Of Dogs And Men

Cheeniya · Jun 24, 2017

@Kamalji
My dear Kamal

Kamalji said: ↑

But to me ,u were like agent James bond 007, in this case u were the savior of the victim
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I wish I had really saved the young man but the poor fellow passed away as soon as we reached the hospital. I only assisted in organising his obsequies.
Sri

Cheeniya · Jun 24, 2017

@Viswamitra
My dear Viswa
It was not in Kerala. I had worked there as a Probationer for less than a year and that was enough to rattle me and even contemplate leaving the job.

Viswamitra said: ↑

If it was in Kerala, I would have immediately come to the conclusion that Marxist Union leader is in charge
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Do you know that there is a strange Trade Union custom in Kerala called nokku kooli which is the amount that has to be paid to the Marxist Union even if they don't lift a finger! My first Branch was in the holy town of Tiruchendur. This 'nokku kooli' system is unheard of in any other part of the world even where the Communists are a majority.

Viswamitra said: ↑

But it takes time for employees to understand our capabilities, ability to function smoothly, interact well with the staff and customers, etc
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The problem with the State Bank in those days was that we were liable to be transferred once in every two years and in that time span it was difficult to have any meaningful relationship with the staff. At that time, we did not have even a adding machine and everything had to be done manually. A two paise difference between the debit side and the credit side would involve our sitting all night to locate it.
I do not know if I deserve all the praise in your concluding para and all I can tell you is that I was extremely lucky to have had a smooth run throughout my career.
Sri

Cheeniya · Jun 24, 2017

@Srama

Srama said: ↑

I know this has nothing to do with you blog, but I had to share. Go figure!
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Of course it has everything to do with my blog. I have presented my blog in two shades, human and non human. Canine behaviour is as intriguing as the human one. In fact, I have watched dogs all my life and it is absolutely difficult to predict their behaviour. Further they have no fixed pattern of behaviour. That makes them thoroughly interesting! I am sorry about what happened to your little dog.

Your dad must have been quite a popular boss those days. State Bank was Imperial Bank of India earlier. Agents who belonged to the Imperial Bank era played the tough bass routine in those days. Unions were non existent and some of the Agents even used their staff to run errands for their wives! In the absence of any Union, it was endless suffering for the staff. So when the Union came into being they hit back and we were the victims. When I was a senior Manager, I had a placard in my room reading, "if you nothing to do, please don't do it here"! Honestly staff loved humour and innovative approach. When I understood them fully, it was nothing but endless fun!
Sri

Iravati · Jun 24, 2017

Cheeniya said: ↑

The warning worked like magic and god knows what reconciliation was arrived at in their nocturnal get-together, when they came to the old lady’s house the following day, the tail of the new dog was reasonably outside!
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When I joined the Bank as a Probationary Officer in the mid 1960’s, I too was like that new dog. Everything scared me.
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On reading the first half, I felt it was a suspenseful twist on Don Bluth's All Dogs Go to Heaven. Mr Tucky is accepted and all dogs, indeed, go to heaven for their reconciliation effort putting aside their caudal differences. Then you began with "When I joined the Bank" ...wait what happened ..why did the doggy mob have a change of heart? What transpired in that nocturnal caucus?

When I came back to the Branch, the Union Leader stood up and greeted me. There was a marked change in his haughty demeanour. From that day onwards, I was the real boss and the Union Leader ensured that every one extended maximum cooperation to me!
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Wait ..what is happening here? Are we supposed to fill in the missing pieces? I have the same questions that Satchi has fired away beating everyone to it. Aristotle wrote in his Poetics about a literary device in drama called "peripeteia" where the lead character undergoes a change of fortune. Circumstances are reversed, the lead character has a sharp decline or ascendancy to fame. A sudden twist in the plot! I am okay with twists and bends but this is blindsided obscuration. There is an element of causal opacity in your narrative. This is like a Hitchcock film with end credits - "Go home and figure out!".

