Of Dogs And Men

Cheeniya · Jun 25, 2017

@iyerviji
My dear Viji

iyerviji said: ↑

So you got the opportunity to become the boss and get co operation from the Union Leader.
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A small correction Viji.
I did not use that accident as an opportunity to earn the goodwill of my Staff Union. I was motivated by a genuine desire to help a victim lying profusely bleeding. I went for his rescue despite the warning of the Union Leader. Earning their goodwill was just a bonus!
Sri

Cheeniya · Jun 25, 2017

@Agatha83
Dear Agatha

Agatha83 said: ↑

The only time in my life time I saw my DH hiding behind my pallu
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Every husband hides behind his wife's pallu or whatever the shielding piece of cloth is called, for some reason or other. During my school days in Triplicane, the major reason for a husband to indulge in such action was to escape his creditors! Doing it to escape the wrath of an Alsatian is certainly more honourable!
When I was in the Bank, I always avoided staying in the flats meant for officers because the neighbourly discussions would invariable land on the problems in the Bank. Even the wives discussed the heroism or the lack ot of their husbands. I always lived in a rented flat and enjoyed my independence.
The free crisp notes were the only ones I used during my service but now I use whatever that comes out of the Teller machine. I don't even get the desired change and I get them from my grocery shop thanks to the goodwill that I have earned with him!
Sri

iyerviji · Jun 25, 2017

Oh sorry anna I did not post the sentence properly

Cheeniya · Jun 25, 2017

@kkrish
My dear kkrish

kkrish said: ↑

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
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I watch not only the dogs but cats too. Unfortunately cats have not been able to earn my respect as much as the dogs. I do not know if you have read Chronicles of Clovis by Saki (HH Munro) in which the cat Tobermory talks and embarrasses everyone! Dogs don't do such things and they are more discreet. That's why you find more novels on dogs than cats.
Coming to compassionate humans, it just comes out in the end in the movies in the climax scene but in real life, it can come bursting on the scene anytime. When I went to help the accident victim, I had just reported in the new Branch and I defied the instruction of the Union Leader to stay away from it. But I knew that his advice was not due to any malice towards the victim but to avoid the nuisance that might follow. But good deeds never fail to come to our rescue in the long run.
Sri

PushpavalliSrinivasan · Jun 26, 2017

Dear Mr Cheeniya,
I think your observation of street dogs account is somewhat connected to your bank employment. Day in and day out you were dealing with numbers and so you had a passion for keeping an account of the faithful dog population of your street. Street dogs not only keep watch of a new comer of their own creed, but also start barking and chasing a suspicious looking stranger entering the street.

All the bank staff from peon to manager get great respect from the customers. My brother also joined Indian Bank in the year 1953 as a probationary officer and retired as DGM. He was also deputed as a lecturer in the staff training college for some time. In our family six people worked in different banks other than my brother. We had the advantage of getting the required denomination of notes during functions.

We now have the previlege account and so a person who is deputed for privilege account holders help us whenever we go to the bank. In ICICI Bank a person used to come to our house to give cash and take the cheque.

PS

Cheeniya · Jun 26, 2017

@PushpavalliSrinivasan

PushpavalliSrinivasan said: ↑

I think your observation of street dogs account is somewhat connected to your bank employment
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You almost sound like Sherlock Holmes there. I was telling you about the pre-machinisation days in the Bank before the introduction of machines. Most of the time, we spent adding up figures and it became a habit with us. Even when we saw the calendar, we would start adding the figures!
Having joined the Bank as a Probationary Officer in 1965, I took my voluntary retirement exactly in the 25th year when I was not even 50. I have spent more years as a Pensioner than as an active official!
In retrospect, I feel it was a good decision. I became a Financial Consultant and worked in that position for 25 years. Premature retirement from the Bank was one of the few good decisions I took in my life!
Sri

PushpavalliSrinivasan · Jun 26, 2017

Dear Mr Cheeniya,
You have taken a bold decision. Instead of hanging on to the bank job and getting transferred every two/three years it was a good idea. No retirement for consultants and can work as long as you can manage.
PS

LakshmiKMBhat · Jun 26, 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 Sir, thank you for sharing. Regards, Lakshmi

Cheeniya · Jun 26, 2017

@PushpavalliSrinivasan

PushpavalliSrinivasan said: ↑

No retirement for consultants and can work as long as you can manage
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I am taking life a bit easy now with my health being what it is. My daughters are taking good care of me and are not allowing me to take up any fresh assignments now. IL has become my major activity now!

Cheeniya · Jun 26, 2017

@LakshmiKMBhat

LakshmiKMBhat said: ↑

thank you for sharing
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My dear Lakshmi
I must thank you for reading whatever I write! With people like you around, my rambling will continue joyfully!
Sri