By: P. Siddharth
----- DISCLAIMER ----Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events of locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Published in India in 2019 by NOLEGEIN A-118, 1st Floor, Sector 63, Noida, U.P., 201301 NOLEGEIN is an imprint of Consortium e-Learning Network Private Limited Printed at LAXMAN PRINT O GRAPHICS C-293, Sector-10, Noida-201301 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any from or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system without permission in writing from the publisher. ISBN: 978-93-87376-79-3
Copyright Š 2019 All Rights Reserved
----- Dedication ----To the Universe, for having inspired me to write this book. To Mom and Dad for everything. To all my readers, for your support and encouragement.
----- Acknowledgment ----To acknowledge some and not others, would not be proper, since everyone I have met in life’s journey has taught me something. I would like to thank my parents, sisters, extended family, friends, colleagues, and everyone else who has contributed to shaping me as a person. This book wouldn’t have been possible without living the life I’ve lived, so a big ‘Thank You’ to the phenomenon of life. Special thanks to my sister, Swati, for relentlessly helping me edit and revise the book to bring it to its current shape. Without her support, this book would still be lying in my drawer, unpublished.
---- About the Author ----P. Siddharth, an engineer by profession, presents an interesting perspective on the well-known issue of immigration in the United States of America. Having lived in India and North America, the author has faced the H1B visa conundrum and the struggle for a Green Card. Experiences shared by friends, family, and others in the same situation have led to the writing of this book.
----- Preface ----Have you ever wanted something so much that nothing else around you mattered anymore? Have you ever wanted to be somewhere, be someone, to be with a person, or have something that gives you a sense of purpose – the feeling that you are still alive and kicking in the race of life? We all have. And Aseem was no different. For the longest part of his life, Aseem kept chasing a dream – a dream he thought was his destiny, his aspiration, his life. While doing so, he forgot something very important – everything happens in due time. And time takes time. Did Aseem find his dream or did he, like us, give up on it to find a new pursuit? Find out in this story of struggle, friendship, love, and deceit.
----- Contents ----1. Where it all Began .............................................................01 2. Blast from the Past ............................................................15 3. Step Ahead ........................................................................27 4. Shock and Awe ..................................................................39 5. The D Factor .....................................................................55 6. All that Glitters .................................................................61 7. The Bubble Bursts ............................................................69 8. The Forbidden Fruit ..........................................................83 9. The Insider Job ...............................................................95 10. The Inevitable Insolvency ........................................................105 11. The Hapless Brother.....................................................113 12. The Week-long Wedding .....................................................123
13. Staying Alive ................................................................137 14. The Sacred Diary ..........................................................149 15. Born Again ....................................................................161 16. Walls have Ears .............................................................173 17. The Forgotten Chapter ................................................183 18. The Book Unfolds .........................................................193
GREEN CARD: Chasing the American Dream
1 Where it all Began November 2008 – Los Angeles, CA, USA “I’m afraid you might have to serve time in jail and may even be deported for breaking the laws of this country,” said the law enforcement officer hovering over Aseem. His piercing voice echoed in the cell-like secondary inspection room inside of the Los Angeles International Airport. The room was tense and the depressing ambience was heightened by the abysmal state it was in, which stood in stark contrast to the otherwise spacious and modern airport. Cramped and dimly lit, with a low ceiling, it felt like a dilapidated office, not part of one of the largest airports in the world. There were five counters, where officers called people for questioning. Behind that was a work area with tables and chairs. There were some rooms behind the counters as well, most likely used for longer interrogations. Unlike the aesthetically designed airport, this area was painted in dull, tobacco-stain yellow, with plain furniture and no decorations. Sitting there, Aseem reimagined the weather outside where he was unloading his bags from the plane, just a few hours ago. Through the minuscule windows, he had noticed the rumbling ash gray clouds and the bolt of lightning taking over the outdoors. They had made the typically sunny California sky look ominous. It was as if the grim setting was warning him of something dreadful that was destined to happen. And here he was. 1
Where it all Began He uncomfortably sat on a small chair, his hands gripped each other squeezing hard, and thumbs twiddling. Dressed in casual blue jeans and a cotton tee with a button-down suede field jacket, he was of a lean frame, with an olive complexion, upturned chestnut-brown restless eyes, and sharp, angular features. His shoulders seemed droopy when he walked, and his thin, silky hair hid part of his broad forehead, no matter how many times he flicked them back. An engineer, coming from a lower middle-class family back in India, he had worked his socks off most of his adult life to elevate his social and financial status. Since childhood, he had always been the serious one, partly because he was the eldest among his siblings. He always had a sense of ambition and responsibility, which came through in his studies as he worked his way meticulously through school and eventually college and university. He did not have many friends but Sid had stuck around with him the longest. The two were inseparable since the first semester in college and ended up as roommates too. Aseem did not have a large social circle, but he was extremely loyal to the limited group that was there. His ambition and hard work had paved his way to the United States, where he wanted to build his life, just like he had always dreamed. However, the journey so far had been more like a nightmare than a dream; he was beginning to doubt if he’ll be able to make it. It felt a lot more like a nightmare he had no chance of waking up from. “Are you listening to me? I’m talking to you. I said, you might have to serve prison time and then get deported to your home country. What do you have to say in your defense?” the officer seemed annoyed at Aseem’s nonchalance. The mention of prison jolted Aseem back into his senses. He looked up at the officer in shock, unable to digest the 2
GREEN CARD: Chasing the American Dream
