Soft Skill - Wriggle Out Of Pandemonium Or Public Chaos

Soft skill - WRIGGLE OUT OF PANDEMONIUM or public CHAOS


The war of liberation of Bangla Desh by Army entered the second week in Dec 1970 . The previous night, I saw with awe from Gateway of India, tracer bullets fired into dark sky over Arabian Sea illuminating it in cluster behind Elephanta caves.

Blackout was in force and journey time doubled with slow moving traffic. I reached lodge around 2 A.M. Fatigued and numbed, I slept beyond seven - Woke up and got out of bed in a chaotic manner.

I must be at production plant before 9. My presence is a must A high level grade-ability test associating plant engineers and Defence officials would begin on a nearby hill.There is no sign of arrival of my regular chauffeur driven van that used to pick me up from the lodge and drop me at the plant in North of Bombay.

Being close to railway station, around this hour, there would be periods of lull and chaos depending on local trains arrival from opposite sides. I was awaiting the long horn that would indicate arrival of pickup van. I looked at daddy’s gift favre leuba on my wrist. It was showing quarter past eight. Naturally I turned fidgety.

As I had peeped for nth time from first floor balcony, I saw the olive green van with rank pennant on bonnet and a tiny sticker of national flag on its windshield but the driver was missing. I hurriedly descended via spiral wrought iron stairs. Lodge manager Mr Iyer was ascending, joining palms wishing me “namastey- good day”.

I saw a dabhhawala (DW) on long strides in cream white traditional attire, entering lodge compound and proceeding to the adjacent building for collection of lunch dhaba*.Just at this moment, the wide road seen with multitude of crowd attired in various hues and styles depicting cosmopolitan character striding in all directions akin to a scene of busting and dropping of a large goose-berry bag.

It indicated that local train from opposite sides had just arrived and spilled commuters on the long common platform at station.

As I entered in a hurry and sat rear of van by window, a calm looking liveried lanky Khan, darted across from opposite side, hopped into van occupied elevated driver’s seat. Turning on the ignition, he apologetically told about his queasy stomach and the van’s horn dead and he would catch up with delay.

He noticed, a handcart loaded with lunch dabhas blocking the van from going forward. Depressing clutch pedal, he softly engaged gear moving van in reverse. As he gently depressed the accelerator pedal, keeping a look at the vacant space behind, I heard a thud and crushing sound of metal from the bottom of van.

Khan switched off ignition, alighted and went behind van to inspect. He noticed a bicycle with its rims twisted and contents of the dabhha strewn around In an arc under the rear wheel of the van.

In a jiffy, Khan was surrounded by some men.

A thin and tall DW, whom I saw few minutes before was holding Khan by his scruff and demanding Rs.1000 for the damages. They were at loggerheads disputing as to who was at fault. It was understood later that the bicycle without its own stand, stood slanting on rear of the van. Khan could not see it from his seat through rear plain glass window.

A composed Khan, addressed politely the belligerent among spectators about his urgent duty and as soon as that was over, he would withdraw money from bank and pay for the damages.He also suggested that as the van was tied only With a ‘temporary number plate’ and under extant traffic rules, he won’t be able to carry many men in the van.

Bystanders seemed convinced with Khan’s suggestion, advised DW to go with Khan in the van. Khan helped DW to keep the mangled bicycle in the rear portion of the van and made him sit IN SINGLE SEAT on to his left. In this melee, the loaded handcart that was blocking in front had been quietly pulled out and therefore the van could now move ahead.

With both hands on the steering wheel, looking at the dial of his wrist watch, Khan told in Hindi “Sir, excuse me; I shall reach you to the plant on time’.

Instead usual route, he chose to drive via highway .

He made DW more comfortable by offering ‘thambako’ (perfumed betel nuts with tobacco and chalk).

It was free flowing traffic and so Khan could drive almost at full throttle.Van was approaching a traffic signal beneath a railway siding to Rashtriya Chemical & fertilisers. A traffic constable in white uniform could be spotted at the signal. Few meters before approaching signal, I felt van being slowed down and so lifted my head from news paper The Times Of India, When Khan halted the van to left of the road.

Khan turned his head to left and softly & politely told DW that to avoid being booked for traffic offence by police for carrying additional passenger and a bicycle, the dabhawalla should alight and run fast to the other side of the signal from where he would be picked up. DW was hesitant but realised soon that that was the best solution. So he got down and commenced running toward signal which was blinking amber.

Leaving the engine idling, Khan hurriedly alighted reached the rear end of the van, pulled out the mangled bicycle and threw it on the wayside. Got back swiftly to his seat, shifted gear, stepped on the accelerator pedal and in a jiffy, reached the van close to panting DW
and uttered loudly, “hare ullu; peechay dheko - tumahara cyle rasthe par pada hai.”

(Hello idiot you look back. Your cycle is lying there on the wayside)

and then depressed the accelerator pedal, went past the signal which just turned from green to amber.

Van was moving at near eighty, on Western Express Highway close to Santacruz airport. I asked Khan how he could act so swiftly & decisively arrive at a solution to hoodwink the onlookers & the DW.

His loud reply over the noise of booming aircraft that was just approaching to land was getting drowned. I strained my ears and heard him in his colloquial Hindi, “sahib –jindhagee may hamesha sara kam plan karke nahi karsaktha. Jo hai baju may - uske sath jodekay faisla karneka”.

(Sir, in life it is always not possible to work to plan; whatever is available around with that in mind, one should evolve solutions.)

I reached the plant ahead of time.

Fearing reprisals and repercussions, I did not return to lodge for a fortnight.

*dhaba - career lunch kept in cylindrical container with identification marks.

 

Thank you madam sister.
2. Yes I agree with your view point that the concluding part of story leaves bitterness but I could narrate only what had actually happened.
3. I felt happy for Khan, selfishly slow. If he had acted differently, I would have cut sorry figure by dropping late for discussion with other senior members at test site and perhaps earned a black mark in dossier.
2. Also by the same token, Khan would have been reprimanded for being late and might have faced disciplinary proceedings in military domain for clashes and consequences if he had been charged by traffic police for causing and triggering public wrath and or traffic violations.
3. In the context of huge demand for damages, If Khan had enlarged the quarrel to fight to battle in presence of substantial crowd, one wouldn't know what would have happened. Some men would have turned into mobs breaking and damaging the van and perhaps even manhandled Khan & I. In that case what would have happened to Khan's Kins.
4. I shall feel enlightened if some one suggests any other reasonable option as to how Khan could have settled the issue amicably to all three.
Regards.
GOD BLESS incident free travel and sojourn.

 

Thanks for 're response.
2. I can never make out in this incident Khan was correct or not but in the heat of the moment he played a cool head demonstrating his loyalty to his employer and protected the Government property - the van (&me) by his balanced mind and matured conduct.
God Bless Us All Always .

 

Thanks once again madam sister.
2. Yes the Road is Ahead.
3. Of course you are perfectly correct. The phrase 'SOFT SKILL' prefixing the title was an afterthought & misleading and a misnomer too.
4. A question mark after the phrase, perhaps would have atleast not made the reader Sad.
Regards.
GOD BLESS US all always.