It was Freak O’clock, I hated my existence.

March 2013

‘Hunger makes you find food. An Injury makes you find ways to heal it. A challenge makes you find ways to succeed with it. In fact, a tight tummy makes you demand a place to shit/pee.

Sir in life, a need demands you to fulfil it. Similarly, your cluelessness now demands for you to find a clue. This is not exceptional. May be this would make you find something new or lead your way in a different way altogether. But stop thinking about it. No problem in the world was solved by thinking why, how & when it happened. You need a solution and no solution on this planet came by sitting at a place or following a daily routine.

An exceptional problem needs an exceptional solution. An exceptional solution demands exceptional efforts.

Go for it Mr.Mishra. If ever I know a guy who could not only find a solution to this problem but also succeed in life with this solution, it’s YOU my friend’, said Choubey.

Night 2.45am. His newly rented flat in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai. I planned a stayover, maybe just to take a time out. I wanted a break from my daily #GetBack1Lac conversation. We did not speak to each other for a good 20 minutes after he just finished his words of wisdom.

You know, smaller instances in life at times can be the biggest life turning moments. Here I was, for the first time in the last 45 days. Somebody on this planet was trying to motivate me. And this someone was a guy who knew my dreams in and out and really understood me as a personality. More than me. Maybe. This was fresh and welcoming. I was lost in whatever he said. He made a super strong point here. I kept cribbing about the loss. I kept thinking about it. But did I do anything for it? NO. Maybe I could never get 1 lac at a go. But did I initiate even something that could get me 1 rupee? NO.

What was I waiting for? Where did I lose this arrogance in me? I was 135 kgs now, big darker eyes. I looked depressed by face.

Something struck my mind today. I am not going to lose this. Let’s find a way. Starting the next day, a new version of me was born — ‘Freelancer Krishna’

I was ready to do anything which could me even 100 rupees. For the skills I had, I could do people management, I could plan an event, execute it, host it, or even be a security volunteer or a ticket chauffeur for any theatre or event. I would do it. But I cannot do it full time. I have my studies which also has equal priorities. My time would be from 5.00pm to 9.30am in the morning. Let’s see what I could do best here. Again I started checking my contact list. With the minimal knowledge I had on MS Word, I made a profile for myself. Circulated it widely with the people I knew. From a local DJ to the production guys, to a few sponsor contacts, to friends. It was a month since I’d be out of college and I had a lakh to earn. Challenge accepted.

I had my first assignment. Host a talent show for kids. It paid me INR 4000 for 3 hours. I rehearsed for a good 3 days. This was a chance to be showcased at a local city level. I had to make a mark. And it did happen the way I planned it. I had some critical comments from a few junior artists and assistant choreographers from the film industry. I didn’t bother for it was coming from somebody who was yet to find their identity in the respective expert zone. As long as they appreciated and could talk about it in the future to others, I was happy.

In sync with the above opportunity, came the next big thing, a work which I cherish the most till date and could be one of my life-long career plans. I was asked to train a set of 35 students from a local studio in public speaking. Ranging from the age of 10 to 15 years. Again I spent 2–3 days rehearsing it. I was to be paid INR 2000 for my class.

For the first time, I was supposed to share my wisdom and thought with anyone. This in itself was more exciting than anything. I would create a perception for them, and I genuinely wanted to make it so large and positive that it would help them excel in anything they wanted to.

Needless to say, if you badly want something to go right. Nothing can stop you from making it right. I had parents of the children I trained talking to me in general for hours after I finished the lecture. I don’t know how, but that session turned out to be really emotional, a few kids cried. They said they had faced their conscience. Imagine this coming from a 10-year-old. Frankly, this was generation Z. In the age I was busy watching cartoon and collecting WWE or Pokemon cards, a kid now had faced his conscience and was positive about making all things he found wrong to be right. #Phew

INR 6000 — I collected until now.

Next up, not the best thing I could ever do (This is absolutely my personal view and perception). I was asked to host a private birthday party for a 5-year-old kid. A closed room function with 15–20 people around, I am supposed to streamline the ceremony and be a clown for the 5 odd kids here. Now, I wouldn’t call this a bad job. They paid me INR 5000. And as long as I was paid here, I could do anything (legal).

What went wrong were 2 things –

1. While I was hosting, the granny of this family asked me to shut the fuck up. My job was to get the kids playing. It required me to be active. And if you’re active. You would be loud. ‘What are you doing here? Please let us meet in peace. It’s been ages we’ve met. Please go.’ I had no reply for this lady. I sat silently in the corner for 2 hours.

2. Post the event. I had skipped my lunch, I was shit hungry and they had some amazing cuisines in this 5-star property. I was waiting for somebody to ask me for dinner. Nobody did. I was waiting for my payment while they were busy with dinner. Imagine, you’re hungry and the best of the food is in front of you. I waited for 2 hours. Everybody burped at least twice. Finally, the organizer came to me, handed over the envelope. I checked. It had the discussed money. He asked me to wait again, he called the waiter and murmured in his ear, which was pretty audible. ‘Did he have food?’, the waiter said, ‘I’ll check.’ He replied, ‘I will have to pay him accordingly.’ The waiter came back and said a NO. He looked back and said Thank you. Now, the reason he cross-checked was, if I had food, he would cut that money from my payment. Asshole. Inhuman. I had never ever been in a situation like this before. I belonged to a well-to-do family. Did I deserve this? Well for now, Yes. Had my family/friends been here, I swear they would abuse/thrash the shit out of him. But such things can happen.

Don’t feel bad about it. Face it. Give it back.

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