Friday we had our company's annual Bash. Each year, company organizes a picnic-cum-gettogether at some venue in or near the city. In last five years I have seen in the quality of celebration is getting worse year by year.
In year 1999 and 2000, we (with our families) were taken to Lonawala, where we stayed in a 5 Star hotel (Fariya's) over night. We use to party, dance, enjoys whole night. It used to be a royal experience. Then company started growing rapidly, resulting in scaling down of Bash celebration. Next Bash was still in a 5 star hotel( Le Meridian) but in Pune itself and it was not overnight but most of us enjoyed.
As if this was not enough, the annual day celebration was cancelled for one year. The reason could not have been more bizarre. Our MD informed us that the events are cancelled to express our solidarity with people who lost there life on September 11, in US. There could not have been a lamer excuse. Quality took further hit for the next year, as we further moved down from a 5 star to a muddy resort(Corunthian) in the city.
This year it was special because Geometric has completed 10 years. We did not have much expectation because the venue was the same muddy resort. It turned out, we had underestimated the whole situation. First, it was scheduled to happen on 23 rd July. But since our MD had some 'official' engagement it was shifted to 20th August, just 3 days before the scheduled date.
We could see the flies on every utensil or food item. The function itself started 2 hours late. When people started having snacks during a break, they were meted with the rudest of the behaviour. There was some child NGO which was running a play. People were forced to leave their snacks to attend the play. Snacks counters were abruptly closed . Sentries at the gates wouldn't allow anyone to move any other part of the campus.
We are were only the employees, but most us were with our families. Everyone was appalled. No one expected such a behaviour. It seemed we were some prison inmates. I wouldn't have cared about the food as it was so filthy, but most of them did. There were many kids who were left crying, wives sulking as a result, whole family's ire was vented on poor hubbies.
What pissed me off was the curfew on movement. Having had enough, I said good bye to my colleagues and left the scene. I could only feel for the poor souls who had relied on company transportation. They were stuck for the evening.