2 Blast from the Past Aseem woke up with a startle, unsure where the noise came from. He had fallen in a half-awake nap where his old memories had enveloped him. Someone had entered the room with a bang. Aseem looked up and saw a law enforcement agent walk in and stand in front of him. Aseem felt a new wave of panic coming up within him as he didn’t know what bad news had the officer brought for him this time. He wasn’t sure he could take any more disconcerted revelations that day. “Aseem Bansal?” The agent asked him. “Ye … yes?” Aseem stuttered. “You are free to leave,” the agent said without any expression. “But I didn’t do any …” Aseem blabbered on without thinking and stopped midsentence. Then he realized what he had just heard and was not sure whether he had heard right. “I ... I can really leave?” He asked the agent. “Yes.” “But how, I mean who … how?” Aseem did not know what to say or how this had happened. “A girl called up and arranged a lawyer for you,” the agent informed him. “Girl? What girl?” Aseem could not think of anyone who would have done something like that for him. “Ss … Sam, something. It was an unusual name.” “Sam?” Aseem tried to think of who it could be. “Oh! Soumya!” “Yes, I think that was the name,” said the agent. Aseem thanked Soumya silently, feeling eternally grateful to her. 15
Blast from the Past America had introduced Soumya to Aseem in a software company they both worked at. Soumya, who started off as a colleague but soon became his friend, was a lot like Aseem in many ways. She had migrated from India to find better opportunities in America. She had taken care of her whole family like a responsible adult after her mother passed away. Her father became silent after the death of her mother, leaving her to take care of him and her two younger brothers. She helped her brothers’ education by sending money from America. Having adult responsibilities put on her shoulders at such an early age, Soumya never felt loved. She fulfilled their needs, sidelining her own wishes if she had any. After her bachelors, she started teaching at a local school, where she met Dev Kulkarni, a computer science teacher, who was very supportive of her. He was the one who encouraged her to take up computer programming. Her dedication and quick learning gave her the opportunity to work in America, where she got an offer from a multinational company in San Francisco. She was sad about leaving her family, however dysfunctional, but knew she had to take this step for herself and the betterment of her family. So, she bravely took it. Even though she was his friend, Aseem never expected Soumya to come forth like this for him, but she did. However, that was not his concern at the moment. He was more interested in how she found out about his situation. That was a question only Soumya could answer. The authorities escorted him out of the interrogation room and returned his belongings to him. Even though he was relieved on being released, he went home with a heavy heart at the humiliation he had to go through. Reaching home, he fell on his bed in despair, without even switching the lights on. His condition reminded him of a similar time and scene from years back when he sat alone in his dark room at his father’s house in India. 16
GREEN CARD: Chasing the American Dream
3 Step Ahead Aseem didn’t know how long he slept in his despair. The doorbell was ringing and it took him a long time to realize that it was not in his dream. He didn’t feel like getting up but he had to. He hoped whoever it was would just leave because he was not in the mood to talk to anyone. But even after his intentional delay in walking to the door, the doorbell kept ringing. He reluctantly got up and made his way to the door to see who it was. He knew whoever it was, was not going to leave without seeing him. He mumbled to himself and opened the door. “Thank God. I thought you had died or something,” exclaimed Soumya as soon as Aseem opened the door. “It’s you!” “Yes, it’s me. Why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost?” Soumya seemed perplexed. “Huh? What? No, no, come in,” Aseem snapped out of his half-awake state and stepped back to let her in. Soumya walked in and Aseem closed the door behind her. She switched on the lights and turned to face Aseem, who was sitting on the sofa now, looking down. She walked over to him. “Aseem, what’s wrong? I was really worried about you, that’s why I came over to see you.” Aseem looked up at her and said, “I’m fine, Soumya, and I don’t know how to thank you for all that you did.” “Oh, stop it. You would have done the same if I had been in such a situation, right? Anyway, all I did was call the lawyer at the right time. I’m so relieved that he got you out 27
Step Ahead quickly. Just look at you, it seems you’ve already been in prison or something,” Soumya said. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that. I’m sure even this wasn’t a pleasant experience.” “Yes, I am grateful that it’s over. Thanks to your help. I would never want anyone to go through such a dreadful experience,” Aseem managed to say. “I can understand. You know, the lawyer I got help from is a great person. He is the one I had taken help from for myself as well,” Soumya said. “Really! What did you need help for?” asked Aseem. “When I first came to the U.S., there were some legal issues that I needed clarification and help for. A friend suggested me to go to this lawyer for advice and I did,” Soumya told Aseem. “Oh, it’s a good thing, you still had his number,” Aseem said. “Of course, I did. Some time back I had been in a similar situation as yours and I called the same lawyer back then too,” she replied. “I didn’t know this. You never told me what happened.” “I didn’t want to bother you with my problems. You already have enough of your own to deal with. It was mostly routine legal procedures and some other issues I’ll tell you all about later. First, tell me what happened there, if you think you can talk about it now?” Soumya said. Aseem told her everything that happened with him at the airport. He felt a little better after sharing his story with a friend, even though he did not want to relive that experience again. “I can’t even imagine the horror you must have gone through Aseem … It is always the innocent who bear the brunt of a few bad eggs. But thank God you’re out of it now and hopefully, with the help of our lawyer, you won’t have to get in any situations like this ever again,” Soumya reassured him. Aseem looked at Soumya and gave a relieved smile, “Yes, thank God for that. Do you think we can arrange a meeting with 28
GREEN CARD: Chasing the American Dream
4 Shock and Awe October 1999 – New Delhi, India Aseem didn’t want to lag behind professionally in any way, so he started learning the new technologies, which according to his résumé he was supposedly an expert in. Clearing the interview and getting the offer was just one step. The main hurdle was obtaining the H1B visa. After a wait of few months, a letter arrived from the U.S. Consulate, informing him of the visa approval. “Hurray!!!” Aseem shouted in excitement, “Thank God for listening to my prayers.” The year 1999 was coming to an end and by that time most of the coding on Y2K had been done. The software developers were conducting testing and verification activities to ensure there was no Armageddon on Jan 1, 2000. Aseem wasn’t sure if Serendipity was even interested in sending him for Y2K projects since they were already being wrapped up. He visited Serendipity’s local offices with the letter to inquire about the steps to take next. “Hello, Sir,” he greeted the recruiting manager, Mani. “Hi, what can I do for you, young man?” Mani asked, gesturing him to sit. “I received this letter from U.S. Consulate for stamping, what should I do?” Aseem handed the letter to Mani. 39
