We had exactly three months to deliver all three documents. Santanam said that it was an easily achievable target and we should ideally finish ahead of time.

He then explained that while the commercial details of the project were confidential, Panchatantra was not a very profitable project. It was a ‘development project’. This meant that we would use this project to get more work from the client… if we cracked the scene with this one then we could ‘string up that Mishra fool and milk him dry!’

Santanam asked for the bill, checked it and told the waiter to bring him a couple of sandwiches to take away. He then asked for a fresh bill and handed it to Tony for reimbursement later, and put the sandwiches in his laptop bag.

He came back to office with us and told me to work on expanding the sec deck a little more. He warned us to come fully prepared for a client meeting at the client’s office tomorrow. Tony was asked to draw up a team deck.

No idea what that is. We make a lot of decks. Must make a note of all the types.

Santanam left after that and told us he would call us later for more info.

I watched him get into a cab from the window, and as soon as he drove out, I left office.

Tiring day. Must get some rest.

Excited that I am finally on a live project though!

Almost forgot! I finally get a roommate tomorrow. Some guy called Sachin. He is not exactly my kind of company: works for an FMCG company and is area manager for some soap or shampoo brand. Must be making what … six or seven lakh per annum?

Chalo theek hai. I must adjust with what I get. Besides, I really don’t expect to mix with him much since I’ll be travelling so much for work.

3. PANCHATANTRA

11 August 2006

11.23 p.m.

Deyvame!

I haven’t slept for TWENTY-TWO HOURS!

I’ve never been so tired in my life, Diary.

Not even in engineering college when Ghosh made us go all the way to Kodaikanal by state transport bus just to eat momos and chilli beef at the Tibetan restaurant and then come back in time for the engineering drawing exam. That was the time we got arrested in Trichy for throwing leftover momos out of the window at the bus full of girls parked next to us at the petrol pump. Turned out they were NCC cadets from Patiala on an all-India road trip for peace. Who knew? They beat the living crap out of poor Ghosh. He had to get stitches and a tooth cap that was always much whiter than the rest of his teeth. Poor guy.

Even then I wasn’t so tired.

But I’ve also never felt so invigoratingly motivated and energized in my life!

To be really frank, before Panchatantra, I was beginning to lose a bit of my usually high motivation levels. What with no projects and the mix up about orientation and that YouTube video.