I met a couple last night for the first time. They both live in
Hubby: So what do you do?
Me: I am into publishing but I work in non-profit sector, I …..
Hubby: (interrupted me with a saucer eyed look which basically said, WHY?) But didn’t you go abroad for your degree or something?
Me: (not knowing what it has got anything to do with my work and his knee jerk reaction) ummm yes, I did.
Wife: So why did you choose to work for an NPO?
Me: I don’t know. I am a policy analyst by training so apart from government (Which repeatedly rejected my attempts at getting a job there – I was even told by a man in one of the government departments that I am overqualified and over enthusiastic about my work to make a go at it in the power corridors of Islamabad), I can work in a research institute or organizations that work for people.
Wife: So how much money do you make working for an NPO, do you make much?
Me: (visibly uncomfortable, because no one knows how much money I make, not even my dad, in fact even I don’t know how much I make because my income tax deductions vary every month depending on my fuel consumption) …. Ummm I make enough money to pay my way around.
Wife: But that’s not enough na, you want more from life, naheen?
Me: Do I? I guess if I had more money I would have traveled a bit more but I like what I do and I …
Hubby: (cutting me short) But wouldn’t a foreign degree equip you for a job in a multi-national?
Me: I don’t know, I never applied in a multi-national, probably because …
Hubby: (Interrupted me yet again) But why?
Me: I don’t know, I guess thats not who I am.
Hubby: That’s rubbish. You are qualified and you should be able to get a decent job in a multi national. What are your strengths?
Me: (with sugar coated sarcastic smile) I have a lot of patience; I tolerate bad behaviour and stupidity.
Wife: that’s not good enough, we will have to bluff.
Me: Bluff? Bluff who?
(They started talking about me as if i am deaf and mute and cant really understand what they are on about)
Wife: She is tall and presentable and has a really nice voice; I guess she can be good in PR.
Hubby: Yeah, or may be promotions (Honestly, I don't even know what they do in promotions).
Me: Excuse me, what are you talking about.
Hubby: Don’t ruin your life here, come to
Me: But I do live a comfortable life and I don't like Dubai.
Hubby: Nonsense. Everyone likes Dubai.
Wife: (hand me her business card) Send me your resume and I will set you up with a few people I know. I am sure we can work something out in
Me:
Hubby & Wife: (in unison) YOU ARE (and left me feeling bushwhacked).
There is something wrong with me, no other living or breathing person meet characters from hell with this regularity. On another note, if this couple ever have any children, they would be so damaged that no shrink would be able to work his or her magic on them.
21 decided to speak up:
you need to clamp down on all this socialising that you do... seem to meet random people on every trip of yours.
that "i tolerate bad behaviour and stupidity" was a CLASSIC! :D oh and tell them not everyone likes Dubai. The great me hates its existence.
Hmmmm i can see it now, Tazeen sitting behind a rather ornate desk in Le Meredian dubai... all Jimmy chooed out and clutching a VII Cell ordering someone around on it in her "nice" voice.. Tazeen baat kar rahi hun...champagne kahan hay aaj ki...people have to let go you know.
Ha Ha... what a lovely conversation!
Sheesh,
are these people for real? I mean do you really meet people who offer you jobs? Can I meet them? I am desperately looking for a new job and would not mind moving to Tahiti if it means not seeing my current boss ever again.
The two of them were so concerned about your future and this is how you treat them? Tazeen I'm amazed at your insensitivity!!!!
You didn't happen to tell them about your MNC job in Manchester, did you? :-)
hahaha
tazeen, you sure as hell meet the choicest of people. First it was Mr. Colgate, then the abrasive kid and orgasmic aunty and now the dubai chalo people, start your own column called people I meet. Dont you have a Pakistani cosmo, try your luck there, they would want stuff like that, wont they.
they were so wrong, tolerating bad behaviour and stupidity are the things that you will need most in a corporate set up, along with some ass kissing.
Ask me; I am living the corporate dream in Dubai
Thank God there are still people alive who would work for NPOs and not find the corporate sector up theit alley...a diminishing,make that rapidly diminishing species if not already extinct.
Thumbs up to you then!
As for the couple, I'm sure they aren't the first one of their kind (the nature of the uttered inanities being the only difference) you've met, nor would they be the last...you must write a novel about them one of these days...the dumb, dumber and the dumbest of Karachi's corporate elite...
faras,
I wish I was the socialite you paint me to be. I stay at home and met these amazing people at a relative's home.
Faisal,
bhai you are mixing up PR with Guest relations. I may be able to do well in PR, but i know for sure that I will suck at guest relations.
zara,
no jani, we dont have cosmo here.
anyone from the print business listen to these people and give me a column.
I'm surprised that this highfalutin couple did not throw in an eligible corporate husband in the package for the 'perfect life' they were offering you.
p.s. i hate dubai too, its just a couple of skyscrapers in desert, don't understand what the whole fuss is about.
People can be thoughtless some time , but that doesn't always mean they're heartless. May be they wanted the best for you but then definition of best is subjective. Appreciate their concern and move on. Honestly, I would like to meet all these weird people you meet, they sound very interesting, not robots, not machines.
whats the legs for?
show your beautiful face.
(please don't be offended)
Wow. I've always thought that if someone tried to write Jane Austen-style novels set in Pakistani society, all the horrible Mrs. Elton type upstarts should come from Dubai. This dialogue just proves my suspicion.
i'd second with sumaira's comment as i cannot agree more with you in this regard & besides i doubt their sources to set you up in Dubai as these days things are somewhat different!
Han Solo,
I would like to meet all these weird people you meet, they sound very interesting, not robots, not machines.
Oh i never said that they were bad people, they were just a tad forceful for my taste. I personally believe that everyone meets interesting/human/funny/weird people, but they just dont know it. It actually takes one to know one.
Rabia,
You just gave me a fantastic idea. Thanks sweetheart.
I am really interested in knowing where do you socialize?
Greed is good! (from movie Wall Stree circa 1987)
Tez write this on a piece of paper, make a taveez out of it, and then wear it around your neck... So next time when some imbecile talks all things money, just flash that taveez to shut em up... ;)
On a serious note, it's a desi trait to always wanting to prescribe their way of life to others... so if you love what you're doing then simply ignore the bastards, if not, well, then, uhhhh time to look for that "real" job? ;)
Cheers!
HAHAH.
extremely amusing, i would actually like to see what these people would do to their children...
brilliant write-up .. read some other posts of yours as well .. totally enjoyed them too
The stuff i write are the rules or principles on which to think (those few that i have figured out and are quite invaluable in themselves)...your blog is a treasure to me in the sense that it is the application of those principles in so many settings.
settings that are very familiar to many of us...
interesting. tells as well as hides something about who you are.
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