Shock and Awe “Hmm, I see, you were hired for Y2K, weren’t you?” Mani’s response spelled danger for Aseem. “Yes sir, but I know other software technologies as well. I have been working for the last two and a half years in C++ and SQL coding.” “Seems you are in luck. After the demand for Y2K slowed down, dotcom boom happened in the U.S. and the demand for web programmers is on the rise,” Mani explained. “What technologies for web programming are in demand?” Aseem asked. “ASP and Java – you can learn them very easily,” Mani made these technologies sound like they are child’s play. “Take a crash course if you want.” Within two weeks of sending the passport to the U.S. Consulate, Aseem received it with the U.S. visa stamp. He was elated. It was finally time for him to travel across the seven seas to the land of opportunities. Serendipity Inc. booked Aseem’s ticket for New Jersey, U.S. and provided him with a checklist of things he would require for his journey and initial stay. Along with the enlisted items, he also purchased a book on ASP to gain some insights into the technology in the few days he had before flying to the U.S. Serendipity Inc. had pre-booked everything for him, except for vegetarian meals on the flight. As a result, he landed in the U.S. tired and hungry. However, the delicious aroma of Sambhar, a south Indian delicacy, cooking in the company-funded guesthouse, gave him some comfort. He was welcomed there by his housemates. Sanjay and Babu were from Andhra Pradesh, both in their early 30s. Sanjay was tall, fair, and medium built, while Babu was plump with medium height and dark complexion. Murugan from Tamil Nadu had a charming personality and 40
GREEN CARD: Chasing the American Dream
5 The D Factor March 1998 – New Delhi, India Soumya had lost her mother at a very young age, leaving her as the only girl in the house. She felt lost in a household where testosterone ruled. Her father, though alive, gave up the will to continue living after his wife passed, this left the responsibility of raising Soumya’s two younger brothers on her young shoulders. Perhaps she assumed it so well that no one bothered taking it away from her. She was taller than the average Indian girl, with broad cheekbones, an innocent, heart-shaped face, deep-set almond eyes, and lips turned upward as in a perpetual smile. On first glance, she looked very assertive as opposed to the intensely emotional person that she was. Her physical characteristics masked her emotional vulnerability quite well. By the time Soumya was 12, she was already an expert at cooking, cleaning, washing clothes while also taking care of her eight and six years old brothers. Despite all these hardships, Soumya was a consistently good student, managing to score high grades in school. Her father’s clerical job didn’t bring in enough income to hire a domestic help to take some load off her fragile shoulders. Every night, without fail, when she went to bed, tears streamed down her cheeks and she missed her mother. She missed her more with every passing day, often questioning God’s decision and talking to her mother in her sleep. 55
The D Factor “Mom, you see me lost without you, don’t you? I don’t even have the courage to end my life. In spite of no desire left to live, I carry on, sleepwalking through life. If you are listening to me, mom, give me the courage to help myself at least. Give me some conviction, some self- respect. I don’t want to be this dustbin that I have turned into. Please give me something to live for, please let me fulfill my ambitions. Please give me courage and strength. Otherwise, life is a slow poison for me, I am losing myself, losing my desires, losing contact with the world and myself. I only do things for others, never for myself. I don’t even know what I want. I am only happy and feel a little content when I feel that someone needs me. Else, I feel totally wasted. And I just can’t go on like this. Will someone show me the way to happiness, to faith, to self-respect, will you Mom? Will you, God?” All night she poured out her soul to God and her mother, calling upon them to help her survive the ordeal called life. Growing up, she never felt loved. She was just needed by her family. Her father had become so emotionally desensitized that he never realized he was doing injustice to his own daughter who had nothing to do with his wife’s death. She kept responding to the needs of her family, sidelining her wishes if she had any. Her brothers took her for granted and neither of them cared about the pain she was going through. After completing her bachelor’s degree in science, she started teaching physics to fifth-grade students at a local school. It was there that she met Dev Kulkarni who altered the course of her life. Dev was teaching computer science at the school for the last four years. The students loved his classes as he never bored them with theoretical lectures. He was friends with all other teachers but it was very hard for him to break the ice with Soumya. He had seen her dedication to the students as well as her aloofness in the teacher’s room. She hardly talked to anyone. He had tried 56
GREEN CARD: Chasing the American Dream
6 All that Glitters July 2000 – San Francisco, U.S. Aseem had finally found some stability in his life by July. He was earning a regular paycheck and had finally settled into a rented apartment that suited him well. With Independence Day holiday just around the corner, Soumya had been pestering him and other colleagues for a weekend getaway to Yosemite. Aseem realized it would be foolish of him to decline the offer. After all, Yosemite National Park is one of the first national parks in the U.S., known for its natural beauty, huge rock cliffs, beautiful waterfalls, and giant Sequoias. Finally, they were headed to Yosemite and Aseem couldn’t be happier. Soumya was the life and soul of the group. Without her, they would have been just a bunch of guys sitting around and watching TV or discussing politics over a cup of coffee. She dragged them to various destinations over long weekends and meticulously planned the holidays. This was Soumya’s way of getting over the dull, aching pain in her heart that gnawed at her every moment by missing her mother, her family, and most of all, Dev. She never understood why he disappeared and never contacted her despite her trying to call him for a long time after landing in the U.S. She couldn’t find him on any social network either. The moment she sat alone and had time to think, she would ponder on her life and its painful past. 61
All that Glitters The memories would bring back the dark cloud of depression raining down on her to the point of feeling all alone in this whole universe and the desire to end her existence. Her best way to cope was to keep herself so involved with others and so busy with her work that she never had to sit and think about the past. With reservations unavailable for any hotel or cabin inside Yosemite, Soumya booked a motel just outside the park. The motel came with a river view and the white-water rafting point was close. They all looked forward to rafting in the wild waters of the Merced River, although none of them knew how to swim. They started on Friday afternoon in a rented minivan. Most of the driving was done by Soumya or Ankur. They were exhausted after the journey and ended up ordering some cheese pizzas and drinks from the limited choices available on the menu. As night fell, the silence of the wilderness took over. The night sky was resplendent with a myriad of stars – a view never seen in urban areas. Aseem’s mind was fascinated and pacified by the sight. For once in his life, he was not worried about anything. Serenity engulfed him as he stood near the Yosemite falls, the mist from the fall drenching him with its tiny droplets. Shivering yet lost in bliss, he remained there soaking every cell of his being, until Ankur shouted out for him to join the group in the car. On the drive back to the motel, Aseem didn’t speak much. He was reminiscing about the images he had just seen. Cameras couldn’t have captured the ethereal beauty of the place. If someone told him it was heaven, he would have believed them wholeheartedly. The group went to bed early as they had the river rafting trip the following morning. Anxious and excited, the group reached the rafting company’s office at 8 a.m. the next morning, to be greeted by their rafting guide and other rafting aspirants. They were briefed on the dangers, and dos and don’ts of white-water rafting, as well as the safety tips. They changed into 62
