CHALLENGE 17:45

I remember watching The Flintstones when I was a kid. I remember how Fred always gets thrilled and cries, “IT'S QUITTIN' TIME!!!!” as he hears the honk signalling the end of the day's work in the quary he works in – how he'd delightfully board his car (with his tongue out), speeds home, parks his car in his garage with a crash, bursts open front the front door of his house, yelling, 'WILMA, I'M HOME!!!”

Sadly, (atleast for me) things have changed much since the stone-ages. . .

What do I do when it's my “quittin' time” at 17:45? Well, I gear up for the several hours' work ahead of me. I'm not alone – almost my entire team continues to remain at their desk heedless of the time. And, lately, staying back till the wee hours of the night does not arouse a “Jee... why do you stay up so late?!?” or a “That must suck!!!” from our friends and family anymore.

I remember a colleague once requesting leave for a Sunday (!). And when her boss asked why she wanted  leave (!!!), she'd plainly replied, “Sir, I really need to wash my clothes – I've none left in my wardrobe!”

...and another colleague who realized that all his undergarments have been soaking in soap for over a week and he had none to wear the following day (He couldn't bring himself to tell me since when he's been wearing the same underwear)!

...and my married team-mates say that whey they eventually return to their dens, they are always welcomed by their beloved wives giving them (just) the finger!

...and the gentleman who announces over the P.A.S., “The 5:45 pm buses and cabs will leave shortly. Thank you!” little knows that he's been cursed more times than an average human being is cursed in a lifetime!

If you can't find a way back to the stone age, here's my set of tips to anyone who wishes to quit office at their regular office quitting time.

Be a sinner - Your superiors would have (almost) convinced you that it's a sin to quit leave office at regular quitting time at 17:45, and you'd even await the jaws of doom for doing so.

Be a slow-worker – The faster you work, the greater the amount of work pushed into your gutts.

Be uninitiated – Your additional hours of work have a direct and almost mathematical correlation to the amount of additional initiatives you make in your project / work.

Be non-communicative – The more you converse and build relationships with your superiors, the more they'd feel entitled to ask you to work for extra-hours (without paying a pittance more, of course).

Be non-courteous – Don't greet your colleagues. Better still, ignore their greetings too!

Keep your health spoiled at all times – Superiors these days demand 'tangible' reasons to “go early” or “take leave”.

Lose your mobile phone – that's when you really want to be uninterrupted from work calls when you're watching that long promised movie with your spouse and kids on a weekend.

Decline on-site work offers – Insomniacs may ignore this point.

If you're a guy, undergo a sex-change operation – “Company policy” has it that female employees are not allowed to stay back late in the office. (Of course there are other benefits!)

Become a manager – Bear the grunt until you become a 'superior'. Leave office before way your sub-ordinates. Give them your mobile number and tell them you're more available than one can ever be.

(and finally...)

Aim for mediocre grades – If you don't and are reaching for those top-grades, close the browser and get back to work!

I welcome further suggestions from my dear readers...