“So Saurabh called yesterday,”
She was telling her friend. I had just come to my room from office to find a bucketful of clothes that needed washing. I carried the bucket and went down to the tap when I found them talking. Two women of around 35 or 40 years of age, sitting on the little stairs on the edge of the door, one on the lower stair. The one talking was massaging the head of the other woman, maybe looking for lice. Strange creature women are, at times they are so friendly they look for lice in each other’s heads and other times, fight as if they are mortal enemy. I went to the tap and started my wash as if they didn’t exist for me. I didn’t care anyway.
After few seconds of hesitation, she continued, “I didn’t know it was him. We never spoke before. I couldn’t recognize his voice. And suddenly he went by, Sister didn’t you recognize me? I was your neighbor in Itahari. Saurabh. And I was like, Saurabh?” She sounded sarcastic. And her tone changed, “He wanted to sell me insorance.”
“That bastard,” The other lady added.
“All those years, he lived just beside us. Never bat an eye on us. Never spoke, never even smiled at me. And now he calls. Why? Because he wants to sell us an insurance.”
“What did he say on phone?”
“He went by, Sister I was willing to come pay you a visit. When will u and brother be free? How is little nani. You should get her insured. We have really great plans for her.”
“What did you say?”
“I told him that brother has already got nani insured. He gasped,” They both laughed.
“So have you got nani insured?” The other lady asked.
“No”. They laugh again, loud.
Now the other lady began.
“You know, I was skeptical at first. People say different things about this stuff. You know, Sanjan, his parents had his life insurance done when he was a child and now when the policy matured he didn’t get the full money as promised.”
“Really. These insurance companies are all frauds.”
“And there is Radha,” She continued. “Her father was telling me that her whole wedding was funded by insurance money.”
“Oh yes, I remember that wedding. It was lavish and expensive. How did they get so much money?”
“They had Radha’s life insurance done when she was a child. They paid Rs. 29000 each year and after 22 years the policy matured. Rajkishor da said they received Rs. 15 Lakhs.”
“But that’s too much time. For 22 years. What if we move to different place or forget to pay the premium?”
“Well there are agents everywhere who will contact you and tell you when the premium is due. You can pay from any part of the world and be insured.”
“Yes, and these agents get nice money for selling insurance, don’t they? That’s why Saurabh was calling me as if I was his beloved sister. How low can people go to earn money in today’s time?” She became furious.
“Anyone can be an agent, you know. I think you should be an agent”, The other lady said. She added, “You know Rama, Poudel’s daughter in law. She earned a huge bonus last year.”
“Really. How many did she sell?”
“The rumor is around 30.”
“But how?”
“You know her husband, he is very clubbable and there is always a huge gathering in their house to play cards or carroms. She got all those people insured. And when she went to her parent’s house in Dasain, she got all her maternal relatives insured too.”
“Alas, my husband is just a teacher. Maybe I should visit his school and sell insurance to all the parents.” She grinned.
“Yes, you certainly can do it.”
“No, it’s a bad idea. You know what, I think you should be an agent. You have very good connections. You should apply.”
“You think so?”
“Yes.”
“Actually, I did talk with an Insurance company and they said that I should sell few insurances at first and then only they can formally make me an agent.” She replied slowly.
“Oh, that is nice. I will help you in finding those insurances.”
“How about we start with you and your daughter? I have got all the papers ready. All you need to do is sign them.” She stands up and pulls the other lady up
“But I don’t have money now? How much will it cost?” She says standing up unwillingly.
“Oh! don’t worry about it. I have everything covered.” The insurance lady said.
I couldn’t help but admire the salesmanship.
FIN
She was telling her friend. I had just come to my room from office to find a bucketful of clothes that needed washing. I carried the bucket and went down to the tap when I found them talking. Two women of around 35 or 40 years of age, sitting on the little stairs on the edge of the door, one on the lower stair. The one talking was massaging the head of the other woman, maybe looking for lice. Strange creature women are, at times they are so friendly they look for lice in each other’s heads and other times, fight as if they are mortal enemy. I went to the tap and started my wash as if they didn’t exist for me. I didn’t care anyway.
After few seconds of hesitation, she continued, “I didn’t know it was him. We never spoke before. I couldn’t recognize his voice. And suddenly he went by, Sister didn’t you recognize me? I was your neighbor in Itahari. Saurabh. And I was like, Saurabh?” She sounded sarcastic. And her tone changed, “He wanted to sell me insorance.”
“That bastard,” The other lady added.
“All those years, he lived just beside us. Never bat an eye on us. Never spoke, never even smiled at me. And now he calls. Why? Because he wants to sell us an insurance.”
“What did he say on phone?”
“He went by, Sister I was willing to come pay you a visit. When will u and brother be free? How is little nani. You should get her insured. We have really great plans for her.”
“What did you say?”
“I told him that brother has already got nani insured. He gasped,” They both laughed.
“So have you got nani insured?” The other lady asked.
“No”. They laugh again, loud.
Now the other lady began.
“You know, I was skeptical at first. People say different things about this stuff. You know, Sanjan, his parents had his life insurance done when he was a child and now when the policy matured he didn’t get the full money as promised.”
“Really. These insurance companies are all frauds.”
“And there is Radha,” She continued. “Her father was telling me that her whole wedding was funded by insurance money.”
“Oh yes, I remember that wedding. It was lavish and expensive. How did they get so much money?”
“They had Radha’s life insurance done when she was a child. They paid Rs. 29000 each year and after 22 years the policy matured. Rajkishor da said they received Rs. 15 Lakhs.”
“But that’s too much time. For 22 years. What if we move to different place or forget to pay the premium?”
“Well there are agents everywhere who will contact you and tell you when the premium is due. You can pay from any part of the world and be insured.”
“Yes, and these agents get nice money for selling insurance, don’t they? That’s why Saurabh was calling me as if I was his beloved sister. How low can people go to earn money in today’s time?” She became furious.
“Anyone can be an agent, you know. I think you should be an agent”, The other lady said. She added, “You know Rama, Poudel’s daughter in law. She earned a huge bonus last year.”
“Really. How many did she sell?”
“The rumor is around 30.”
“But how?”
“You know her husband, he is very clubbable and there is always a huge gathering in their house to play cards or carroms. She got all those people insured. And when she went to her parent’s house in Dasain, she got all her maternal relatives insured too.”
“Alas, my husband is just a teacher. Maybe I should visit his school and sell insurance to all the parents.” She grinned.
“Yes, you certainly can do it.”
“No, it’s a bad idea. You know what, I think you should be an agent. You have very good connections. You should apply.”
“You think so?”
“Yes.”
“Actually, I did talk with an Insurance company and they said that I should sell few insurances at first and then only they can formally make me an agent.” She replied slowly.
“Oh, that is nice. I will help you in finding those insurances.”
“How about we start with you and your daughter? I have got all the papers ready. All you need to do is sign them.” She stands up and pulls the other lady up
“But I don’t have money now? How much will it cost?” She says standing up unwillingly.
“Oh! don’t worry about it. I have everything covered.” The insurance lady said.
I couldn’t help but admire the salesmanship.
FIN
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