The Pure Blood Gets His Due...At Last!

For a few moments the pure blood stared blankly at the passing traffic. He was dejected at the sordid affair. All his plans for the day did not seem to matter much. The sun was beating down on him now. Sweat trickling down his face generated a tingling sensation in his numb body. He looked around and realized that it was almost lunch time. The road side eateries were briskly going about their business catering to the regular crowds that had gathered. He did not have any inclination to eat. With no particular direction in his mind he ambled along. He passed through various places, city landmarks, parks, streets till his feet grew tired and led him into a small tea shop. The lemon tea had a unique flavor and was refreshing.

 

It was late afternoon by now and the pure blood felt a bit better. He sifted through his pocket and retrieved his mobile. It had been switched off since he had stepped in for the interview. He swiftly switched it on and within a few seconds familiar pings attracted his attention. His friend’s anxiety was reflected in the numerous missed call alerts. It was then that he realized that more than 8 hours had passed since they had last spoken. He instantly dialed the number and heard the reassuring voice on the other side. He fumbled to explain his location, taking help from the owner of the tea shop.  It appeared he was close to his friend’s office and they decided to meet up an hour later. Later that evening the pure blood narrated the baffling experience but his friend was not so perturbed. He explained that in most corporates soft skills played an important role and the trend was perhaps spreading to law firms as well.

 

The pure blood was back to usual cheerful self when they reached ‘home’. He didn’t bother to do anything further and plopped onto the inviting bed. He was physically as well as mentally exhausted and was in his dreamland in no time. Having your full quota of sleep is essential to ensure the body is rejuvenated – a rested mind works faster. His caring friend ensured that the alarm had been set and when it rang, the pure blood woke up with a jerk, once again!

 

Today the pure blood was in a different mood – the ‘don’t care attitude’ had returned. It was quite hot outside and so he chose to wear a half shirt. He ate a hearty breakfast and after a careful check of his attire in the mirror, he stepped out. Today’s primary agenda was to meet up with the lawyers who had earlier had a telephonic interview with him. The first round was already done in this case and he believed he had made the right moves that day, so the pressure was presumably less.

 

His route had been chalked out in advance and he simply followed it to perfection. He had a bit of difficulty in getting to the exact location inside the myriad of by-lanes but the receptionist was very helpful in guiding him over phone. He arrived barely a few minutes before time and was received very cordially by the receptionist. The law firm was housed in what appeared to be a spacious two storey bungalow at the end of a most ‘missable’ side lane in the heart of the city. At first he was made to sit on a small sofa beside the reception area in the main hall of the bungalow. He was able to catch a glimpse of the first floor room where a small head seemed focused on a computer screen. Soon after, he was asked to move to a conference room opposite the sofa. As he got up he could make out that the head has risen revealing broad shoulders and a longish face moving out of the room.

 

The pure blood took his seat on the chair towards the right side of the door. No sooner had he sat that he had to get up. A tall stout man in a light blue full shirt and black trousers stepped in. He instantly recognized the head he had seen a few moments ago. He was followed by a short statured woman with a round face dressed in a white salwar kameez. The man introduced both of them and the pure blood was able to recognize the voices he had heard a few weeks ago. It always gives a feeling of completeness to be able to put a face to a voice. Both of them spoke softly which belied the stern appearance.

 

The interview initially was almost a repeat of what had happened earlier. Then came the specific questions.

 

Interviewer: Why do you want to move from a comfortable job?

Pure Blood: I like to take up new challenges.

 

I: What made you choose the faraway city?

A: I believe that there are better opportunities here with respect to this area of law.

 

I: What made him interested in changing his area?

PB: A few transactions including due diligence.

 

I: I can assure you that you will be bored of due diligences

PB: (Smile)

 

I: Why should we consider you?

PB: I have handled some transactions and would like to gain experience in this area. When I was new to the profession I did not have any knowledge but have been able to learn and gain experience on the job. It will always be my endeavour to learn this new area with the same spirit. You can ask me any question on my current area of practice to understand my knowledge and experience.  

 

The man’s eyebrows were almost automatically raised on hearing this matter of fact reply. The calm composure came apart revealing piercing eyes and stiffening of features. There was some more discussion relating to the pure blood’s monetary expectations. He was given the customary opportunity to ask questions. He had a couple of queries around the prospective position which were answered somewhat to his satisfaction. That signaled the end of the interview. The interviewers politely closed the discussion by informing him that they were considering him but would need some more time to come to a decision. With this they rose and led him out of the conference room.

 

The pure blood walked out through the doorway and main gate without looking back. For the first he felt positive. He also drew a conclusion that they would not have met him a second time if they were not considering him seriously. Perseverance and patience was paying off. He was certain that this time he had got his due…at last!