Spouse & I - Ship In Unchartered Territory

SPOUSE & I-SHIP in UNCHARTERED TERRITORY


Two persons in painkish complexion, their contour akin to LAUREL & HARDY, rain-drenched sporting monogrammed T shirt and Taeko-Bermuda shorts, stood hesitantly at entrance to the chamber.

Occupying chairs opposite, stocky man left his business card on glass topped table, introduced himself in an effeminate voice. He spoke and the other person in strong voice translating utterances of the former in English.
He handed over cargo documents for cargo ship s.s.cindi and requested as per chartering terms to arrange priority berthing of his ship. I understood stocky person was Greek speaking captain.

He drew attention inter alia to a specific proviso printed in bold of charter terms; as per that for each day of delay, till port authorities permit ship to berth, the importer will have to pay ship owners demurrage - penalty of US $5000 per day.Browsing documents revealed that huge consignment of Norwegian white printing paper in rolls was to be unloaded and was imported by another arm of government but not by my organization.

But upon closer study of documents, it emerged ultimate consignees were indentors of my organization and documents clearly indicated my office as port consignee. I told them that I need to check up with authorities concerned. I turned almost like a demented sheep in a slaughter house.


It meant, I ought to cause the port trust manager to allow this ship at outer anchorage awaiting out of turn allotment of berth for discharging cargo at the wharf and later into covered shed. A mammoth task indeed.
I urged junior officers to check up for any communication in this regard from any other quarter.

I consulted office bible. It is specifically mentioned therein that port consignee should not handle Chartered vessels’ cargo. My immediate local boss had already left to home town on long leave. I am de facto head.
Bharat Matha in her wisdom, thought a man of clean slate would be an ideal person to hold this position and so posted me as Port Consignee for Bombay Port. Before inducting, during training in Dehradun horse riding was taught along with managing affairs but not this type of hassle. God is great.


Novice that I was, and entirely new to task, splitting hairs, was wondering how to go about and who are the authorities I should contact for guidance. Colleagues in the office displayed utter ignorance blissfully about shipping.
Whenever deeply distressed, I think of our tutelary deity and next I seek discussion with spouse which invariably leads to quick fixes if not to wonderful solution(s). She was in her office. It was business hours for her bank.


Anyway had dialed and briefed her the issue. Fortunately she heard me! There was a lull. Probably she is thinking!
She suggested softly to book a lightning call to headquarters at New Delhi and seek solution from top man - the DIRECTOR GENERAL ( DG)


It was pre-mobile-communication-era and the fastest mode of communication was making a lightning call.
I started telling her that I being in the middle of the hierarchical pyramid, if I play as per her suggestion, it would tantamount to insubordination, disciplinary procedure, a blot in ACR etc. but she hung up.

I drew courage and booked a lightning call to DG and within few minutes, top boss was hallowing me briskly. I stood up and briefed him about Greek captain’s disturbing message and other details and extant office manual provisions. Sir told that he would get back in next 20 minutes. I was thrilled. I bade adieu to visitors.

Yes just within 20 minutes Sir was on phone; and told how I should proceed with the task ; and told that he would come very next day (Sunday) morning to discuss in a meeting with concerned local officials and others; and therefore I must send invitation for the meeting to be held in my chamber in the forenoon to heads of State Trading Corporation, Manager of Bombay Port Trust and Clearing Agent all in close proximity to port.

I bade adieu to the visitors who brought this alarming matter.

Soon invitation made out for the impending meeting to those officials, got it handed over to them by a special messenger. Being a Saturday, offices were working half-day. By noon, I had over phone ensured the presence of the concerned officials for the scheduled meeting.

I followed it up with a call to DG and confirmed the arrangement.

Overnight, I lost sleep as mind failed to rest.

Next day the meeting took place and onus fixed up. State Trading Corporation and DG took up the matter with Hon’ble Minister of Shipping and Transport at New Delhi who in turn directed the port authorities for priority berthing of the ship.

At the back of all this, my mind was thinking of what a blessing it was to have spoken to spouse and got her brilliant suggestion which not only diluted and dissolved my fears but eventually lead to my receiving accolades and approbation. Government of India saved infructuous expenses in foreign currency.

In the heart of heart, I thanked better half - and my parents too immensely for the brainy consort they had discovered and wedded to me. I just thought, what if I had gone by the rule book and gone through hierarchy to seek approval/guidance. I lost sleep even on following night as mind continued to rejoice in ecstasy.

An innocuous suggestion from her

But A giant leap to my career!


It does help to discuss with spouse who invariably thinks out of box.

 

OMG! You liked it. Among All iL’ites, you were the maiden one to grant me FB for this post too.
2. Thanks for granting credit for my openness and accolade to my ever thinking spouse!
3. God is always great. Otherwise how I would have got her! All because my parents taught me to thank GOD for every positive and negative as it happens & @ that moment itself.

Thanks & Regards.

 

Thank you for reading & for your ability to assess the personality traits of the blogger.
Apropos Your opening remarks - Thanking God is not exclusive business of only religious minded.
2. We breathe because we are destined to & as long as God will. So thanking is natural and automatic as we do it with our pals for petty things!
3. Once a person weds government, he or she is bound to go by the rule book and anything beyond that done without approval of competent head, it can result in audit para and possibly a star question debatable in parliament besides summary dismissal from service. No mercy for amateurish adventurism.
4. Any spouse for that matter can think better than a man in crisis. All successful men in life have been openly admitting that their spouse was behind him always. One may call him uxorious - excessively fond of- . Some are secretive and some do it in open.
Regards.
God grants Godspeed in our earnest endeavour.

 

Ten out of ten for ten sentence FB.
THANKS from bottom of my heart for excellent parallel.
Your FB is always a crowning glory to every post that you had studied and grasped in depth.
Regards.