GREEN CARD: Chasing the American Dream
7 The Bubble Bursts Returning to San Francisco was like breaking out of a beautiful dream. As soon as they returned back to work after the long weekend, they woke up to an ugly reality. The dotcom boom in the country went kaput and the bubble burst. Stock markets crashed and companies went out of business. Aseem’s company also suffered as it was unable sell its newly-developed investment management software due to the slow market. The venture capitalists told them to become self-sufficient as soon as possible because another round of funding seemed improbable in those conditions. The company couldn’t afford the hourly rate it was paying to the consultants and offered to hire everyone directly. They started having talks with the parent companies of all consultants to see if anyone had any objections. Aseem’s company didn’t have any issues and he was relieved. Marketing staff geared up and tried their best to sell the product but the deals never went through. Everyone became extra cautious and didn’t want to spend money on a new piece of software worth couple of million dollars. One fine day, the CEO called a staff meeting in the morning. He made small talk before dropping the bombshell, “We’re going out of business,” he said with a flat face. Aseem’s heart skipped a beat and he almost choked. “Why does this happen wherever I go? Misfortune seems to be fond of me ...” He mumbled in despair. 69
The Bubble Bursts It was a tough day for Aseem and when he started saying goodbye to his colleagues, everyone else was upset as well. Most of them were worried about their visa status. “I don’t know if I’ll get a new project. If my company can’t place me somewhere within 15 days, I’ll have to leave this country by law,” Aseem overheard Ankur talking to Tanuj. “I don’t want to be illegal here.” “I have no idea what the future holds for me,” Aseem was deep in thoughts when the sound of someone’s footsteps broke his reverie. “Aseem, what are your plans?” asked Soumya. “My company is sending me to Virginia on a project. Don’t forget to fill your personal email address and cell phone number in the spreadsheet I emailed you.” Despite the fact that Aseem had known Soumya for just a few odd months, she had become his best friend in the U.S. And now that she was going away to Virginia, he still didn’t know what destiny had in store for him. Plus, Virginia was far away and he would miss seeing her every day. That was the only thing he was sure about at that time. They were on the same mental wavelength and she had always been a genuine friend, one he could count on. The bond they shared had strengthened after the Yosemite rafting incident. “Why can’t the good times last, and why don’t the bad times ever leave?” Aseem said to Soumya, taking her hand in his, afraid of the strange feeling he had started experiencing when she was around. “Oh, Mr. Philosopher, it seems like you’ve been thinking a lot,” she was amused at his sudden thoughtful mood. “Not exactly, but I’m sure I’ll be facing a chain of interviews with different names once again. On one call, I will be Aseem and on another, I might be Victor!” Aseem complained, and they both broke into a laughter. 70
GREEN CARD: Chasing the American Dream
8 The Forbidden Fruit January 2005 – Los Angeles, US It was just another day at work. Aseem had been given a laptop by the company in addition to his regular desktop. He had requested it quite a while ago but approval process took its own sweet time. However, he was glad about the wait because the laptop in his hand was a beauty. He was excited to finally have a laptop of his own. It was strange how the simplest of things made him happy now. He didn’t remember being the same way back in India. Although life in India was never easy for him and his family, he still had his loved ones to fall back on. Being the eldest son, he was always pampered at home and there were a lot of things that he took for granted. He realized it only now when he had to move mountains to get even the smallest bit of happiness in life. Aseem played around with his new laptop in a bid to explore its functions and specifications. He sent a test print command and went off to the shared printer to check if it printed. He picked up the printout placed on the top assuming it was his and walked back to his cubicle. When he finally got the chance to see the printed document, he was shocked. It was obviously someone else’s document and it was something he couldn’t believe to be true. He looked around cautiously to see if the owner of that printout hovered around the printer. His heart was suddenly beating faster, much against his will. 83
The Forbidden Fruit Aseem thought of letting the matter go but then decided against it. There was this tiny voice inside of him that told him to inform someone about the document. But who? His mind raced. The first and only name that came to him was Timothy. It was a good thing that he had now been relocated to the California office. During his time at JK Investments so far, Aseem had developed a healthy professional relationship with Timothy, and started calling him Tim as he preferred it that way. They were both experts in their respective fields and it was only a matter of time before they developed sound respect for each other and their work. He picked up his desk phone and dialed the extension to Tim’s office. Upon getting through to Tim, Aseem carefully worded his sentences and told him there was something important that they ought to discuss. He was mindful of mentioning that the same couldn’t be done within the office premises, so they decided to meet during lunch hour at a café nearby. Two hours later, they were seated at a small table at the café where Timothy had invited him to discuss what Aseem said was urgent and confidential. Aseem was visibly nervous, tapping his fingers on the table as they waited for the waitress to leave after taking their lunch orders. As soon as the perky waitress left their table, Aseem got to the point. “Look, Tim, I have come across some information that might be detrimental to the company’s interests,” Aseem spoke in a hushed tone. “Oh, what’s that about?” Tim sounded curious. “First, you need to give me your word that you won’t tell a soul about it and not ever mention my name, even if you use the information to do what needs to be done,” Aseem could hear his own voice ringing in his ears. “You have my word,” Timothy assured him. 84
GREEN CARD: Chasing the American Dream
9 The Insider Job March 2006 – Los Angeles, U.S. A whole month had passed and nothing changed. If anything, things just got worse. Aseem’s green card dream still seemed too far-fetched. He could only hope and pray every day for his pending legal immigration case to be approved soon. However, the only thing the media and politicians seemed to be concerned about was illegal immigration. No one gave a damn about a handful of legal immigration aspirants, who would patiently wait out their course or move back to either their home country or another developed nation that would offer them better money and lifestyle than their homeland. Aseem was obsessed with the immigration system in the U.S. He would often read stories from people on various immigration forums – stories of the people just like him who had been struggling for a green card despite being highly qualified. He could relate to their sufferings, not entirely but to a great extent. It made him feel humble that his situation was a lot better than so many others. It also made him feel that he was not alone in all this mess. Then, there were similar stories across the media about people who broke laws, came to the country illegally, married to a U.S. citizen, and got their green card in just a matter of months. It somehow didn’t matter what their immigration status was before all that. 95
