sonu kumar
Posted On: 09-04-2019
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Thirty Nine

The Gates Foundation’s head office in the United States is in
Seattle. It is where Microsoft is based and where Bill Gates lives. Apart
from that, they have an East Coast office in Washington. In New York,
they often work with their partners on various projects. Since I had
insisted on New York, Michael had given me a place on a Foundation
project with the United Nations. The UN world headquarters is located
in mid-town New York. On my first day to work, I walked to the 86th
Street station on Lexington Avenue. I took train number four and got
down at Grand Central Station on 42nd Street, walking half a mile to
the massive United Nations Plaza complex. After a three-layered
security process, I reached the office of the UNFPA, or the United
Nations Population Fund.
‘Mr Jha, welcome. Come in.’ A forty-year-old black man twice my
width met me in the reception area.
I entered an office filled with books and reports.
‘Olara Lokeris from Uganda. Worked with the Population Fund for
ten years. I will be your mentor.’
The Gates Foundation had granted 57 million US dollars to the
UNFPA to educate youth on preventing HIV/AIDS in African
countries. I had to make a report on the project’s progress. Of course,
I had no experience either in Africa, or in making a report.
‘I run a school in Bihar, India. I’m sorry, but this Africa ahd HIV
research is all new to me.’
Olara smiled. His white teeth glistened in his large face.
‘Don’t worry. Making reports is much easier than running an actual
school,’ he said.
Olara spent the rest of the afternoon explaining the various
databases maintained in the project to me.
‘Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania and Botswana are the four main
countries of focus,’ he said.
He briefed me on other logistical and administrative issues relatedto my internship. He also told me that work hours would be from 9 to
5, with a lunch break in between.
‘First time in New York?’ Olara said.
‘Yes.’
‘Good, I will take you out for a drink after work.’ : ‘Sure,’ I said.
‘Any preferences?’
‘Any place with live music,’ I said.
*
One month later
‘Dude, no. Please. I can’t take this,’ Shailesh said. He pushed the
envelope back towards me.
I had placed a thousand dollars inside.
‘It’s been a month, Shailesh. I feel obligated,’ I said.
‘Would I pay you rent if I came to Dumraon?’ he said.
‘No, but you are paying rent here. So let me contribute.’
‘Don’t be stupid. You are hardly here. You come home at 3 every
night.You leave at 8. We barely feel your presence.’
Shailesh was right. We had not met the entire week, even though
we lived in the same house.
‘How’s work?’ he said. ‘What exactly is your project?’
‘Tracking the progress of AIDS awareness initiatives in Botswana.’
‘Sounds noble.’
‘I don’t know about noble. All I know is I only have two months
left and there’s still no sign of Riya.’
Shailesh tilted his box of cereal. The box label said ‘Cinnamon
Toast Crunch’. Little sugar-coated squares fell into his milk.
‘You are chasing an illusion,’ he said.
‘Maybe.’
‘How many bars have you visited in the last month?’
I flipped through my notebook where I kept track of all my visits.
‘Hundred-plus. Close to two hundred,’ I said.
Apart from actual visits, I had also called up five hundred other
music venues. Nobody had heard of a singer called Riya.Shailesh gasped. He covered his mouth with his hand to prevent
food from spilling out. He waited a few seconds to chew the contents
in his mouth before he spoke again.
‘Madhav, I love you as a friend so I am saying it. You have to stop
this. She is gone. Wish her happiness. Move on.’
‘I will. But only after I feel that I’ve tried my best. Two more
months.’
‘I would say end it now. And why go back in two months? Is there
a chance of a full-time assignment with the UN?'
‘I don’t know. I’ve never really showed an interest.’
‘Stop living in the past. Make a new life. Look for work here and
meet other people.'
I smiled and nodded, He made sense. I was not interested in sense.
He finished his breakfast, Slipping on his shoes, he said, 'Come out
with us sometime, Jyoti has many lovely single friends.’
‘Sure. Let me know if you’re going to a live music venue.’ Shailesh
looked at me and laughed,‘Mad you are,' he said.‘Anyway, I better
leave or I’ll miss my train,’
*
I had a one-hour lunch break at the UN. Most days I ate a
sandwich from the Subway or Starbucks outside. Since Shailesh had
refused to take rent, I had enough money to even have a cappuccino
later. I had found a fixed corner seat at Starbucks from which to make
my calls.
'Hi, is this the West Village Talenthouse?’ I said,
‘Yes, it is,’ an older lady with a heavy American accent said, ‘Can I
speak to the manager?'
‘May I ask what this is about?’
'I'm looking for a singer.'
‘We have lots of them. Did you check our website?’
‘Yes, I did. However, I am looking for someone specific not listed
there.'
'Didn’t get you, honey,'‘Well, it's a girl, Indian-origin. She is in her early twenties. Her real
name is Riya. I don't think she uses that on stage.’
‘I can't help you with such limited information. Did you see her
perform somewhere?'
'Well, no. Actually, she is an old friend. I am trying to locate her,’
‘Sorry, getting another call, bye.’
She hung up. I had another sip from my Venti-sized cup, which
held over half-a-litre of coffee. Americans are into size, whether it is
their cars, bodies or food. I had ten minutes of lunch break left. I
called a few more bars and one more talent agency. Finally, I made a
route plan to visit six bars in the evening around the Tribeca area.

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