Member-only story
Two Hollywood Films Shaped My Life
I became an officer and a gentleman
It was the early days of my professional life — a time of transition, learning, and discovery.
Fresh out of engineering college, I had landed my first job at a power plant. Along with nine other graduate engineers, I was part of a batch full of energy and ambition.
Six of us had taken up an entire floor in a rented house in Moogil Kollai Street in Kumbhakonam, Tamil Nadu.
Though it was supposed to be a lively setup, we were rarely all together.
The power plant operated 24/7, and shift duties ensured at least one of us was always away, either leaving for work or crashing after a long night shift.
I was the only North Indian in the group. The rest of my housemates conversed in Tamil — rapid, rhythmic, and completely alien to my ears at the time.
I often found myself simply staring at them, trying to decode even a single word.
Fortunately, English became our common ground, a bridge between cultures, and more importantly, a wake-up call for me to start working seriously on my communication skills.