The Insider Job All the authorities were concerned that these people had no track record of a major felony and they were married to a citizen that made them entitled to permanent residency in the country. For Aseem, it seemed that the life wasn’t fair and the thought would often creep up on him, eating him from the inside. As much as he tried to push the feeling away, it always came back to haunt him. The archaic immigration system was the bane of green card aspirants from countries like India and China, where there was no dearth of an educated workforce. Hordes of educated individuals from there had come to the U.S. in search of a better life and career. Although America welcomed them as temporary labor, the rules governing the process of making them permanent residents were still based on the legislation passed half a century ago, when technology had not created a high demand for engineers in the U.S. workforce. When these qualified professionals leave their homelands in search of the so-called American dream, they are starry-eyed with the euphoria of reaching the most sought-after destination in the world. Little do they know at that time that they’ll never find the dollar tree and money will become a scarce commodity. They’ll have to slog hard to achieve what they dream. Life in the U.S. is not a piece of cake, the way it seems from afar. There’s no free lunch, as they say. Everything has a price and sometimes the price these dreamers have to pay is not worth all the trouble they have to go through. To top it all, illegal immigration became a huge issue at the time of elections, but no politician ever raised a cry about the loopholes and injustice of the entire immigration process. It did not matter to their vote bank. Every few years, an amnesty scheme would be introduced, debated, and passed, giving the illegal immigrants a chance to apply directly for the green card. It would be through a fast-track process, without any documents, not caring if they broke the law in the first place by 96
GREEN CARD: Chasing the American Dream
10 The Inevitable Insolvency The year was 2007 and the economy was worse than it had been at the time of the dotcom bubble burst in 2000. The two wars had already increased the trade deficit to an amount unheard of in the history of the country. Euro was gaining ground and dollar was getting weaker across the world. Talk show hosts and news anchors were leading the bandwagon in spreading paranoia over the impending economic depression. There were widespread concerns about how the U.S. would struggle to keep afloat as an economy, given that it was the top-ranking economy in the world. Aseem had already suffered through two layoffs previously. And listening to the speculations on news channels gave him an impending sense of doom. He couldn’t stop thinking about the possible impact of the growing recession on the employment levels. Maybe, just maybe, he had another firing in his near future. Housing interest rates were rising and those who had purchased homes through variable rate loans were facing increased monthly installments. Some of them couldn’t afford the high payments and had their homes foreclosed. This issue was even more prominent for borrowers with bad credit or sub- prime loans. TV channels were abuzz with the news coverage of people being thrown out of their homes and the panic that ensued. There was increased activity at JK Investments and a lot of pep talk was being fed to the employees to increase their productivity. 105
The Inevitable Insolvency Aseem heard hushed talks at the lunch table in his office about an impending layoff at the company. He just crossed his fingers and said a little prayer to keep the company and his job safe. He needed it for his family – they had high expectations of him. In the heyday of subprime loans, interest rates were so low that someone with an income of $40,000 a year could afford a house worth $300,000. The interest rates were as low as 1% and everyone qualified for the loans. There were loan programs where even the income of the applicant was not required to be verified. There was a surge in loans and every company wanted to make a quick buck on the loan fees. These loans were sold to the big players in the market, so the more money the companies lent, the more fees they made. They did not care about the monthly installments or if the borrower made their first payment or not. Some of those loans defaulted within the second month, but the lenders just wanted their money, even if it meant cheating senior citizens out of their life savings or showing false dreams to low-income families. The American dream was a beautiful mirage in a scorching desert. Within a hand’s reach, but not really there. It had become too achievable to be true. Then the mirror shattered and the grim reality started bringing the economy down. The ripple effect manifested and industries as the stock indices kept swinging down. On a gloomy Friday at work, a meeting was called with all the bigwigs of the company and a layoff of 100 employees was announced. Aseem was told not to panic as it was just a preventive measure to help the company meet its projected revenue. The IT department was still safe from the layoffs, so Aseem was a bit relieved. He was, however, quite upset to see the faces of the ones who were laid off. Some were crying their eyes out, others were quietly packing their belongings and pondering what to do next. In most 106
GREEN CARD: Chasing the American Dream
11 The Hapless Brother February 2008 - Los Angeles, USA This was the third time Aseem had been laid off from his job. Following the announcement, he remained numb for a few minutes. He wanted to cry and shout out of frustration and anguish. Even though he had been expecting the layoff for a while now, it still hurt badly. Strange, he thought, I have been through this twice before. I should be used to it by now. Despite the sadness that had overtaken him, there was an unexplained feeling of relief. His time at JK Investments had not been so good. Of course, there was the grief of losing his job once again, but at the same time, a small part of him was happy that he could get away from the hell this place had become for him. Why? All because he had decided to do the right thing. He had picked fight with the wrong guys – never again, he thought to himself. Everyone at the office was in a pensive mood. They silently gathered their belongings and called their family and friends to break the bad news to them. Wistful yet thankful that this happened at the right time, Aseem started job hunting in the faltering economy. It was already 180 days since he filed his application, which meant he was free to look for another job. He posted his resume on the job sites and patiently waited for a response. Most of the responses came from mid-layer consulting companies who wanted to place him at one of their clients. His first job experience in the U.S. had terrified him and he was wary of repeating it. 113
