I intervened with the director responsible for the direct operation of that store. The girl had not complained to anyone but was confident in her behaviour and stood her ground.

The frequency and force of the demand for her removal became very frequent. One day, the Store director and salespersons were called to explain certain disparities in the sales. Their direct request was to take action against the cashier, saying she was responsible for the loss and under-recoveries.

I asked him the reason. He said, "The girl is having an affair with an employee of a competitor, and the salespersons doubt her integrity; it would be in the interest of the company to remove her."

I categorically told him, "I have information that at least three of the salespersons in the company, out of the total strength of fifteen, are married to the staff of competitors. You know it well, and I don't think I need to give you the names. Do you want me to take action against all these persons because they might be passing out the information to their spouses, and logically to the competitors? Secondly, are you sure that the reason for the objection is her 'so-called' affair? Did any salesperson seek the permission of the organisation before marrying girls working with competitors?"

The director and the other person fumbled at my question. My next question was a direct attack, naming them, "Mr X and Mr Y already tried to have an affair with her. Tell me now, who all are competing for that?"

They could only say, "No, Madam, what you are saying. Why .."

I became much more direct, "Listen, till I am here, she will not be transferred out of that showroom. I have spoken to her clearly and will not speak such rubbish about any girl in future. Maybe your salesmen are angry because she refused to have an affair with them."

The Store Director and the salespersons left the office without requesting any further. They amended their ways also, at least for the time I was there.

Tring... tring...

Gita realised that she had been traversing through her career for quite some time and the doorbell was ringing.  She got up, opened to door to let the maid come in. Gita was feeling tired, carrying a load on her heart. 

***

Part 10 is coming shortly. Wait for it Out!