Of changes - for now, and soon to come

Goodie goodie. I am getting new glasses. The selection process was elaborate and painful, two selection sessions, one last night, with sister, after which we selected 2 frames for A to help decide on, and the next morning, where A rejected both (now you know why I asked her for help) and selected a new one. I don't know how much of a difference it will actually make to my looks, but what the hell. Of course this 'makeover' is setting me back quite a bit, maybe I am feeling poor because I haven't enchashed this month's paycheque yet. What kind of an idiot waits 4 days before encashing a cheque? I usually shamelessly deposit it the day I get it, preferably the hour I get paid (slink into the lift, rush to the ICICI, deposit cheque, slink back).

I don't know where all my money goes. But this is common refrain among my friends, even A keeps gasping at the rate at which her balance dwindles. It doesn't take much, I realize - the ordering in, the phone bill (thanks to the long distance relationship), cab rides instead of the bus, the 10 buck auto to the station, groceries... aarrghh...

And I still owe Ma for the Credit Card Bill she covered for me.

Sometimes, I wish I had a corporate job. Then incidents like last night sort of wake me up.

A came back, disraught, a Client (alumni of our esteemed institution) called her a "stupid bitch". I mean, who does that? She seems to be doing better after 1. many chocolate pastries 2. many cigarettes 3. gin n tonic 4. 12 hours of sleep 5. chicken cafreal (by yours truly), but anyway, that doesn't make whatever happened right.

So as I, and later Lax, our guy buddy for all seasons and reasons, began ranting, bloody, the firm she works for must do something about this. What the fuck. Etc. Etc. And A calmly replied that the firm would do nothing of the sort. They would tell her to grin and bear it. The usual 'it happens'.

Does 'it happen'? Maybe it does. But aren't you allowed to protest, scream, give it back, show him who's boss, blah blah? No, you aren't, apparently because when a Client pays your Boss in crores, and more importantly when your Boss pays you in lakhs, its OK. Think about the paycheck sweetie, your pride is negotiable, as is your value as a Human Being, oops, did we say that out loud?

So she's better now, thank God. And back to her big plan of getting the hell out of here, the only way, we agree, to make some positive changes in her life. She was asking for tips for costume for the BIG office party. My sis was impressed.

"You have real kick ass parties like this?"

"Naah," said A. "More like Lick Ass parties, these are."

They can make her cry but they can't take away her sense of humour. God bless A.