The Hapless Brother Therefore, he didn’t entertain such calls and kept looking for a permanent job, but due to the enormous slowdown in the economy, most of the companies were not hiring directly. They were only hiring consultants for short periods of time to avoid burdening their payroll. With no option in sight, Aseem opened himself to the consulting world again. However, he only responded to the consulting companies that had local clients. For his convenience, he made a point of asking them about it upfront. One such consulting company with an immediate need for someone to lead their development effort showed interest in Aseem’s profile. Aseem weighed his options and it seemed the only real opportunity he had at that time. He took them up on the offer. Now, Aseem would work for Progress Solutions Inc. Upon entering the office of the company on the joining day, Aseem found himself at a nondescript reception area with no receptionist, a few cubicles made in the space that could hold no more than one person, and a stale smell that reminded him of a run-down, slum-like apartment building he had once been to. “I hope I have not stabbed myself in the back by joining this company. Is it even legit?” He questioned himself, hoping to get an answer. “But I need a job to pay the bills and maintain my status,” he sighed. “And the designation is better than the previous job. I can always go and look for another opportunity if it doesn’t work out,” He pacified himself. A tall guy with a very thin frame came to greet Aseem and asked if he was the new hire. The guy was too tall for his build and Aseem couldn’t help wondering how he managed to stand upright. He was dressed in an Armani suit and looked laid-back, despite the fact that he was in a strictly business attire. Something 114
GREEN CARD: Chasing the American Dream
12 The Week-long Wedding Even if it was just for a week, Aseem was ecstatic about going back home. Lately he had been feeling resentful of this foreign land that had sucked the life out of him, and was grateful for this opportunity to take a break. One silver lining to this dark cloud was that America had helped him strengthen his faith in God. He was now more spiritually aware of his surroundings and had learned to find the good in everything that happened to him. Of course, there was the looming tension of his pending green card process, but he decided to keep all that aside. Aseem finally had the chance to meet his family after so long. He was determined to make the most of this short trip. He wanted to indulge in all the activities that were a normal part of life back home and just revel in the wedding festivities. His tickets were booked and he was all set to leave. He made sure to call Soumya to inform her of his departure and asked her if she wanted something from India. She refused because she was not the type to ask favors from anyone, not even her closest friends. The day finally came when Aseem set foot in his motherland. At the airport, his parents were overcome with emotions when they saw him wave at them from the crowd. He rushed toward his parents, and bowed down to touch their feet as soon as he got to them. Oh, how much he had missed doing this. He was overwhelmed with joy and when he finally got up to hug them, he could see the tears of joy moistening their eyes. 123
The Week-long Wedding “We were missing you at every step of the wedding preparations. It has been quite a whirlwind and your sister is eagerly waiting for you,” his father choked. After the three-hour drive to his hometown, Aseem sprung out of the car like a rocket and shouted as he entered the house. “Meenu! Hey to-be-bride, where are you hiding?” Aseem was over the moon to be finally back home. That familiar aroma of his mother’s home-cooked food, the smoky feel of the fresh aarti – the lamps lit for worship – spread across the modest house, filled his heart with a solace he had long forgotten. Aseem felt like he had transported back to the days when the whole family offered morning prayers together before he left for his classes. The more he looked around, the more he could see that a lot had changed as well. The walls were covered in fresh paint, there was a dining table in the house now – a proper one, unlike the previous mismatched one they had before. The beams and pillars were covered in fresh flower garlands that only added to the wedding fervor. The house was not crowded like they usually are in India at the time of weddings when all the relatives, near and far, come together to help the bride’s and groom’s families with the wedding preparations. He remembered his mother telling him on their way home from the airport that most of the relatives would start showing up in the evening. “Bhaiya!! We were waiting for you for so long,” Meenu ran straight into his arms, sobbing through her complaint. Aseem hugged his sister tightly, finding it difficult to console her, all the while trying to control his own emotions. “Hey, I know you didn’t even miss me, Karan is the only one you think about now,” Aseem teased, witnessing a warm blush creep into his sister’s cheeks at the sudden mention of her fiancé’s name. 124
GREEN CARD: Chasing the American Dream
13 Staying Alive November 2008 The events that unfolded at the Los Angeles International Airport became a nightmare for Aseem. He knew he would have been at the mercy of the officer at the airport, had Soumya not brought him the help he needed the most. The fact that Soumya had shifted back to LA only around a month back, seemed like a God-sent gift right now. As soon as he got home, he gave his own attorney a call. “Hello, this is Aseem Bansal, may I speak with Mr. Patel?” He asked the receptionist at the attorney’s office. “What is it regarding?” The receptionist responded in a mechanical fashion that must have become second nature to her. “I am a client and I just want his advice on an immigrationrelated matter.” “Ok, let me check if he’s available,” she said, putting him on hold. “Hi, Aseem, how are you?” Neil Patel, his attorney greeted him. “Had a bad experience with the immigration officers today when I landed back from India,” Aseem narrated the details. “Oh, I see. I think the officer was not well-versed with the AC21 Act,” the attorney said after taking some time for introspection, perhaps. “Just don’t travel for some time. We’ll 137
Staying Alive have to wait and see if the officer sends an intent to deny your case, and then respond accordingly.” Could it get any worse than it was already? Aseem wondered and there was something inside him that told him he should be prepared for the worst. With the possibility of the green card rejection at this stage of the process, the news hit him like a lightning bolt. At this point in his career, he didn’t expect such a catastrophic turn of events, or maybe he did – he just didn’t want to face such adversity. He was tired of life as he knew it in the U.S. It was time for him to be at the pinnacle of his career, but here he was, still battling his immigration woes. His friends in India were already talking about retiring, most having reached the highest echelons of the corporate world. Sid was vice president of a company and Aseem was just a programmer in the same organization. His career graph was stuck in the same place for the past decade. Every time a ray of light appeared to brighten up his career prospects, dark clouds surrounded him instantly.. He was stifled by his immigration issues in the U.S. and it wouldn’t surprise him if this went on for years to come. However, before today, he hadn’t been restricted to the U.S. But now he knew he wouldn’t be able to travel out of the country unless his green card issue was resolved. Aseem fell asleep reminiscing about the past – his early years in India, the loving hearts and kind faces of his family. It was not until Soumya showed up at his house that he came back from the sweet oblivion into the reality. It was only her, apart from Sid who knew about Aseem’s real struggle in the U.S. Aseem was continuously fighting the immigration nightmare, one problem after another and Soumya had been right by his side all along. It seemed like he never had a moment of relaxation ever 138
GREEN CARD: Chasing the American Dream
