Doraphobia

“Thank you and have a good day,” Nandini says with a standard smile even though the person she is talking to through the phone can’t see it. Sales personnel tend to believe that a person on the phone can hear your smile.

“You choose a right time to be engaged,” her office-neighbour, Ginny says with frustration in her voice.

Nandini feels her blood freezing up.

“Dora called your direct line?”

“Who else?”

“What is it that she wants this time?”

“As usual. Whatever that we did not provide.”

Dora works for CIL, one of their main clients. Also, one of the clients that depresses Nandini mentally that she thinks she needs a place in the asylum. She is easily stressed by the smallest command from her boss such as “coffee please”, and when she is stressed she makes life difficult for Nandini. Or Ginny, when Nandini is fortunate enough to be too busy to tend to Dora’s needs.

Dora might email Nandini for a list of job applicant’s details that she needs at 10.00am and calls her at 10.05am asking Nandini sarcastically why is it that she has not receive the details yet.

“I think this is a very easy task, and I need this. A.S.A.P.,” she says coldly.

To make things worse, she changes her requirements all the time. Yesterday she wanted job applicants with 5 years of working experience. Today she complains about receiving resumes from Nandini where the job applicants have 5 years of working experience because she had told Nandini clearly that she wanted job applicants with 7 years of working experience and she would start complaining about how Nandini never listens. Tomorrow - no idea what she wants - the only thing Nandini and Ginny knows is that she will come up with some way to make their lives more miserable than any characters from Les Miserables.

“I’ll call her back,” Nandini sighs. “But before that, let’s have something nice for lunch.”

“I know what you mean. Let’s have some Japanese food instead of economic mixed rice today. I need Japanese mustard to feel alive again.”

*

Work is a never ending disaster and even a good lunch does not lessen the pain. Dora from Le Smalle calls and speaks in a nervous, worried tone (as usual), requesting two suitable candidates for their hiring needs everyday.

“Two! Everyday! Honestly, what gives her the idea that she is the only client we are serving? We have other clients to service!” Nandini explodes the second she puts down her phone.

Ginny frowns. Her eyebrows almost touch each other.

“We can’t deliver. It’s impossible.”

“If we don’t want to be unemployed, by hook or by crook we have to do it. Sheesh. Why is it that every client named Dora is so annoying?” Nandini mumbles as she slams her keyboard for each alphabet she types.

Both of them walk to the pantry for a coffee break to unwind. At the pantry they catch the smell of animal’s fur.

Nandini and Ginny almost drop their cups of coffee.

The hiring manager from Rocketto is a bossy, anti-PETA lady who loves wearing fur and enjoys visiting Nandini and Ginny from time to time with job orders that make them want to commit suicide.

She is also called Dora.