On the 8th of November 2016, I was extremely tense and baffled, unsure of what to do with my line of business. Having completed my studies, I had spent the last year living in a very exclusive city without any clear purpose. I didn’t have enough money to survive for more than a week. I made a concerted effort to secure a job, attending numerous interviews, but unfortunately, I was unable to find a suitable position that leverages my potential, knowledge, and innovation. I left no stone unturned to get a job, but all went in vain. Every night I used to stand up in front of my mirror saying,” Sagar, you can do it,” but while sleeping, I always asked myself what I could do so that I could get a good job. I had a good friend who always encouraged me whenever I felt discouraged. He guided me on what to do and how to do it. He used to say that I had enormous energy and talent to do anything, but that day I lost my patience and made a decision to go back home.
Like every guy, I had a sincere, emotional, and conscientious girlfriend. I phoned her and said in a very monotonous voice, “Can we meet today?” She replied, “Sagar, I am in an office, so it would be tough to meet as I have a lot of pending work.” I knew she was in the office, still she told me. It was like she was taunting. No one slapped me as she did by saying those lines. I considered myself a black sheep with no business, but then I received a message at 8:30 pm, saying, “Ok, sharp.”
I got ready at 7.30 as I had no task to complete. I borrowed my friend’s bike and reached her office sharp at 8 o‘clock. She was very punctual, so she came by 8.15. Her instant reaction was, “Sagar, have you taken a shower today?” I had, so I replied in a very self-assured voice, “Yes”. Every time she decided on the place, she took the privilege to discuss the matter again this time. We reached the hotel GOKUL. We got a corner place. The moment I started to share my words with her, suddenly, a waiter came to me asking, “What do u want to have in the starter, sir?” I did not have words but a pale face with some money. My girlfriend replied, “Do masala papad, one Manchow soup- ½, one dry Manchurian.” Now, this was the right time to raise the problem I was suffering from. I said, “Dear, as you know, I completed my studies in 2015. Since then, I have been seeking a job, but I don’t know what to do now. In between the chat, the waiter again poked his nose and put the order on our table. She started eating it, and the way she was eating it, I thought, Is a piece of manchow more important than my career? As I was hungry, I also started taking the soup. I saw the same waiter looking at us, waiting to finish our food. I determined that if he comes again, I would definitely be living in Yerwada jail of Pune. Finally, I got the opportunity to tell, but I was going at a snail’s pace. I gathered my confidence unexpectedly; she called the same waiter for the main course order. He came to us. She gave the order. I started checking my wallet to see how much money I have. I found a note of 500. I calmed down.
We received our order and started eating it. We were talking while eating. I knew she would get worried when I told her about my plan to leave the city, but I had no option. I said,” Dear, I want to tell you something which is very important. The last few days, I have been trying to tell you.” I was very near to reaching my goal all of a sudden, her father phoned her asking very furiously, “Kaha ho aur kab tak aane wali ho?” I don’t know why every time a girl’s father is Amrish Puri, but it’s ok, without wasting my time, I focused on my food. As she was busy on the phone, I picked my mobile up and started checking my WhatsApp. I opened a message sent by my close friend Aakifah. There was a link I clicked on. It opens a video where our prime minister is known because of his excellent work, profound thinking, and upliftment of society, saying Mitro, aaj raat 12 baje se 500 evam 1000 ke note legal tender nahi rahenge. Firstly, I thought she sent an unimportant message, but within a few seconds, I received a lot of messages regarding it. I was shocked, like the whole of India was, but my Kajol was still busy with Amrish Puri. Suddenly I thought I too had the same note. Now, I had no control over myself, so I told my girlfriend to cut the phone. She valued my word and cut the phone. I informed her about the government’s decision regarding demonetization and my current financial situation.
My patience finally broke, and I explained to her that I was about to leave the city due to the financial crisis. She said, shockingly, ”Sagar, aise kaise lekin, tum haar nahi maan sakte, tum hamesha mujhe boost karte ho aur aaj tum khud..! You should have told me before. You need to try more.” She hugged me emotionally. I was emotional too, but I became more emotional when she paid the bill with a tip. We were both pondering our future circumstances. We were supposed to leave for our home, but suddenly she said,” Do min ruko maine sauf nahi khaya.” Only then did I come to realize that in her priorities, neither Modi ji nor I matters.