Page 147 - A Banker Down the Rabbit Hole

of success in the interview and would get overseas posting positively. But
he qualified his statement by saying that this prediction would be valid
for next 40 days only after which the planetary position would change
and it would require re-assessment. I got amused by the way it happened.
Now my colleague asked him to give his prediction about my posting as
I was also a candidate. He repeated the process with me also to which I
unwillingly obliged. He predicted that I also stood strong chance of
success in the interview. The only difference was a matter of degree of
strength of chances, my colleague having a notch higher in probability,
but surely both of us would get overseas posting subject to the interview
happening within 40 days from the day of prediction.

Incidentally, the interview date got postponed to June and this date was
well past 40 days duration for validity of the last prediction. Now I was
also equally enthusiastic to know my fate along with my faculty colleague.
We both went to meet him again. He made some calculations on a piece
of paper and announced that planetary position now predicted 'very
strong' chances of success for myself and 'strong ' chances of success for
my colleague. He told that planetary position has just got interchanged
for both of us but re-assured us that both of us will get selected for
overseas posting with 100% surety. My colleague looked a bit unnerved
and I felt okay as my chances of selection were predicted stronger this
time. I told my friend that this was the reason I did not want to go into
all this.

Anyway, we prepared very well this time also as we had prepared very
well for the past two earlier interview opportunities in the last 6 years.
The result was declared and I was placed third in the list of successful
candidates and my colleague was placed 14th in the list of 18 candidates
prepared, considering vacancies based on past experience that some may
not accept the offer due to various reasons. We were surprised to know
about the extra selection of officers as normally none would decline such
offer for overseas posting that was considered coveted and glamorous
by the officers who usually came from the lower middle or the middle

144 | A Banker down the Rabbit Hole