The Rat nibbled on the last of packet of biscuits lying on the table and scampered across the cafeteria. He was late for the scheduled meeting, late to the extent of being admonished by Boss Rat, being thrown across that sarcastic look, a sense of utter worthlessness for him in his eyes, the wicked sneer unmistakable.

The other rats had gathered in the glass room, hovering over the screens of the laptops, their attention focused on the numbers displayed in the excel sheets, their intentions of pleasing Boss Rat evident, their dripping tongues lolling out. The lights in the room were dim with the only bright source cast by the projector displaying images on the screen. A series of Pie Charts and Bar Graphs filled the entire space, their colors bright, bearing a striking resemblance to a rainbow, but hiding sinister facts of achieved and failed efforts.

Boss Rat was sprawled in a chair, his bulging belly thrust out, the buttons of his shirt protesting of the torture endured. The spectacles on the bridge of his nose looked confused, mulling their existence and purpose in life, ready to fall off and run to freedom at the first provided instance. The chair squeaked vehemently shouldering his weight, 90 % ego, and 10% an amalgamation of the rest, seeking an opportunity to slip out and relieve itself from the burden.

Boss Rat ran those piercing eyes across the room, gauging the mood and anticipation. His tongue moisted the lips waiting to bark orders which would be accepted and implemented like sermons from scrolls, the Subordinate Rats following the directions with black wands across their eyes.

“How is everyone doing?” his shrill voice boomed across the room.

Was the question shot with a genuine purpose to gain knowledge from the findings or was it a mere protocol to be followed, a fake routine drum roll to awaken the subordinate rats from their senses.

Silence is golden as they say, so be it, and so it was followed, the Subordinate Rats scared to respond, fearing Boss Rat would pick on the one who showed a mere flicker of a happy existence outside the Office Walls.

“I assume everyone is just doing fine” he barked again with the Subordinate Rats nodding in unison.

“So what do we have here? The Monthly Report. Let’s see how we are performing…”

If performance was gauged by merit, talent or individuality of a person then this meeting would fall outside the mentioned criteria. What was considered was malicious, deceitful, intent to meet deliverables using unscrupulous methods to prove numbers displayed in a panorama of colors on the screen. It was historically successful, proof of which was in contracts renewed and new business acquired, but at the cost of stamping out preferences, dreams and aspirations.

“We are just about doing fine, however I see an improvement area in Client Target “X “ Boss Rat scanned the data and turned his humongous mass with the squeaking chair et all and fixed his steely gaze at the first unfortunate soul for the day.

“Rat 1… What plans do you have to meet the target?”

Rat 1 had joined the gang, merely six months back. A freshman he still had the enthusiasm and zeal to reach for the stars and the abundance of energy backing the intention. His bright eyes had the determination to survive and prove himself in this soulless, cut-throat existence. He bore the aura and persona which was a faint remembrance of what the other rats had been when they had stepped in this room few years back.

He indulged in a soliloquy of the elaborate plans which were in store and measures to be taken, inconsiderate of any obstacles and hurdles to be faced. After all he was the freshman. If there was anyone in the room who could do it with passion and energy, it was him. The rest would follow a recourse best beneficial for individual gains.

Boss Rat seemed satisfied with his answer. He was the freshman. Boss Rat would have ample time and opportunity to stamp out in bits and pieces the enthusiasm and zeal, and the abundant energy and turn it into the drab routine which the others followed, a piece of gum which was stuck in your mouth, which could neither be swallowed and neither spat out!

Boss Rat turned the ever squealing chair a wee bit to his right and fixed his gaze on Rat 2.

“What plans do you have to meet the targets?”  He said the drool dribbling across his lips

Rat 2 was the quintessential Family Guy. His thinning hairline, drooping expression, dull and drab attire significant to the mounting financial, personal, and worldly pressures.  The spark in his eyes unlike the freshman was missing, they were glazed over and peered nervously out of sunken sockets, outcome of long hours in front of the laptop and negligible sleep.

Rat 2 launched into a mundane discourse of the plan he had in place, based on false promises and atrocious expectations which would not be met. He knew he would be at the altar the forthcoming week, answering accusations, and would devise a new set of unabashed proclaimed fulfillments, the cycle goes on!

“If what you state is not achieved, you will be in trouble” Boss Rat sneered.

Rat 2 knew trouble and his surname were co-existent. He blatantly nodded his head, his thin, dry, throat mumbling the words “Yes Boss”

“And what about you Smarty Pants?”

Boss Rat’s steely wicked gaze was fixed on me. I was caught in a predicament to answer at the moment or pause and have him anticipate my response. What I was going to deliver was not meaningful, out of context, and totally a drab idea, however the thrill of it had my fingertips tingling, and my knees shiver a wee bit, the electricity running down the veins.

After what seemed an eternity with eager sets of eyes with mixed feelings staring at me, I said.

“I resign”

To be continued……………………………