My boss rode a scooter and wore a wig

Here is the ninth unforgettable character in my life …

He was one of my bosses. Very stern looking, he wore a wig to cover the bald pate and, when he rode his scooter to office, he would push up the goggles to hold the wig in place. He was a retired Senior Officer of Air Force and the original Italian Fiat car was one of his prized possessions. He could play the guitar and one of his favorite songs was ‘Sunday kay Sunday….’ Every Sunday, he spent a lot of time inside the bonnet of his car, wiping clean all traces of dirt, oil and whatever unwanted items he could see.

When I reported to him on an internal transfer, he looked up from his papers, grunted and asked me to contact one of the other officers. He did not seem to be happy about inducting me into his department because I was, like him, a Bengali and he somehow had a very bad opinion about Bengalis. I did not have much choice and, since there was no space to put another table in the office for me, I was asked to share a table with another person. We sat on either side of one table!
I might mention here that the department was an important one and a majority of the officers were aged, experienced persons who could assist the customer by retrieving necessary information in a jiffy based on their long association with the air force. I felt I was a misfit in this group and, with a boss who would have preferred me to move out to some other department, I was in a dilemma. Suddenly, after nearly six months, one of the official letters came to me. My boss had noted in the margin: ‘Ghose, let me have details.’ I was elated – at long last, I had a specific work assigned by my boss. In real earnest, I went around gathering information. I was like Hanuman – I did not know what my boss had in mind therefore I had to pick up every bit of connected information so that I could answer all his questions.
We had a wonderful association after that. I gradually became one of his trusted lieutenants and, whenever any typical problem surfaced, he would ask me to share my ideas on it. He is now enjoying his retired life in Hyderabad.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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Moody was confronted with a major worry and the furrows on his forehead displayed his anxiety. He wanted to cozy up to the new Uncle Sam and, for that, he had to present him with a gift to strengthen the bond. He, therefore, rang up Baba Someday.
‘Baba-ji,’ Moody said. ‘Can you suggest a suitable gift for Uncle Sam?’
‘That would mean a lot of study,’ Baba replied. ‘Actually, I don’t have that much spare time. I am busy setting up a special unit to prepare ayurvedic instant noodles. I am determined to drive out all foreign competition from the lives of Indians.’
‘I rely on your judgment, which is why I contacted you first.’
‘I am sorry to disappoint you.’

So Moody contacted Jet Lee – another of his trusted men. He also could have been a great help. But – he was in a quandary about the next IPL. It is all about bright dazzling cricket and requires plenty of organizing and advance planning.
Then Moody tried Sue Sharma. But - she was in hospital.
Moody missed her presence – she would have been a great help in this problem since it was all about the American Dream. Not for the Americans of America but for Indians who longed to become Americans in America.
Moody had expected Clean Ton to win. That would have ensured a sort of continuity in the link already created. But, when the results went against her, Moody realized that he would have to begin all over again.
That is when he was stumped.
Being a true Indian, he believed in the moral that to have a friend in need when you want him most, you have to give him a gift when you meet him for the first time. So far, he had followed that policy and had been rewarded - best example was the Uncle Sam who was on his way out.
Moody had presented him with a statue of Hanuman and a copy of the Gita.
After that Uncle Sam literally worshipped the ground that Moody walked on and had accepted an invitation to come to attend the Republic Day program in a city where air pollution from smog was always a major irritant.
Now – what could Moody gift to the new Uncle Sam to win him over?
From what he had heard – this man was more of a business man and less of a politician. Moody himself hailed from that part of the country which is known to be the haunt of businessmen.
Suddenly his eyes lit up – Khajuraho was the answer. Yes – Khajuraho would keep the new Uncle Sam fascinated. It was all about Indian art of yore and he could commission an artist to paint the scenes of Khajuraho on the ceiling and walls of his Tower. (to be continued…)


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


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