Multi-Level Experience

“Hey, you were looking for a part time job, I do remember. Still interested?”
That is how it started when I was doing my 11th or 12th. David Naveen, one of my classmates beckoned me and Arun Kumar to join him in a place where he could possibly get us some way to earn money. He brought a friend along with him. The place was in Nungambakkam and strangely, the place was too crowded. We got a name badge for ourselves and had to wait for too long before some of the volunteers including David Naveen invited us into a hall.

The moment we entered in, the volunteers who were standing along a line near the entrance started clapping their hands in rhythm until everyone entered in. If they thought that was the best way to set up the mood, they were absolutely wrong. It was a pathetic attempt. After almost the entire crowd managed to get a seat, we were started showing some videos on personality development linked with Multi-Level Marketing. The other friend David had brought that day wanted to punish David that day and David ended up giving us a treat in Pizza Corner.

It was the tense moments for the students of George Mason University as the final exams were just in a couple of days. We got to know a guy who wanted to introduce me to a business project which has tie-ups with companies like Dell. It definitely sounded interesting and Karthick also joined me in. After four months in US, it was the first time we decided to go to a American Restaurant which is very close to our apartment. Two working Indian guys had come to discuss about the project. They ordered coffee for us and the waiter was more than pleased to serve us one.

I seriously wished the guy started and ended the meet with the phrase “It is MLM”. Instead, he decided to start up with the way of living, expenses, blah blah blah and then gave a hint what he is going to talk about. Then he talked about student life, work life, married life, blah blah blah, bank savings, income, blah blah blah. Never did he say the word ‘MLM’ but just talked about the possibilities of the huge earnings. Karthick and I weren’t interested in it at all and it got worse when he said that we had to pay for the initial process. The amount was definitely huge for a student. We said no. We were frustrated that nearly two hours of our time were wasted especially before the final exam. Their faces were clearly frustrated that their two hours of trying to convince us failed miserably and also the expense for the coffee. They decided to try us one more time and gave us a free chance to meet up with the successful people of this so-called business project after the exam. While leaving, they gave a health drink, one of the products that they sell, to Karthick as he said he was tired. If they had planned to impress us with that cola energy drink, it didn’t work out. After all, it was consumed, by me, several months after they gave it to us. (Yes it was good)

It was December 18th 2009. It was already a tiring day and we knew that we had to attend that party or get together that these MLM people were going to have. It was the night on which the worst snow storm in years was yet to come. A working Indian to-be couple picked us up and we travelled to someplace else in Virginia. It was a beautiful residential place decorated with Christmas lights in every similar house. We entered through one of the garages. I didn’t realize what it was when Karthick said “Oh no!”. We had just entered the house what seemed like a family get-together. The entire house was filled with Indian families who had all ventured into this MLM. We were the only students to be present there.

The host of the meet made us all seated and started presenting us with the products and also the various ways of selling them. Many took turns in giving a speech about various topics. I, being seated at the front most row, had to face the face-to-face presentation sometimes. The host, meanwhile, gave jokes in between every presentation. Again, if he had thought that it was the best way to cheer up people, though it did not fail, he messed it up. He had read some online jokes of Santa Singh and had thought it to be Santa Claus instead. He was frequently referring to Santa Claus in every joke which included Santa Claus’s girlfriend. I am sure no kid would want to hear that story. I heard everyone laugh including a loud fake laugh by Karthick from behind. He later told me that it was because of the reaction to the stupid jokes.

The next part of the meet was the introduction of the new comers. The minute that I heard that word ‘New Comers’, eyes started staring at me, the front most person around. After some words spoken by the new comers, it was finally over. The best part of that meet was the buffet prepared by every attendees. The Indian food they served was great. Another best part of the meet was the return ride in the snow. The storm had just started.

I had already decided not to go for the meet again but we were again asked to attend some meet in Ohio. This includes a free ride to Ohio and also stops at various places. We could have gone there again except that we had already made plans to New York. That was the end of MLM.