If God Was A Banker by Ravi Subramanian

you order my whisky.'
    They kept drinking till two in the morning, and by the time the bar took the last order, both Sundeep and Aditya were dead drunk. Swami dropped them home in his new Maruti 800.
    Next morning, as Aditya was clearing his mailbox, a new mail popped up on the screen, titled 'URGENT AND PERSONAL.' It was from Swaminathan.
     
    Dear Aditya,
     
    The two years of working with you were full of learning and fun. You trusted us with large deliverables and we came good on each one of them. For us, your decision of leaving and starting your own company came as a big shock. We have now reconciled to your leaving us and going away.
    However, I have a small request to make. With you not being around, I will not be able to work in the same role. The credit for my success in this position largely goes to you. I do not see how I could possibly continue delivering in this role, once you have gone. I would like to request you to move me out of retail into some other unit, before you leave this organisation.
    I leave it to you to decide what is good for me. However, if it is not possible, I will not raise it till your last day at New York International Bank. However, the day after that, I will put in my papers and chart a fresh course for myself. I really do not see myself here without you.
     
    Regards,
    Swami
     
    'What an emotional fool!' Aditya knew that Swami was a guy who was seldom wrong and so it was next to impossible to make him change his view on anything.
    Aditya didn't have an option. There were another fifteen days before Suneel moved in to take complete charge. Before he came in and took over from him, Aditya moved Swami to a plum role in Treasury. Sundeep took charge of Swami's portfolio.

 
27
    S uneel Dutt was not new to India. He had worked in India in the late seventies and early eighties, before going to New York on a foreign assignment. He was said to be very close to Joseph Fernandes, who was the senior most Indian, and a very influential one, in the higher echelons of power at New York International Bank. When Aditya made his intentions on quitting known, Joseph had personally seen to it that Suneel got the top job in India.
    Suneel had a gorgeous Norwegian wife and two lovely young daughters Karen and Celina, aged eight and five respectively. Suneel's wife had refused point blank to come with him to India. After a lot of deliberation, they came to an arrangement that Suneel would go to India for two years and would go alone.
    Sunil was not a clean guy and his reputation preceded him. Bit of a wheeler-dealer, he would do anything to get his work done. For him, self was above everything. He was the kind of guy who would sell his wife to get a deal through. More akin to Sundeep than to Swami, he had the reputation of a Casanova.
    The Insomnia pub in the Taj Mahal hotel was host to the impressive welcome party for Suneel Dutt, which Aditya had organised. The top team of NYB was present in full strength. The key employees were invited, along with their spouses.
    Kalpana and Natasha were meeting after a long time. Both looked ravishing. Kalpana had put on a little weight, but it was fine. Any more of it and she would look fat. Today she was looking gorgeous.
    After all the welcome speeches and the goody-goody noises, the party was thrown open. Booze was on tap. The latest Bollywood numbers were rocking the floor. Zeenat Aman was the MC for the night. Suneel Dutt had marked his presence on this event too. He did everything in style. His parties were the talk of the town for a long time. When it came to parties, it was said, Suneel wouldn't compromise.
    Sundeep and Natasha set the dance floor on fire. Swami and Kalpana were standing by the side, Kalpana sipping her wine and Swami Thumbs Up as usual. Kalpana wanted to dance, but since Swami didn't really enjoy dancing, she went ahead and joined the crowd.
    Suneel walked up to Swami. 'So young man, will you ignite the fire in the treasury department as