“So you are a Comical Engineer, Mr. Mahadevan”, Said Mr. Bose while interviewing me for my first job in a reputed software firm.
I chuckled thinking that all Chemical Engineers are Comical breeds of Engineers is what Bose intended to say..
“No sir. I am a Chemical Engineer..” I said
“That’s what I am saying, you are a C(h)omical engineer..” Bose said a bit aghastly. This time the ‘H’ was more profound and audible. Still baffled I went on to argue
“Sir I am a Chemical Engineer.. C-H-E-M-I-C-A-L (spelling every letter in the word) Engineer”… Bose was furious and it was later I realized that his Bengali Accent made him pronounce Chemical as “Chomical”.. Somehow I was through with the Interview but 2 years since the escapade I still appreciate Bose for his forecasting power and predicting my true identity – “The Comical Engineer”..
Bose’s Comical Engineer ended up joining the Software Firm (with many other Comical Engineers… off course). The firm boasts myriad of associates from a versatile academic background, different geographical locations and varied culture but having one common trait.. Each one is turely, deeply and totally a Comical Engineer. In fact we could have easily nominated ourselves in the ‘Guinness’ for staying in a place with highest density of population of invalids (that’s what Comical Engineers are best at..).
One of my first experiences of meeting yet another comical engineer happened to be my Project Manager. The work in any IT industry is measured in terms of Person – Days.. So if a work is allotted 10 Person – Days, mathematically it is equal to 10 Persons doing that work in a day or 1 person working on it for 10 days or 2 persons working on it for 5 days. Fortnately he was nt a Comical Engineer to the extent to have allotted 3.33 persons working on it for 3 days or to go to the extreme allocating the work to 4.5 persons for 2.35 days.. huh.. I somehow don’t digest the logic.. Can 9 pregnant women deliver a baby in 1 month.. “Mathematically Yes” is what he told me and started grinning.. Comical Engineers at their best is what I would describe it as.
There is a Golden Rule for Chemical Engineers by the way. Since we are neither adept at Chemistry nor in Engineering, we make it a point to talk Chemistry in front of Engineers and Engineering in front of Chemists..
“What if both are present”, asked one of my smarter colleagues in the Software firm that I work.. Stunned and clueless for a few seconds.. I replied..
“huh,,, We ‘ll talk Politics..(he he)…” (as its something the other billion Indians cant..)
22 months into the IT business after graduating in Chemical Engineering and now quitting the firm (before being kicked out..) and planning for a MBA in Marketing. That’s a real case of Identity crisis. And for the junta coming under such conundrums, there is one clan which will always welcome you - “The Comical Engineers”
I chuckled thinking that all Chemical Engineers are Comical breeds of Engineers is what Bose intended to say..
“No sir. I am a Chemical Engineer..” I said
“That’s what I am saying, you are a C(h)omical engineer..” Bose said a bit aghastly. This time the ‘H’ was more profound and audible. Still baffled I went on to argue
“Sir I am a Chemical Engineer.. C-H-E-M-I-C-A-L (spelling every letter in the word) Engineer”… Bose was furious and it was later I realized that his Bengali Accent made him pronounce Chemical as “Chomical”.. Somehow I was through with the Interview but 2 years since the escapade I still appreciate Bose for his forecasting power and predicting my true identity – “The Comical Engineer”..
Bose’s Comical Engineer ended up joining the Software Firm (with many other Comical Engineers… off course). The firm boasts myriad of associates from a versatile academic background, different geographical locations and varied culture but having one common trait.. Each one is turely, deeply and totally a Comical Engineer. In fact we could have easily nominated ourselves in the ‘Guinness’ for staying in a place with highest density of population of invalids (that’s what Comical Engineers are best at..).
One of my first experiences of meeting yet another comical engineer happened to be my Project Manager. The work in any IT industry is measured in terms of Person – Days.. So if a work is allotted 10 Person – Days, mathematically it is equal to 10 Persons doing that work in a day or 1 person working on it for 10 days or 2 persons working on it for 5 days. Fortnately he was nt a Comical Engineer to the extent to have allotted 3.33 persons working on it for 3 days or to go to the extreme allocating the work to 4.5 persons for 2.35 days.. huh.. I somehow don’t digest the logic.. Can 9 pregnant women deliver a baby in 1 month.. “Mathematically Yes” is what he told me and started grinning.. Comical Engineers at their best is what I would describe it as.
There is a Golden Rule for Chemical Engineers by the way. Since we are neither adept at Chemistry nor in Engineering, we make it a point to talk Chemistry in front of Engineers and Engineering in front of Chemists..
“What if both are present”, asked one of my smarter colleagues in the Software firm that I work.. Stunned and clueless for a few seconds.. I replied..
“huh,,, We ‘ll talk Politics..(he he)…” (as its something the other billion Indians cant..)
22 months into the IT business after graduating in Chemical Engineering and now quitting the firm (before being kicked out..) and planning for a MBA in Marketing. That’s a real case of Identity crisis. And for the junta coming under such conundrums, there is one clan which will always welcome you - “The Comical Engineers”
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1 comment:
A great article..One that truly left me in splits and at certain points, i could connect myself to being a Comical Engineer!!!A great thought and a great observation...the thought of such an article proves that u r an engineer, indeed!!!Cheers...Comical Engineer!!
--Anuja
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