" Too legit to quit "

About 15 miles east of Glen Allen on I295 - one of the three interstate highways connecting Richmond, lay Mechanicsville. This is where Owens & Minor's new office building is situated. It's been just a month since people have moved in here. For the first few days it seemed like there were more plumbers and electricians than employees out here.

One thing that wouldn't escape your eyes for sure is the gorgeous cafeteria. Well it's quite a feast usually - steaks, salads, sandwiches, snacks, fruits bowls, soft drinks - bottled/fountain ...blah blah..lots more but hei ...... There is no free lunch mate..you got to pay for all this :-( !!". The menu changes every other day and newer tempting items appear. I couldn't help thinking about the canteen we had back in Bangalore.

Mingling with coworkers has not been an issue, probably because I had known many of them for quite sometime. Besides, people are very friendly. The work environment is quite different from what one could imagine from offshore. For anything and everything there are subject matter experts and your job is just to find the right person for the right task. Their efficiency and dedication are quite impressive. But having said that, they make sure that there's enough fun at work place.

Baseball is a big craze here and so is college basketball. Most cubicles are adorned with pictures of huge favorites - player posters or colorful team logos. I remember this particular incident when I went out for lunch with two of my American colleagues. A discussion about sports was going on and then one of them told me how crazy he was about football. And very innocently I asked him "So, you watch English Premier League..eh?" and he replied with a strange look "No mate, you got me wrong. I am talking about football..the real football". I realized my folly... and apologized...""Oh, Sorry I thought soccer!!".

"I have heard that India - Pak Cricket matches are supposed to be huge sporting events. Nothing can match the rivalry..eh?" ...asked one. "Yes” I replied hiding my surprise. So they knew that something called Cricket exists!! Infact they knew much more..might have heard it from another Desi.... I then had to take a crash course on the game's basics drawing analogies with baseball.

Ajith "2 legit to quit" Nair..that's the name they have given me. My colleague managed to get this printed for my name board. Here's what he explains "These are the verses from an early 90s song which basically means 'somebody who doesn't quit easily' ". Wow..thank you" said I and promptly pasted it on the board. "Actually you ought to be named FNG" he said.. "And what the heck is that?” I remarked. "Oh..just.. Fun New Guy!" he replied and with a giggle continued - "Infact replace Fun with the 'F' word and add an 'ing' !!"