THE LAST INTERVIEW

SCENE 1: THE EXIT INTERVIEW

(The stage is silent except for the humming of the AC. Mr. Saxena sits behind a massive desk. He is reading a file. Mr. Aravind sits opposite him, slouching slightly, looking at the ceiling.)

Mr. Saxena: (Without looking up) So, Aravind. Employee ID 4056. Resignation submitted on the 14th. Today is your last day. This is the exit interview.

Mr. Aravind: Yes. The final ritual. Can we make it quick? I have a farewell cake to avoid.

Mr. Saxena: (Looking up, annoyed) This is a formal procedure, Mr. Aravind. We need to document why you are leaving "TechGlobal Solutions." Most people kill to get a job here. You are walking away. Why?

Mr. Aravind: Do you want the official answer or the real answer?

Mr. Saxena: The form has checkboxes. "Better Opportunity," "Higher Salary," "Personal Reasons." Pick one.

Mr. Aravind: Can I create a new checkbox? "Soul Crushing Boredom"?

Mr. Saxena: (Sighing) Sarcasm is not a valid reason. Look, Aravind. You are a Senior Developer. You earn a good salary. You have medical insurance. What is the problem?

Mr. Aravind: The problem, Mr. Saxena, is that I am 28 years old, and my biggest achievement this year was fixing a bug in a shopping cart app so people can buy socks faster.

Mr. Saxena: That is important work! Commerce drives the world!

Mr. Aravind: Does it? When I was in college, I wrote poetry. I wanted to write scripts for plays. Now I write code that no one reads, for people I don't know, to buy things they don't need.

Mr. Saxena: Poetry doesn't pay for medical insurance.

Mr. Aravind: And medical insurance doesn't cure the sickness of waking up every morning wishing you were asleep.

Mr. Saxena: (Leaning back) You are having a quarter-life crisis. It’s common. Buy a motorcycle. Go to Goa. But don't quit a stable job.

Mr. Aravind: Stability is dangerous, Sir. It’s like a warm bath. You get comfortable, and then you fall asleep and drown. I am drowning.

(Just then, Miss Kapoor bursts in. She looks frantic, holding a laptop.)

Miss Kapoor: Aravind! Thank god you are still here. The server crashed! The client is screaming. You need to fix it before you leave!

Mr. Aravind: (Calmly checking his watch) My employment ended at 5:00 PM. It is 5:05 PM. I am a civilian now.

Miss Kapoor: Are you joking? We are a team! We are a family!

Mr. Aravind: No, Miss Kapoor. We are a "resource pool." You called me that in the last meeting. "Resources need to be optimized." Well, this resource is offline.

Miss Kapoor: (Turning to Saxena) Sir! Make him work!

Mr. Saxena: (Looking at Aravind) He is technically right. He doesn't work here anymore.

Miss Kapoor: (Furious) Fine! Leave! Go write your stupid poems! See if they pay the rent!

(Miss Kapoor storms out. Aravind smiles. It is a genuine smile.)

Mr. Aravind: That felt... amazing.

(Lights fade.)

SCENE 2: THE COFFEE MACHINE PHILOSOPHER

(The Office Cafeteria. A few months earlier. Flashback. Aravind is staring blankly at the coffee machine. Raju, the peon, is wiping tables.)

Raju: Coffee machine broken again, Sir?

Mr. Aravind: No, Raju. It works. I am broken.

Raju: (Laughing) You IT people always dramatic. Drink tea. Tea fixes everything.

(Raju hands him a cup of masala chai.)

Mr. Aravind: Raju, are you happy?

Raju: Happy? I have a job. My daughter is in school. My wife makes good chicken curry. Yes, I am happy.

Mr. Aravind: You clean tables all day. Doesn't it bore you?

Raju: Sir, I don't clean tables. I make the place clean so you can work. My work helps you. Your work helps... someone else. We are all helping. Why be bored?

Mr. Aravind: My work helps no one, Raju. If I disappear tomorrow, the only thing that changes is a line of code.

Raju: Then change the work, Sir. My father was a farmer. He hated it. He sold the land and opened a tea stall. He was poor, but he laughed every day. You have money, but you don't laugh.

Mr. Aravind: (Taking a sip) You are wiser than my boss, Raju.

Raju: Boss knows numbers. Raju knows life. Go find your laugh, Sir.

(Lights fade back to present.)

SCENE 3: THE UNOFFICIAL EXIT

(Mr. Saxena’s Office. Present moment. Saxena is looking at Aravind differently now.)

Mr. Saxena: You really aren't going to fix the server?

Mr. Aravind: No. They will figure it out. They always do. I am not indispensable. None of us are.

Mr. Saxena: (Closing the file) You know, Aravind... I wanted to be a pilot.

(Aravind looks surprised.)

Mr. Aravind: You? A pilot?

Mr. Saxena: Yes. I loved planes. I applied to the Air Force. I failed the medical test. Weak eyesight. So I did an MBA. I became HR. Now I ground people instead of flying.

Mr. Aravind: Do you regret it?

Mr. Saxena: Every time I see a plane in the sky. But I have responsibilities. Loans. Family. I trapped myself.

Mr. Aravind: It’s not too late. You can still fly. Take lessons.

Mr. Saxena: (Sadly) I am 55. My eyes are worse. My back hurts. The dream is gone. But you... you are 28. You have 20/20 vision.

(Saxena stands up. He walks to the window.)

Mr. Saxena: Aravind, don't check the "Better Opportunity" box.

Mr. Aravind: What should I check?

Mr. Saxena: (Turning around) Leave it blank. Or write "Pilot." Write "Poet." Write whatever makes you wake up.

Mr. Aravind: (Standing up) You are letting me go? No lecture about career suicide?

Mr. Saxena: If you stay here, you will become me. You will become a bitter old man sitting behind a desk telling young people to be practical. I don't wish that on you.

Mr. Aravind: Thank you, Sir.

Mr. Saxena: Go. Before I change my mind and make you fix the server.

(Aravind picks up his bag. He feels lighter. He walks to the door.)

Mr. Aravind: Sir?

Mr. Saxena: Yes?

Mr. Aravind: Buy a telescope. If you can't fly the planes, at least watch them up close.

(Saxena smiles. A real, small smile.)

Mr. Saxena: Goodbye, Aravind. Send me your first book.

(Aravind exits. Saxena stands alone. He looks at the "Exit Interview" form. He tears it up and throws it in the bin. He walks to the window and looks up at the sky.)

(FADE TO BLACK)