'Intern'al issues

Ah! Just another Sunday morning I thought to myself, as I woke up to the persistent alarm ringing next to me. But as I rubbed my eyes and sat up, wondering why I had kept an alarm in the first place, it flashed. Damn! I need to go to office today, at 8 in the morning!

It felt weird walking into my office in jeans. But who cared! The 15 km ride on my bike had been pleasant and quick, and I walked in to my room feeling pleasant. I had a good feeling about my project presentation, as I waited for my manager's phone call. She called on time and the first thing she said to me was "I have a plane to catch in a couple of hours, Can we rush through this, please?"

Well, not a great start, for a presentation that was planned to stress on the details. I began, thinking if I rushed she probably would miss any hidden flaws. The second thing she said to me "Don't take this personally, Sumona. But your accent is a bit of a problem. Would you mind going a bit slow? I don't understand anything that you say!" I have a problematic accent! What would you call 'Sumona' then?

So far it hadn't gone well, she made me skip all the parts that I believed were results of the pure genius in me. I went on anyway. At the end of it, (rather she cut me short), and said "Sumona, there are a few loopholes in your project. With the given information, you have done quite a great job! But I'd really like it if you were more detailed and did a deeper analysis."

In the split second of silence that followed, several thoughts ran through my head. I had put in a great deal of effort! She never guided me in the first place! Did I really think that an internship would be this easy! Why couldn't she just accept what I had done! If nothing, couldn't she consider the fact that I was in office, early Sunday morning!

"So Sumona, you can take another week to work on the project. Can you present again, same time, next Sunday?"

All I can say is that I was glad this presentation was on the phone. Glad that she couldn't see my face at that precise moment. Tough work for another week, Sumona.