14 The Sacred Diary It was a frosty morning in January. Aseem thought of doing a short grocery run because he was out of frozen parathas and a couple of other things that needed to be restocked. He stood in the kitchen trying to figure out the things he needed to purchase when his phone rang. Not bothering to see who was calling, he simply received the call and put the phone to his ear. “Hello,” he said. “Have you completely forgotten about me?” Soumya complained from the other end of the line. “Soumya?” Aseem’s heart fluttered at the sound of her voice. “So … how many other girls call you this early on a Sunday morning?” The jibe made Aseem laugh. “None, really,” he replied. “Have you had your breakfast?” Soumya asked. “Not yet. I am actually out of parathas and was thinking of going to Ralph’s for a quick grocery run. How have you been?” “Perfect. Meet me at our coffee shop then – in an hour would be fine, I guess?” Soumya gleefully chirped in. “Our coffee shop? Wait, are you back in LA? Since when? I thought you were in Florida for an assignment.” Aseem’s excitement was evident in his voice. 149
The Sacred Diary “Yes, I am. It’s been two days. Florida assignment is all done. Anyhow, we can talk all about that when you treat me to breakfast. I am starving.” “Sure. The coffee shop in an hour. I will see you there,” Aseem chimed. “Great!” Soumya confirmed before hanging up. The coffee shop was located a block away from Aseem’s apartment. It had, over the years, become their regular hangout. The place served an interesting menu of American-Indian fusion vegetarian meals and had won both of them over with its cozy interior and relaxed setting. Aseem remained in his position in the kitchen for a while after Soumya hung up – with a small smile on his face. With Soumya in town, he knew he could finally unburden his heart. He felt really comfortable talking to her about anything under the sun. He wanted to share all his thoughts and feelings with her. Oh crap! An hour – Aseem snapped out of his thoughts, suddenly remembering that he had to get ready and be at the coffee shop in the next 60 minutes or perhaps 55. If anything, she was really particular about time. Aseem rushed to take a shower, spent a good amount of time deciding what to wear, combed his hair to perfection, and hurried off to the coffee shop. The weather was pleasant, so he didn’t bother with the car and simply walked all the way. As expected, Soumya was already waiting for him at their usual table. Her face lit up at the sight of him and she waved at him from her cozy spot at the far end corner of the room. He waved back and rewarded her with one of his boyish smiles as he made his way to the table. “Thank God, you’re here. I was starving,” Soumya said, watching Aseem take the seat across from her. 150
GREEN CARD: Chasing the American Dream
15 Born Again Without a warning, Aseem got up from the couch and headed straight to his room. The sudden energy in him surprised Soumya. She watched him take long determined strides toward his room, still not sure of what he was up to. A few moments later, he walked back into the living room with his laptop, with his jaw set and his eyes resolute. She observed him carefully as he opened up his laptop and settled on the couch next to her, his shoulder touching her forearm placed on the backrest. He didn’t say a word. Instead, he opened up his email inbox and began scrolling through his email history. “What are you looking for?” Soumya seemed flabbergasted. “Timothy’s residential address. I need to have a one-on- one chat with him,” Aseem murmured. Under ordinary circumstances, Soumya wouldn’t have been able to make out even a word of what Aseem said, but these were no ordinary circumstances. The apartment was unusually quiet, and Aseem sitting next to her was quite different from the one she had always known. There was this strange aura of confidence and self-assurance in him. “Got it!” Aseem exclaimed as he quickly got up from the couch, placed the laptop on the coffee table, and made his way to the door. “I’ve got to go Soumya. Make yourself at home. Stay the night if you want to.” 161
Born Again “Are you going to confront him?” Soumya asked the obvious and when Aseem nodded in reply, she quickly added, “I’ll come with you.” “No, Soumya, I have to do this myself. Don’t worry, I’ll be all right.” “Are you sure about this?” Soumya still couldn’t seem to wrap her mind around this sudden change in Aseem. It was a pleasant change, but it came unexpectedly. “Weren’t you the one who told me to take control of my life?” Aseem answered her question with one of his own, a small smile decorating his face. Soumya smiled back, “Okay, just be careful. I’ll wait till you get back.” *** Timothy lived around forty miles away from Aseem’s place. The late afternoon sky was turning orange and a cold wind had picked up by the time Aseem was about to knock on Timothy’s door. It was locked. Darn! He’s not home. Aseem was disappointed, but there was no point of turning back now. The copy of the newspaper for the day still waited unclaimed at his doorstep. There’s only today’s newspaper, so he isn’t gone on a long vacation or something, I think. Aseem he decided to wait for some time. He made himself comfortable on the stairs leading up to the house and watched the traffic pass by him. The sky was getting darker by the minute and he almost dozed off waiting. Somewhere around 6 p.m., when it was completely dark and the only light on the street came from the faint street lamps, Aseem heard footsteps approaching him. He looked up to notice a barely-recognizable Timothy approaching the house. His demeanor had drastically changed 162
GREEN CARD: Chasing the American Dream
16 Walls have Ears Pete was no ordinary man and Timothy knew that well. He had the strong instincts of a survivor that were partly fueled by him being a war refugee as a child. He was born and raised in the war-torn country of Janeria. By the age of 12, he had seen enough suffering, loss, and hunger to fill him up with bitterness and animosity against those in power. Pre-war, his father was a librarian in the city, bringing in modest income to support his wife and two sons. Everything, however, changed when the dictatorial regime took over. Most of the city workers lost their jobs and were forced to work on the agricultural land, instead. As the library he worked at was demolished, he resigned himself to his fate, doing what the regime forced him to do, in order to support his family. Just like most people living in poverty, Pete’s family was destined for starvation and disease. The conditions were so deplorable that it was impossible for them to seek a way out. Pete’s younger brother fell prey to pneumonia. Western medicine had been banned in the country and there were no doctors available in the village they lived in. Pete came from a history of misfortune. Having lost his younger brother to sickness, seeing his mother running from door to door for help and his father endlessly toiling in the fields angered Pete. He felt resentment at the regime that was doing this to his family. He wanted his happiness back, his lost home, his neighborhood school, his toys, his birthdays – he wanted his life back. Everything was taken away by a political party that had promised to make every Janerian self-sufficient. He didn’t like it, but there wasn’t much he could do about it. Pete was not called Pete Adams back then. He was Pene Majoph. ‘Pene’ meant diamond in the native Janerian language. Like a diamond, I will shine one day, a 173
