Does it have to be so obvious?

I have been busy for almost 19 hrs a day with work; for the past week. But yes, I could still find time to blog. :-)

My state of my mind is utter panic and chaos just like the servers I am working on. I want to come out of this ordeal soon as I have my vacations planned coming Saturday.

I am working even at this moment. But I still wanted to write this away. What made me to write is the phone call 10 minutes back. I was getting this call incessantly while I was busy talking with my manager about how to overcome this critical juncture; about our product. As I was done with my manager, I had to call up another engineer to discuss about few things. While I was pressing the keys on my cellphone, I again get this call.

I picked up the call; it was one of my mom's old friend. Her daughter is doing her engineering in computers.
She wanted my help as her daughter had some doubts. Her daughter spoke and informed that she had her exams on Java and need to clarify few doubts. For the uninitiated, Java is a platform independent language developed by Sun Microsystems.

I absolutely don't have time for this nonsense now. Pardon my language, but this is my state. I am working day and night to solve a potential issue and someone wants to clear some queries on the phone!! These people can remember only when they need help. I still ended up listening to her, thanks to my charming ways and the disability to say a firm NO.

She wanted me to explain some technical concepts. Excuse me!! I am done with my engineering 4+ years ago and after college, I have never seen the face of Java. My domain is entirely different. I tried explaining to this educated poor girl that I have not worked on Java since a long time and have long forgotten everything about Java. She still persisted.

I did explain a few technicalities about my work and that Java, or any relative of Java's shadows don't come in my line of work!! Her mom grabs the phone and asks "You are a compooter engineer, you should know everything about compooter. What sort of engineer are you, you cant solve my daughter's doubts. You also learnt all these things in engineering right?

Yeah right!!!! Is it that obvious? I ask, tell me people, is it that obvious?

Just because I am a compooter engineer as that madam said, should I know everything?

Something similar happened during my initial months as a new joiner at work. I flaunted around and went about saying to everyone and anyone how I got a job in a large organization who are leaders in advanced technology and all that.

Some time later, a neighbor came to my home and earnestly asked me to fix his printer. Why? Because I was working for the same organization that has manufactured his printers as well!! I had tough time explaining its an entirely different thing and let alone fixing printers, I cant even insert a paper in the right tray of the printer!!

His looks were so mocking!!

"How much do you earn ma?"
"My monthly take home is XXX Rs Uncle"

"Oh...nice!! Just out of college and you are earning so much!! Call centre is it? "

Is it that obvious that only call centres pay you good? Or is that obvious that anyone can get into a call centre right out of college and earn good?

And this "You don't know that place huh? You say you were born and brought up there?"

So what?? I don't know.Is it have to be so obvious?

Period.