AUM
Not many people know this, but in my first job i worked at a call center for close to 5 months. Honestly the kind of crowd i met there was awesome. But the real fun began when i was to work in night shifts. I absolutely had no clue as to what i was feeling. I had finished my training and was to hit the floor and take calls , hitting the floor was like facing the actual customer.
So the fun of night shift was to begin half past midnight . That’s right half past midnight. All i had to ensure was to sleep 8 hours during the day , so i could ride out the night. I kept thinking when i took this job did i made the right choice . Well time for thinking all this was gone. ” You have taken this job so you got to do it.” Saying this to myself i said lets do it.
I tried sleeping during the day, but man sleeping 8 hours during the day was like becoming impossible. I slept for 3 hours during noon. But some how couldn’t sleep for 8 hours. It was 9 PM at night and mom served me dinner . My office car was to pick me up at 11:30 PM . My eyes started feeling sleepy at 11 PM i was ready to leave for work and just then i thought lets sleep for 10 mins. I never realized when i slept. Only when my cell phone rang i woke up. It was time to go .I was not in that bad shape as i thought i would be into. For that moment i boosted myself.
I got inside the car. I just looked around and the whole world was sleeping. Lights off , i could hear some small noises of a TV soap running in a house. The roads were empty. I felt like i was the Prince of darkness who was going to light the streets in the middle of night. I felt like Vampire who was being picked up to be taken to the graveyard. In fact my fellow colleagues used to say that they are in graveyard shift. Why i am not surprised.
And we moved on. As we drove to work It kept looking around , in a city like Mumbai people do work late , even some of the shops are open till late. But the time i was going to work, it was time for them to go to sleep. I started to feel a bit depressed , in spite of the car being full ,I was feeling lonely. The thought that did i make the right choice kept hovering in my mind. After 30 mins of drive, we finally reached our office building. And i couldn’t believe my eyes. The whole area was lit up as if they had just started the day. I reached the floor , where i was supposed to join the team. Our trainer came and introduced us to the team leader . It was a warm welcome given to us. I felt nice kind of part of the family.
So here i was , my first night at call center. While everyone was having the pleasure of being in the blues of their dreams. I was here working all night. Buddy system was most common in call centers. I was asked to buddy a girl and listen to how she is pitching her sales. The one sight i was looking for all these months, i finally found as my buddy. While i connected my headsets on the parallel line with her she was already answering a call. Must say she was beautiful.
OK time to focus, i was supposed to hear the script she was reading and the conviction which was in her voice. It was close to 2:30 AM early morning. It was a damn noisy floor. Every one was pitching high on sales , so that the customer on the other end is convinced enough to buy the product. And suddenly the supervisor woke me up. I slept while i was listening to my buddy’s voice. I was a bit embarrassed , the girl name ” Shalid” was smiling at me , obviously she found me sleeping while she pitched her sale.
“It happens” Said the supervisor on the floor. I had dozed off badly . I was absolutely having no control on my sleep and almost dozed. It was time for a break at 4 AM in the morning. And everyone moved on the top floor for a coffee. And i was amazed to see the cafeteria open all night with all possible availability. I was sitting with Shalid and sipped in my coffee. She was looking at me with amusement , the way i was behaving on my first night shift. I was happy to call my first night 😉 . But i guess on a different note it was me who was nervous and neither was i on my honeymoon.
And the break was over and i started budding shalid Some how i managed to stay awake but it was very difficult. After 2 hours , i could see the rising sun coming out of the hills behind the office building. It was clearly visible from the glass window. I was going to finish at 8 AM in the morning. Believe me guys yes it was 8 in the morning i was going to finish my work and go home.
As we logged out from our shifts , i moved out desperately looking for a car to drop me home.I reached home and rushed to the bathroom freshened up . I could see my dad leaving for work and sister going to college. I was desperate for some sleep . After the shower, i did not bother if there was anything to eat. I just went into my room and slept.
I was officially a vampire that day. Active at nights and as the sun rises disappearing to come back for some fresh blood . Was this my destiny , i don’t know . All i knew this is what i was going to do . For how long let time decide.
This was my first night at call center.
This is Shwetal Signing off for now.
Shwetal – An avid writer.
To send a letter is a good way to go somewhere without moving anything but your heart.
Phyllis Theroux
AUM
Giving life to words 