One can draw parallels between the "of dogs" and "of men" linear narratives. Both the narratives though talk of the stimulus that brought about the change withhold how the transition happened. Was that burly leader softened by your compassion or defeated by your contravention of his de facto dominance? What led to that change of heart? Even the most inscrutable and shrinking writers release a companion or a cue after the initial publication to aid a reader to resolve the story. Is there more coming up? This is disquieting. I need answers.

shyamala1234 · Jun 24, 2017

Cheeniya said: ↑

It looked new to me. It was not very difficult to make this deduction. A look at the tail tucked between its legs would tell you that it was a new addition to our street’s canine population. Let that word ‘population’ not give you any wrong idea. In terms of number there were just six of them and the new addition made it seven. The new one probably did not want to encroach into our street through any hostile manoeuvre. The new one had not only stuck its tail between its legs but made it curve inward to make its intention for a peaceful co-existence abundantly clear. Initially, the other six of them did not roll a red carpet for the new one and voiced their resentment at this intrusion into their privacy by subdued wailing. But after seeing that the new dog had not uttered a word nor had its eyes become red with anger, the six dogs looked at each other mighty confused. The new dog’s winning stroke was, of course, its tail tucked deeply between its legs.

There was another angle to this peaceful acceptance of the newcomer. The six original inhabitants were initially very hostile in their communications to each other but they turned absolutely peace loving and friendly due to regular feeding by an old Brahmin lady who fed them with anything and everything she consumed. I have seen the dogs eating idlis and dosas served by the old lady with great relish. When the new comer joined the feast with its tail still tucked between its legs, the lady diagnosed the reason instantly and declared to the other six that if the new one came next day too with its tail tucked in, there would be no food for anyone anymore. The warning worked like magic and god knows what reconciliation was arrived at in their nocturnal get-together, when they came to the old lady’s house the following day, the tail of the new dog was reasonably outside!

When I joined the Bank as a Probationary Officer in the mid 1960’s, I too was like that new dog. Everything scared me. Whenever the Agent (which was how the Managers were called those days) called me to his chamber, I would sweat profusely when I presented myself to him. He would just ask how was my training schedule going and asked a few questions to evaluate my progress. Five years later, I reached a seniority that merited my posting as Agent. Mind you it was my seniority and not competence that made me an Agent. When I reported at the Branch, no one took any notice of me. The Security guard asked me whether I needed any help to transact my business. I told him that I had come to take charge as the new Agent. The Security guy looked at me from head to foot and he seemed to think that I was playing some practical joke. He asked me to stay there and went inside to bring a dark and burly guy followed by another pale guy who looked like the assistant of the burly guy.

I told the burly guy that I had come to assume charge as the new Agent and shook hands with him while throwing a casual look at the meek guy. The burly man turned back and told the meek guy that his deliverance was at last in place as his successor had arrived. The meek chap shook my hands and extended a warm welcome to me. He then introduced the burly guy as the leader of the Staff Union and told me that he would guide me in the administration of the Branch. And so started our relationship and the burly guy was extremely hostile. He would walk into my room any time he liked and instruct me how to handle a customer or a situation. I felt totally out of place and it was clear to me that I had no say in the administration of the Branch. I tried my best to earn their good will but in vain.

It was at this stage that it happened. There was a hit and run accident in front of my office and the victim lay bleeding profusely. He was still alive but nobody came forward to do anything about it. I notified the police and with their help, moved the victim to a hospital some 5 kilometres away. The Union Leader warned me to stay away from it and let the police handle it. I ignored his advice and when the Police arrived, I accompanied them to the Hospital. But unfortunately, he was already dead by the time we reached the hospital. I felt sad for the young victim and after the post-mortem, I arranged for the transfer of the body with his relatives to his village. I agreed to foot the bill for the transfer of the body.

When I came back to the Branch, the Union Leader stood up and greeted me. There was a marked change in his haughty demeanour. From that day onwards, I was the real boss and the Union Leader ensured that every one extended maximum cooperation to me!
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Dear Cheeniya sir,
First thought it is like lizard series as Iravati mentioned and now it is the turn of dogs. But No!
So, found similarities between dogs and human behaviour.
Union leaders think they are above everyone and behave in a dominating way with everyone.He started the same with you.
But when saw your soft nature in helping a victim his respect for you increased many folds far beyond the nature of typical Union leader. Started respecting you.
Syamala

iyerviji · Jun 25, 2017

Cheeniya said: ↑

@iyerviji
My dear Viji
You may be second in giving the FB here, but you are second to none in your popularity! I feel very happy even with your one line FB!
Sri
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Thank you my dear Anna, feel happy toknow you are happy even with my on eline fb.

