Short Story: The Dark Prince of Consultancy

"Hritik Shah" He smiled. "My name is Hritik Shah and I'm here for the SQL Server Training." The semi fat lady behind the reception desk at Mudbari Consultancies looked at him from head to toe. He did not look like your regular recent college graduate stressed out about getting a job and starting a new life. He was well dressed, relaxed and had on some cologne that smelled good. "Hi, I am Preeti and I will be your office liason. Few others are supposed to be here within an hour then you will all be driven to your apartment, and tomorrow we will start the training." "Are you from Philadelphia?" She asked. "No, I just came to Philly yesterday to start my training. I heard lot of good things about Mudbari Consulting." "Yes. Your will like it." "How many people will be enrolled in this class?" He asked. Preeti moved her mouse on her screen and clicked on it a few times and said, "We have 8 male and 3 female candidates. I think it will be a good group. Have you had any such training experience before?" "No." He lied. He had lied on the resume he sent the consultancy company saying he was working on a convenient store for past 8 years. Hritik had graduated from college 10 years ago and he had landed on a very lucrative position at a Fortune 500 Investment firm in New York. Within 4 years he had amassed over $1.8 million in his bank account. With some fixed deposits and other investment earnings he was earning a steady flow of monthly money that was better than what most of his friends made. With the kind of job and hours he had, he had barely any time for anything else. Those 4 years were the worst time of his life socially. Even the relationship he had with his childhood crush could not withstand those long hours he put in. On the last day of his relationship which coincided with his last day of work, he packed his bag and left his apartment which he was sharing with his gf. After 4 years of intense job and lack of any social life, he was determined to make a change to his life. He had heard a lot about Indian consultancies how they provided room, board and training, and if you got lucky you got laid with the other female trainees. He then contacted Enterprise Logic in Houston and expressed his interest in joining the 3 months long Quality Assurance training which included room and board. For him, it was a sweet deal. He would learn a new subject, get room and board and be able to socialize. He flew down to Houston a week later and started his training. Enterprise Logic provided the group of trainees with a mediocre housing, a training venue and bought grocery for them. Hritik really had a time of his life there! He was finally able to socialize with people. There were even 3 Nepali guys and 1 Nepali girl in that group. While everyone else were trying to start their career, he was there to just have a good time. He did not try to block anyone's progress but he made sure to have a good time. The struggling girls who were at the training immediately recognized that he was loaded with cash by the money spent on outings whenever they got a chance. He had rented a nice looking BMW for this stay there. A week later he got laid with the Nepali girl after the whole group went out for a party and got drunk. Hritik was really having a time of this life. After 3 months, his first training was over. While everyone else was busy trying to pad their resumes and get proxy interviews, he quietly looked for another Consultancy. He found a similar deal in Dallas where he took the training for Business Administration. He had more fun there because he knew what to expect. Since his lodging and fooding were free, his only expense was his rental car and few other personal expense for partying, which were being adequately covered by his investment income. He was a happy man. He always made sure to woo the most beautiful girl in the group. After the training was over everyone went their own ways after they got assigned. Barely anyone stayed back at the same city. --------------------------------- This is the 5th year that he had been hopping Consultancies. He had gained lot of experience in a lot of major IT subjects and he decided he was going to do one more gig and then start his own Consultancy. He was the Dark Prince of Consultancy.