The people here are looking like Christmas trees. There are post-festival celebrations and everyone possibly got hit by a glitter gun on their way here. Our desks are lined with marigold flowers which are crumbling and making an orange-yellow mess on my clothes.

One such Christmas tree wrapped in gold brocade came by to invite me for some “fun time” in the cafeteria. I wasn’t fooled by the loose use of the word fun. I said I’d be there just to get out of any conversation but the tree kept looking at me with big, unblinking eyes. I started to smile but then it dawned on me that there were some monetary requests coming my way. “Have you made your contribution for the fun event?” The tree asked me; her tone lacked cheer all of a sudden. “No, I didn’t know it was happening today.” She said “200 rupees” as a passing remark and walked away.

I got called in for a meeting and was mercifully spared of what I hear was “lots and lots of enjoyable items” Then I spent the rest of the day telling people the specifics of the meeting, hoping to convince them that there really was one. Turns out the tree had told everyone that it was because I didn’t want to spend money. While it wasn’t completely untrue, I didn’t want to deal with any more sparkling people who are known to pursue a topic till tears run down your guilt ridden cheeks.