Your helping the victim at the time of accident by taking him to the hospital and arranging the transfer of thebody to his village must have made the Union Leader understand you well and earned respect for you. So you got the opportunity to become the boss and get co operation from the Union Leader.

Agatha83 · Jun 25, 2017

Dear Cheeniya Sir,

The only time in my life time I saw my DH hiding behind my pallu, was when we had to cross the big Alsatian dog, our house owner possessed, which would not let any stranger inside the house. Since I used to feed it daily, with some hot phulkas, it was extremely friendly with me, and would catch hold of me in all fours. I still remember the panic reflected on my DH's face even now.
When we moved in to our own flat, most of the flat owners were bank clerks, who later retired as bank managers. Most of them who rode bicycles or buses to their banks, now own a plethora of vehicles and a bunch of flats. But the humorous part of their life, was none would have hot cash at their disposal and in case of emergency would always seek my help! But those fresh crisp notes in return,was like prized possessions! Thanks for a nice snippet which kindled my nostalgia!
Regards,
Agatha83

kkrish · Jun 25, 2017

Dear Sri Sir
Reading through the first half of your yet another fabulous post brought a smile of amazement on how keen your observations had been.

I would have just walked the streets many days just noting that then is an additional dog, but not you. You knew what was going on and also noted how the newcomer followed protocol by keeping its tail not only tucked in but curved inwards too.

This sharing of bounty by animals also reminded me of the song on crows in the movie "Parashakti" if I remember right. I digress.

The second half was exactly like watching a movie, where the protagonist always loses out at first and then comes back with a bang earning the respect and adulation of his adversary. The fundamental message from the Mahabharata - "dharmathin vaazhvu thannai soodhu kavvum; dharmam marubadi vellum" is what I see here. (Dharma apparently loses to treachery and evil; but dharma eventually wins and sustains)

The straightening of the tail indicates showing gumption and standing up straight, which you say you eventually showed, helping the accident victim. Not just that, you also showed your compassionate side till the matter was closed, thus earning the respect of your supervisor.

Good one sir. Lovely message too.

Cheeniya · Jun 25, 2017

@Iravati
There is a phrase in Tamil which can be roughly translated as 'tying the top of the clean shaven head to the knee cap'. I do it often in selecting my subjects for my rambling. By the time, we reach the 10th FB, we would have totally distanced ourselves from the main topic!
Coming to the first half of my rambling, forget all dogs going to heaven which I am sure they all do. No other animal has been as glorified as the dogs in movies. I saw a list detailing some 90 movies with dogs as the central figure. Benji, 101 Dalmatians, 102 Dalmatians and so on. I have seen at least thirty of them and because of what I witnessed in the movies, I started observing the street dogs of my dwelling rather closely. There is so much to write about their human side! I love the book 'Conversations with Saint Bernard' by Jim Kraus. And of course 'Barry' the world acclaimed Saint Bernard.
The second part relates to a human drama of which I was a part of. Men generally behave in a manner that suits them best. They are not as selfless as dogs but when calamity strikes, the best part of the humans comes out. But then it is more a question of surviving a crisis. We saw it in the Titanic. We saw it in many blood-curdling accidents.
My thoughts are not quite focussed right now but I am proud to be a man. I'll be prouder to be a dog!

Cheeniya · Jun 25, 2017

@shyamala1234
My dear Syamala

shyamala1234 said: ↑

Union leaders think they are above everyone and behave in a dominating way with everyone
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It was at its worst in the 1960's. We could just walk into the General Manager's room and discuss matters with him informally but not so with the Union leaders. We needed to sit outside the President's room waiting for his permission to see him. All sundry employees would be going in and out of his room freely but we never had that privilege. Thanks to massive computerisation of Bank transactions, Unions have lost their importance now. But even during the days of the harshest Trade Unionism, we could carry on successfully with compassion and mutual respect
sri