The Promotion - Chapter 1

 

The Promotion 

Chapter 1

Adjusting the cap in place... as the signal turned green, I pushed ahead the government issue department jeep into the crowded junction honking at the auto in front of me slowing down unnecessarily. Seeing my uniform in his rear view a hand slipping out in view and waved in my direction from the auto driver, in the way of saying sorry as he was trying to turn right in a no-right-turn junction and sped ahead, as I silently cursed him adjusting my sun glasses, as I checked the time in the dash clock of the jeep as it was just 5 mins to 9AM and I hate being late. Manoeuvring the traffic I pushed ahead the next 2 junctions and taking a sharp left drove into the B2 station parking just in time and jumped out of the jeep, wasting no time, picking up my brief case that had the files for my overnight reading on some case files and rushed into the station as the constable stood up and offered a stiff salute -’Good morning SI madam’ as I waved him off and rushed to my desk and logged and while the old computer was booting up... took the cap and the coolers off and breathed easy for the first time in 20 minutes, leaning back in the chair.

Timing was perfect, as I was just losing my patience waiting for the damn system to boot up, I just heard from behind me, ‘Madam , Tea’. Just what I needed at that moment, as I turned smiling, ‘AHH thanks Krishna’ at the youngster working at the tea stall next to me. He smiled back too, as I picked up the glass of hot tea from his hand. ‘How is your mother? Has her health improved? She was down with Malaria for the whole week right?’ Standing back and nodding with a smile, ‘yes madam, she has fully recovered now. Sorry madam, she told me to tell you, she will come back to work from today evening itself madam. I forgot to tell you.’ , he said scratching his head smiling while taking a sneaky glance at my tits while he smiled and the moment I noticed his dropping eye contact he quickly brought his eyes back to my face making me smile and Ignoring it I carried on. ‘This is good news Krishna, the house is in complete chaos and dirty in the last week without Saroja being around. and yes, here take this.. (placing the tea on the desk and reached my purse out and handed him some cash) Give it to her, she will need it, as she will have spent all her money on medicine etc. Off you go now. ‘ ‘Oh...why madam, Thank you madam, thank you, I will hand it to her’ Smiling he rushed away from me pocketing the cash.

As he departed, I busied myself studying the case files again, as I have a court appearance today in 2 hours for to represent prosecution on someone we charged recently as guilty. I have done this a few times, but it’s always nervous moment for me, taking the witness stand so I make sure I have all the details about the case prepared. Having finished the once over quickly, feeling confident, but thought of quickly checking an old case that was similar to this, that our station Inspector had been working a few years back and stood up and walked to his office room at the far end of the rather big station. He was alone and was busy typing something up as I knocked the door.

‘Good morning sir’ as I looked at the balding head and the greying hair and the big pot belly he sported, whiling his time away for his retirement, having tonnes of seniority. I had been her for 4 years now and from the day one, never liked him principally due to his poor work ethics and lewd language and overt sexual references at any given chance, lacking decency absolutely. But having put up with it, I badly wanted out from here. As usual, he stopped what he was doing and smiled BIG looking at me. ‘Come in Vandana’ and before he could crack something dirty again, I added quickly as I walked up to his chair and behind him to reach for the filing station behind him, ‘ Sir just here to pick up the Madasamy case file for reference sir. Thats all’ (as I said I opened the cabinet and started checking the files in the top shelf, to find the correct one as inspector had swivelled his chair to take a good look at me lapping up my curvy figure from behind taking in every detail, as i shuffled across to check the files.

Unable to resist in the end, as I stood in tip toes to pull the heavy file out, ‘ I told you so many times before vandana, you are in the wrong profession, you should have become a model or an actress you know? but your husband won’t like that isn’t it? his private beauty enjoyed by so many.. HAHAHAA’ enjoying his own lewd remark, he reached out and slapped my shapely butt cheek over the uniform trousers, making me JUMP cringing and not wanting to cause a scene by shouting, I responded in a low voice complaining, ‘SIR!!! I told you a million times already to NOT TOUCH me. I will raise an official complaint otherwise sir.’ I said backing off with the file in hand, feeling humiliated as I looked around and through the open door of his office, thankfully no one else saw that.

He carried on laughing, not even bothered an iota, ‘Oh.. don’t forget vandana, your commendation letters are still at my desk, waiting to be signed... HAHAHA... did you forget you will need those for your promotion?’ and reaching forward rolling the chair, as I got pushed into the corner of his office, seething in rage, he quickly stuck a finger out and poked my hip , just above the belt. Wincing in DISGUST, even as my body betrayed me as I Jerked in response, as the bastard somehow found out how ticklish I am there and made it a habitual nuisance for me, enjoying the way I get jumpy. As I squeeze past him, raising my voice a bit more this time, SIRRRRR (but it came out not with the authority I expected, but quite squeeky) red-faced I pushed past him and swiftly stepped out of his office before he starts to have other ideas cursing him and cursing my own bad luck for being stuck in this awful station even though I have a sublime track record for closing cases and have built a HUGE REPUTATION with the larger police community.

I walked back to my desk in a foul mood and dropping the file, carried the unfinished tea to the station bathroom dumping it there and looking myself at the mirror, reminding myself to calm down as I took some deep breaths. After a few moments, composing myself headed back to the desk and started pouring over the file and the details and getting all of it I wanted, pushing back the bad episode that just happened, I got up picked the keys up and stepped out to the jeep with the cap and glasses intact.

