Retirement

.. Retirement..

The Last few Months Of my Service period.

At Mati.Kanpur Dehat, Headquarters .I was due for retirement in November. didn't think of retirement or future life after retirement. Annual Inspection of The branch took place in July beginning, I was the Lone officer in the branch those days but had to manage inspection and Routine work of the branch alone. Of course with Staff support.

Later after a few months my joint manager joined the branch. I had a special type of bonding for the branch. And trying to wind up matters. Sitting alone. All other Routine was being manged by the Lady joint manager. My Last Leave Travel was also overdue. Applied for Only 7 days Leave, while I had much more balance of leaves. I wanted to spend rest of the time at Bank and particularly this branch only.

On a Sunday, while visiting the Regional office, Of Our Bank I, Came to know that Letter for My Transfer to Harjinder Nagar, Kanpur City Branch. Has been issued

And my Leave Request has been refused by the Deputy General manager, who was otherwise

happy with me and the branch Performance.

The HR Manager gave me a copy of the Letter. Some people used to come to the office on Sundays. I also used to come for sometime.

Immediately, I called Deputy General Manager and requested him to retain me in the branch till My retirement. And my LTC was The Last in the Service career. He Agreed for LTC but not for cancellation Of Transfer. Orders. Though It was a matter only of around 10 days only.

. I Wished to spend last days Of My Service-Period, at Mati only. Winding up things,finish whatever comes to mind. Last LTC leave for 7 days Only, To visit Rameshwaram. Applied. I wanted to keep it Short So that I may be able To spend Some more days At Bank..!

In the meantime, Instructions Arrived To Leave Mati Branch and Join Harjinder nagar, Kanpur,Br Immediately, I inform The Colleagues about it .

And Just. Call for, The Key Register, .Handover Charge Of the Branch To The young Joint Manager and Prepare to leave The Branch for Ever, without any Emotion . She calls for Sweets, Snaps.. Taken, Things Done in A Hurry.. I, Myself not realising the Moment. I was about To Leave the Place for Good..!

Cast, A.. Longing, Lingering Look Behind..!! 

And Come Out of the Branch as I used to Do before.after closure Of Branch, in the evening. A Routine..Day..

 . Yunus, on Motorcycle, takes me to Akbarpur Bus.Stop, Passing through structures, Newly Built Offices Of District.. Police, Kanpur Dehat Court

The Local Training Centre Of Bank Where Shrivastav ji used to call me for Distribution of Certificates To the Trainees. And Later Verma Ji used to drop me back to The Branch, So as to enable me to catch The Staff Bus in Time..!

. I take a CNG bus.For Kanpur And leave. The Place, Least realizing that it is for ever. I will no more come to this place. In future.

I Join the New Branch,The Same Evening... The Lone Lady officer of The Branch, goes on doing all work alone. I just Take A Computer. And with SOL - Id of Mati, (Computer access) do Something, , pass Some entries of SBI Reconciliation,With My Branch Head Powers.which I still had, try to Reconcile some Old entries.and do Some other work..

Regular Lunch with Staff ,is Taken, Together.

Later Go on My Last Leave Travel, to Rameshwaram .

I Return only after A Week.as planned.

In the Meantime, Aseem Tewari, The Branch Manager Of Harjinder Nagar Branch,joins. Spend some good time with All.

I just glancing and Scanning through Accounts Of Office and Personal,on Finacle, and Reports Server. After some days The Day of Retirement Arrives..

It Was a Saturday.. Half Day..! Doing Something.. On Finacle PC. .. Time is fleeting..

it is 1.45 pm. Mixed Feelings.. Association of 41 Years is Coming To an end... .A Pretty Long Journey.. Nothing on mind, just surfing.. On Computer... All Of A Sudden I Realize My Password is Sacked..... I am desperate.., assume it is by Data Centre.. Because of Retirement. It is sometimes accidental also.... Emotions Rise..!!

I feel, As if A Stream of Tears.. Is gushing out.!! My . Throat Choked....! . Heart says, They Would have waited for 15 minutes more.. What was The hurry..!. I Control my Emotions.. Carry on with The '' Reports '' Server which was Still available. To me..

Aseem Arranges The farewell, Sweets, Garlands, Snaps. With Staff, Later we go to A nearby Restaurant for Lunch. We depart..

Aseem Takes me and Drop me after 40 Minutes At My Residence.

Thus A Journey Of forty One years comes To an end..!

.

.

The Next day (Sunday).. .. Young Colleagues of Mati Branch, host a Samptuous Lunch,At A Restaurant, With Cake,Garlands. Some Snaps.

A Memorable Event., with Some Gifts.. I think nothing. At The moment. .. That it is going to be over.. Forever.

No more Long hours Of Work.! Annual and Half yearly closings, Branch Audits,

, Inspections.. Everything is Over. For Ever.

After some days, I See The Bank's Circular Of List of Officers whose Powers are cancelled And . Against my Name reason Written is ' Retirement' ' I feel That I am reading My Own ' ' EPITAPH.' ' I Just remain A Spectator. Of Happenings..!

..

From Next day We Start packing up for Greater Noida. Have to leave the City, where I lived with My Parents, Since Childhood...My School, College..!

We will be Departing..Soon..!

One day, I just Take A Long Walk, upto Mall Road, Remain in My Favourite, Good Old '' Universal Book Stall ''  which I used to visit Since my College- days..!

On 26th December. Or so. We prepare to leave The City . Household Goods, Car. Etc. Already gone.

Neighbours provide beds to spend the Last Night, on floor of the Room. Provide the early morning Tea, Snacks. Then

In the early hours of morning, Islam, The Auto driver, arrives, as usual, we take the Last ride to The Kanpur Central Railway Station.

Take The Morning, 6AM, NewDelhi- Bound Shatabdi...Express. And Thus

. Leave the Good, old City, And The Workplace, For Ever..! Often Difficult to believe..!

At The New city, nobody knows me in The Bank Branches I am A Complete Stranger To The New city..

A unique feeling Of Attraction ,At Bank's Branch, At the Sight of Fincle Computers , Which, were, Once an Integral Part of Our Lives..But No more belong to me..!

Finacle Still Haunts me in Sleep..night after night.

Dreams of Banking days, Colleagues.,The City Left far Behind..!

On Our Bank's Foundation day.. On 20th July, As a custom I visit The Bank's nearby Branch, it is well Decorated.,well Lighted on The Occasion,

The Joint-Manager, is keeping A big Box of Sweets, in front of him. Customers who wish, pick one piece of Sweet.. The officer doesn't wear any smile on his face..Stoic. Face.

I just Take a round of The Entire Branch, As A Complete Stranger, Nobody is known.... To me

The only familiar Face is that Of The Zonal Head Of Delhi. Zone Who is smiling in a Photograph, Near Bank's Notice - Board. Once I glance at him and Come out of the Branch...

Finacles Still kept on haunting me, in my Sleeps.

For a very Long time... Later.Gradually, The Old Books Of Accounts. General Ledgers,Registers replaced The Images Of Computers..!  The days of Manual Banking, Clearing Cheques, Registers often flash in dreams.

But Sleeps are never devoid of Banking-Life in some form or The Other..Strange, Bizarre Dreams.. I start getting up Late, No familiar faces, Places...! Don't feel like going for a walk..

And Time flows.. On....