Topic started by Saketh on Wed Feb 16 20:05:31 .
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The Ten Cent Mole
The Characters in this short story are derived from reality and any coincidence is purely deliberate.
The world's leading solution provider, Fish & Lamb suffered a huge loss of $12 million in Q3 of 1998. The loss was attributed to the trend of people to go in for Laser surgery rather than contact lenses. The CEO of the company, Sinz Gone was aghast. He must be, for a company making a profit of over 20 million every quarter the loss was unexpected. Even more unexpected was the sudden resignation of the CEO and founder from the Board (or Bored) even as the result was in the process of exploitation by the Press. The author wishes to unearth the mystery behind the affair in the subsequent pages with your kind acquiescence. The author wishes to express his extreme gratitude to Mr. White who helped him with hints that led to the truth.
I
The world might be shocked to know that the shrewd Mr. Gone was one of most dedicated constituent of Astrology. It was on account of this faith he consulted his bona fide business partner, I mean his personal astrologer Swamiji Sam Lal Khan, a curious by-product of excessive literature survey in the areas of Tantra. The Swamiji had underwent tuition under at least 4 Swamijis, 3 of them serving terms in Central jails of high repute.
"Swamiji…"started Gone.
"Yes…you seem to be in trouble, son"
"My company Maharaj, is sinking…" said our CEO.
"I know…"
"You are great Swamiji!"
"The papers are full of your news, son"
"Maharaj, You are my Boss, help me" cried our CEO as tears drained out.
"Son, you have a peculiar problem. You were born on a day when the numbers were at 9 and you started your business on a day when the stars had you stumped. The two blunders have culminated in this loss. Adding number 9 to the Saturn which is again on a bad patch…umm…it adds up to 10, a very unlucky number for a person born on your day."
The Swamiji involved himself in a unique movement of his arms as though he knew that a silly ant was biting but not where. He ate some mantras and sprayed some powder all over our friend's face which evoked the kind of response you will find on small kids when after a long harp they have got what they wanted. The tears seemed to evaporate back to the reservoir. He was waiting for the generous spray of powder to cease to plead for an immediate solution.
Swamiji threw his eyes open. A ray of cold light seemed to have struck Gone.
"You have a man with a mole on his spine that is as big as a 10 cent coin. Evict him. Evict him for He is the Father of all your troubles. Go and find the man and find peace. Delay not for Delay can deal you with Death" said the Swamiji surprised at the alliteration he had picked up.
II
The Fish & Lamb Solution Providers was the site of agog activity. Everyone had something lingering in his mind. The words 'layoff' and 'suspension' were popular. However, no one offered to tell from whom he or she got the news, as the beauty of a Rumor lies in its anonymity. The CEO marched right into the cabin and in a minute availed his P.A. Mr. White at his place.
Having been briefed upon by CEO himself, Mr. White made it known that everyone of its employees will undergo a Medical Examination starting immediately. The whisper that was burying its head into the Rumor found new vegetation to feed on.
No one knew why a Medical Exam was being conducted. They were prepared for a Personal Interview. Rumors spread in geometric proportion but before anybody could think, their turn had come. Sheepishly they undressed themselves before the doctor meant for the purpose but they knew nothing of the background under which all this was happening. It was before long that everyone knew that the purpose of the exercise was to push out people but they did not know the criteria of this mysterious check-up. Sadly they never knew that their Fate was written at their back defying popular belief that the forehead was the writing pad of God.
Soon, 3 people were short-listed and a photograph of the mole was taken. Our CEO hurried to the Swamiji to show them and decide on who was the culprit.
"Maharaj, I have…" said the CEO while the Swamiji completed the rest with amazing accuracy.
"Show the photos"
The action was promptly done and Swamiji took a close look at them. His lens was put to use and at the end of a grueling half an hour, Swamiji called Mr. Gone inside.
"None of them…" said the clairvoyant.
"You mean none of them Swamiji…but?"
"Yes, all these fellows have different defects and that is not the defect you are looking for"
"What do I do now ?"
There was no reply. The mystery of the ten-cent mole was left to Gone to ponder over. Our CEO put a strong word in a fit of his anxiety but as the Swamiji opened his eyes he gleaned at them and promptly deposited the suitcase to one of the disciples.
III
Two days later a similar check up was done on the employees but of no avail. The missing person had to there but was not to be found . Or was the Swamiji wrong, but he couldn't be. He had in the past done miracles to Mr. Gone's confidence with his accurate predictions. He was the one who predicted that at the end of the ninth month after his first visit to the Ashram he would be gifted with a son and it was true. And then he had also predicted that his wife would die of hysteria. How can he be false? But after all, he was also human. He can err. The more he thought about it, the more he refused to believe that the Swamiji was wrong.
Sleep shunned him and he shunned food. After an enervating week, he decided he was going to handle the problem with an iron hand. He realized that being the CEO he could not be bogged down. His feeling grew stronger and stronger and his inner self even seemed to tell him that the person would be apprehended on that very day.
We should thank Mr. White for his kind co-operation with me in this matter. You should have seen him narrate the story with poignant sorrow. He told me about the mental torture Mr. Gone was enduring that my eyes turned moist. Mr. White added faithfully but sadly that he was the person who made it known to the CEO that his back supported the controversial ten-cent mole on its very spine.
Sakethraman
Binghamton
New York
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