I woke up at 5 am to get ready to leave home for the function. The cab came to pick me up at 7 am and then went on to pick up my fellow trainers from their homes and we reached the office a little after 8. I had a a big surprise in the form of an awesome looking tent (which was square) consisting of a black outer layer of cloth, a blood red inner layer of cloth and another black layer. Some creepers were placed on the tent to give it more of an authentic look. Inside, a table was placed and some lights lying on the table & a red cloth covering it. My crystal ball (which was just a small round lamp) would light either green or red depending on which switch I flicked with my foot. It was truly awesome and the center of everyone’s curiosity.
My AM’s dad (they are Sikhs) came over to tie a turban over my head, and I was dressed up in a black outfit that made me look like a black magic swami of a bygone era. Over the black robe, I wore some chains & other stuff and I had two awesome sharp metallic rings that wouldn’t look foreign on an medieval druid or wizard. I had my friends paint some tribal symbols painted on my forehead and they pasted a white beard & mustache – with fevicol – on my face. My AM couldn’t stop laughing and she kept snapping pictures. They will soon follow, as soon as she sends them to me.
I sat inside the tent and a colleague, dressed in black and a scary mask, stood next to me. When someone comes in, he would flash a torch at his face and say ‘boo’ to them and then they would have to sit on a chair while I took some bullshit in a fake cracking voice and let them ask me questions on their future. If I flicked the green light, it would be a positive sign on their future and if it was red then it was….well you know the drill. Some liked it and a few didn’t. No one except one stupid girl said anything negative and I know that it was personal but no one paid any attention to her. A few people recognized me immediately but we managed to scare quite a few numbers, including a couple of the Managers. The GM ran scared twice! :D
We took a small break at 1:30 for a snack and then were back at it till nearly 6 in the evening after which, the heat of the turban and the cloth were begining to affect me and my throat started aching because of the fake voice that I was using. I had to stop at that time and took of the robe. There were other games, like Flag Your Fortune, Place the bindi on Mona Lisa blindfolded, darts and a quiz, plus a vote for best man & woman. Another member of our team, dressed up like Swami Vivekananda and stood on a pedestal, expresionless. You had to make him smile or laugh in three minutes. No one could do so. At the end, as were winding up I made him laugh as I told him about a situation at work which I knew would crack him up.
I was quite tired and tried to relax with a snack, having had no lunch at all, and a coffee to sooth my throat. The crowd thinned down after 6 and only a few handfuls came after that, one bunch a time. I took a turn to making some of the kids play some games.
Overall, it was a fun day and I think the last few days leading up to it made our team a whole lot closer. And that is a good thing.
Song for the day – “The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me” – BRYAN ADAMS