Walls have Ears young Pete used to think, but in all the wrong ways. For him, things changed the day his brother died and his father was beaten up by his supervisor for taking ‘too long’ to get back to the field after tending to his dying son. It was the day his father decided that there was nothing left for them in Janeria and they moved to the land of abundance as refugees. Pene Majoph became Pete Adams, a notorious schemer and businessman when he grew up. He never looked back after that. *** Timothy was aware of Pete’s past. At one time, they were close enough for Pete to open up to him about his humble beginnings or perhaps it was under the influence of alcohol. Beating Pete’s genius and cunning would be a challenge – Timothy knew. He was no stranger to the extent Pete could go to, just to protect himself and the fraudulent empire of greed and money he had built over the years. But none of that meant he was undefeatable. If anything, Timothy knew fairly well that Pete was an arrogant bastard who thought too highly of himself. In doing so, he often underestimated the people around him. That was the bullseye Timothy needed to hit. Timothy searched all his past emails from Pete, looking for anything that could prove his fraud at JK. Pete usually did not sign as himself. He had chosen Adamas, Greek for diamond, as his nickname – a synonym for his original name, Pene. He was always careful and a step ahead of those around him. The emails in Timothy’s inbox were useless. It would be impossible to attribute any of those emails to Pete and use them against him. Had Brett not made that slip-up, there would have been no way Aseem or anyone else would have discovered the fraud and suspected Pete for it. That is how discrete the man was. To make it worse, most of the emails from Pete were cryptic. They never directly mentioned TriMega – Pete’s company – or JK Investments. JK was already bankrupt. Not much could be done to prove the fraud committed against it because the damaged party was no longer a legal entity. Dammit! This is a wild goose chase, Timothy thought out of frustration, snapping his laptop shut. 174
GREEN CARD: Chasing the American Dream
17 The Forgotten Chapter With Pete in federal custody, things were finally falling into place. It had been long awaited – this end of the tyrant who fed on the misery of fellow humans. In quest of better circumstances, the hate, anger, and frustration residing inside him had turned Pete into a monster. With his arrest, TriMega fell too. As soon as organizations associated with TriMega discovered the fraud, they cut ties with it and moved on, leaving it teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. Pete was indicted after he couldn’t manage to counter the proofs the FBI had. Aseem was glad that the judicial system in the U.S. was still fair and didn’t favor the rich or the privileged. It took Aseem and Timothy a little over six months to bring Pete to his well-deserved end. Their hard work had paid off well. As they sat in a local bar, celebrating their victory, both Aseem and Timothy reminisced about everything that had happened over the past six months. They needed an insider from TriMega who could get them the crucial information on company dealings. Initially, they thought Parth would be an ideal candidate, but once Timothy talked to him at the café, he knew they had to change their game plan. That was when he thought of Kevin – the same Kevin who played golf with Pete. All this time when Pete inwardly gloated at finding the perfect guy to help keep TriMega growing and safe from 183
The Forgotten Chapter miscreants, he didn’t know Kevin was never his man. He was planted there as an insider who could get all the proof needed to put Pete behind bars. Truth was that Kevin and Timothy went way back. Timothy had once saved Kevin from a shark attack while swimming in the Atlantic Ocean. Kevin had always been grateful to Timothy for that and when Timothy called him to ask for a favor, he was more than happy to help him. The only thing he asked for in return was a promise that his name would never be compromised. As agreed, all the proofs were delivered to the FBI anonymously. From there, the feds took care of everything. The mood was cheerful when suddenly Timothy’s smile dimmed away. Aseem was quick to notice the change. “You all right?” Aseem asked Timothy. “Yeah. I was just thinking, never mind,” Timothy replied. “What is it?” Aseem knew there was something bothering Timothy. “It’s just that … I feel awful. I know we managed to get Pete but you still don’t have your green card and you may never get it. I feel responsible for it. It was me who posted the letter to INS. I ruined your green card aspiration. This makes me a terrible person,” Timothy said in an apologetic manner. “Hey, stop blaming yourself for that. You did what you felt was right back then. The important part is that you realized your mistake and you’ve done more than enough to make up for it. Besides, it was I who stopped you from sending a letter to the INS refuting your earlier one. It could have put you on the wrong side of the law. I don’t want that,” Aseem explained. “What about your green card then?” Timothy asked. “It doesn’t matter anymore. What matters is that I am satisfied with my life. In fact, I have never been more 184
GREEN CARD: Chasing the American Dream
18 The Book Unfolds Aseem immediately regretted his question. It was none of his business or maybe it was. He just couldn’t think straight. He looked at Soumya, hoping she would answer him with a no, but then things had never been this simple for him. Chaos was his middle name and that was exactly what his life had been so far. How could I be so foolish? I’ve had to move mountains to get even the simplest things in life, how could Soumya be mine – just like that? Aseem couldn’t help but think of all the things wrong with him – all the things that had put him at a disadvantage when compared to Dev. Before she could answer his question, Aseem decided to drop the matter altogether. “You know, never mind. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked something that personal,” he quickly backtracked. “I don’t know,” Soumya spoke at that very instant. “You don’t know?” Aseem asked in surprise. “I don’t,” Soumya seemed deep in thought. “All this time I had been away from India, I missed my family and him terribly. But once I went there and spent a couple of weeks with my family, I realized I just needed to see them. It’s the same with Dev,” Soumya explained. “I don’t understand,” Aseem said. They were now both sitting in the kitchen. “When I first came here, I used to miss him terribly often more than I missed my family. My heart yearned to talk to him. 193
The Book Unfolds I wanted to know how he was, where he was, and how were things panning out for him. So, I kept trying to reach out to him. It made me miserable not being able to contact him. Back then, it felt like love. But now, I am not so sure. When I saw him today, he felt so distant. We couldn’t even talk much. All that longing to see him, to meet him, to talk to him, just vanished. I don’t know how to explain it. I thanked him for everything he did for me back then. It felt like a big burden had been lifted off my shoulders. I even offered to take him out for lunch or dinner, but he politely refused. I’m not sure how to take all that. I don’t even know if I’ll get to see him again or not.” Relief washed over Aseem after hearing Soumya’s explanation. He knew he was acting selfishly, the other man could have meant a lot to her. But thankfully the way things turned out for them, he knew Dev wasn’t going to be a regular part of her life. He stopped his thoughts midway then. There was a small voice inside him that said he was no one to decide that for her. She alone had the right to decide who stays in her life and for how long. “Would you like to meet him again?” Aseem asked. Soumya looked at him curiously, “Not sure, why do you ask?” “Just curious,” Aseem replied. “You know what I’d like right now?” she asked. “What?” “A hot plate of pav bhaji. I am starving!” Soumya successfully changed the subject and they proceeded to have their long-delayed dinner. *** 194