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Reaching well ahead of time, sat through the proceedings at the court and it largely went through uneventful and rather boring too. Glad to see it done around noon and as I stepped out and was walking in the corridor, someone tapped my shoulder lightly from behind, as I turned ‘Vandana do you remember me?’ Face knotted in confusion for a second as I looked at the 60 year old guy with thick moustache dressed in white shirt and balding in the front with hair completely silver grey with a big smile that showed his paan stained reddish teeth. Suddenly recollecting, ‘OHH MADHAVAN UNCLE!!! wow, I didn’t recognise you there for a second! HOW ARE YOU UNCLE?’ as I smiled genuinely pleased to see my father’s friend. I haven’t seen you for over 10 years now. how are you?

‘Hahaha, you have changed too completely, if it wasn’t your name plaque (pointing to my chest with his fingers literally centimetres away while taking his time staring at my assets as he did so, even tried to peek through the small gap between the shirt buttons one and two to get a glimpse of my sports bra as he stood so close, relishing at the sight presented in front of him pretending to read the sign again bringing his face closer as if to find my designation , his fingers still hovering around the plastic name sign...while his sight was lapping up the very well formed assets of 34C cups a result of maintaining a great physical shape through regular workout while his mind registered ‘ AH its GREEN’ at the expense of my carelessness and the shirt being a bit old and hence gone a tad tighter, hugging to my body hence the gap, presenting the sneak view of the sports bra to him as I stood Grinning at him.

‘What are you trying to read Madhavan uncle? shall I remove it and give it to you? You seem to have forgotten your glasses?’ I offered helpfully. He guffawed aloud and in the middle of the laughter, ‘Oh please don’t do that Vandana, you won’t feel shy standing in this court room corridor without your shirt?’ He asked seriously then laughing aloud again moved the hand that was pointing to my chest to the side and gave my shoulder a gentle rub while laughing before pulling his hand off. ‘I am fine with it if you don’t mind’ saying he dramatically put his hand out.

It took sometime for me to actually get it, as I looked confused at first, then laughing embarrassed, ‘OHH come on Uncle, I didn’t mean the shirt, I meant the name plaque’ I said cringing looking around if anyone would hear us, but the corridor seem busy with people minding their business to take notice of the two of us. He seemed genuinely disappointed and added, ‘OHH its OK. I thought I will get a chance to see more of that green thing you have on inside’ he said with a serious face and studied my reaction.

What green thing? ( i looked confused again) and he quickly brought his finger again right between my tits and pointing at the gap between the buttons, ‘Is this not green?’ and laughing slapping my shoulder again. ‘ Sorry vandana dear. I was just pulling your legs. Don’t take me seriously’ and turning around seeing me redden in shame, ‘Don’t mind it dear, you need better fitting shirts. anyways how is your Father? Its been so long since he stopped working for us. By the way (quickly checking his watch), I am headed to the Udupi Restaurant next door, before going back to the Minister’s office. Come join me, if you did not have lunch yet’. Not even waiting for me he started walking along.

Feeling bad for the wardrobe malfunction, quickly adjusting the shirt I tagged along, ‘sure uncle, I was going to grab lunch too on the way back. Dad is not in great health now. He is suffering from arthritis. He is taking treatments etc. but yesI will mention that I saw you today, he will be very happy.’ As we reached udupi a short walk from the court, I just then realised I was famished, as I skipped breakfast in a rush and had ordered a hearty lunch while musing old memories of how minister and Madhavan uncle before they became famous and climbed so high up in the power used to buy toys, books and different gifts when I was very young, as my father was working as their Car driver. It all stopped when he retired when i was around 15 and since then for the last 12 years we lost touch until today.

As we finished lunch he enquired if everything is OK with the job and again jokingly mentioned, you do need the shirt upgrade looks like - all going well at work? even though nothing showed up , I brought my hand across the chest defensively and complained STOP IT UNCLE pls (with the shy grin back to my face). Somehow even when he openly teases me, I didn’t seem to mind it unlike the station inspector, making me wonder if it’s the tone of delivery or what. Then when I thought of him, I suddenly remembered the pending promotion issue and as my frustration fuelled me, I asked in a polite voice.

‘Uncle, is there any chance if you could arrange for a meeting with the Minister please?’ and with that I shared the whole story about my promotion saga, leaving out the part where the inspector being a creep. He listened attentively and got my number, promising he will call me back in a day or two. We departed shortly after with his parting comment of ‘We should definitely go GREEN vandana. This is the current theme. carry on your green revolution.’ He joked again and as if remembering while I protested shyly, ‘Stop it please uncle’ he changed the subject quickly, ‘OH, wanted to ask, are you married vandana?’ I responded, ‘Yes uncle 5 years now. he is a grocery store owner back in our town. So he couldn’t leave that and come here to stay with me. I am living in an apartment complex near the station. I visit once or twice a month’ I said with a tinge of sadness.

He looked at me now more keenly, ‘ Are you staying alone vandana?’ (his mind working in overdrive). as I nodded, ‘Oh do take care dear’ but he stopped mid sentence, ‘haha who am I telling this to? you are the police. haha ,OK dear, I will get back to you soon, I need to be going’ and with that he abruptly went towards the car park picking his phone up.. then turning. ‘Vandana wait. Smile!’ before i could say anything he snapped a picture of me. ‘this is to show the minister how grown up you are now. He will be proud and happy too dear.’ not waiting for any response whatsoever he called in the phone, ‘Ganesaa.. bring the car quickly, I am at the entrance’ and vanished. I stood there in daze at the turn of events as my mind regurgitated the events that unfolded in the last 30 mins now as I slowly , very slowly dragged myself to the jeep, completely lost in thought.