😎THE OBSERVER-(M-26)😎
Sat 10 Oct 2020
LIFE IN THE UNIT
With the unit back in its regular location, it was time to get a feel of routine activities. The newly dined- in 2/Lt got his chance of playing Coy Cdr. when all the regular Coy Cdrs started going on leave in ones and twos What a heady feeling ! Here was a golden opportunity to show the world what stuff he was made of.Nothing was going to be allowed to take that away from him.
All this time, he had been reeling under the dictates of seniors,bound to quietly follow instructions when his head was brimming with far better ideas.But no one seemed to take him seriously when he went so far as to dare to open his mouth about anything. Maybe now was the time to set matters right on that count. The Coy Sub,particularly, appeared to show a lack of enthusiasm to put the bright revolutionary ideas of the 2/Lt into action.With the Coy Cdr away on leave, it was a now or never situation.
A routine weekday went something like this : - PT and breakfast over, the Coy Sub gave his report in the Coy office. This report was a summary of the previous day's activities, present day's forthcoming events and the OK report meaning that all was fine.After a short question-and-answer session, there was nothing much to do except pretending to be very busy and hoping the phone did not ring. The Clerk saw to it that the In-tray was kept filled with a steady stream of routine documents for signatures and the office runner kept checking every now and then for files to be removed from the Out-tray. The "Pending" tray was always there for anything requiring more than an ordinary effort i.e. some application of mind.The runner took great pride in the specialised task of handling the traffic in the file-trays and was very happy to point out a signature or date missing every now and then.He also took upon himself the onerous task of informing about any important file that had been lying longer than was regarded safe in the Pending tray.The onus of seeing that there was no trouble on that count was on his shoulders. He, along with the Clerk would face the flak if a long-pending issue drew adverse comments from above..This system seemed quite convenient to me,in which i could be seen to do no wrong and indulge in procrastrination at will.
After the customary tea and light snack, some more files were dealt with,keeping half an eye on the clock. As lunch time neared, dal soup from the langar would make an appearance. In-between, there would be some glasses of cold nimbu-pani,the quantity depending on the nature and severity of the hangover from the previous evening's activities. There always lurked a deep suspiscion that there existed a conspiracy between the Coy Sub, the Clerk and runner..
Very cleverly and unobtrusively, these worthies saw to it that the 2/Lt sahib remained buried in files most of the time and did not go around poking his nose where it was unwelcome. Lunch at the Mess was followed by a siesta and games parade in the evening.
But then, there were other days when the atmosphere would be enlivened with bursts of activity, some self-created out of boredom while others were decided by sub- ordinates or seniors or just plain circumstances..One such typical occasion arose when i was ordered to immediately rush to the city and get back with some urgently required information. While traversing the length and breadth of the desert in a 1×ton, i had slowly learnt to drive it and was quite proud of my skills behind the wheels of that powerful machine. But till then, i had not dared to drive in city traffic. As officiating Company Commander, i felt it was high time i shed all inhibitions and fears. Here was the chance i had been so eagerly waiting for, an important and urgent mission. Reaching the Company office after receiving orders from the Adjutant, i directed the Company Subedar to have the 1x ton ready. When the 1x ton reached and parked at the designated spot, i rushed to board it. The driver held the door on the left side for me to climb aboard but i brushed him aside and got on to the driver's seat, signalling him to hurry up and get seated in the co-driver's seat. Ignoring the muffled protesting noises emerging from him, i switched on the engine and the 1xton shot off the blocks like a racing car.I had pressed the accelerator to the floor, the way i had got accustomed to,while driving in the sand. The 1 x ton literally flew into the air and landed sideways with both the left-side wheels in a ditch that ran alongside the road.The spot where this occurred was clearly visible from the offices of tbe CO and Adjutant and my first thought was whether the big guys had spotted this acrobatic feat.
Stunned and shaky, i climbed out of the door like a cavalryman emerging from the cupola of a tank and the driver got out after me from the same door, also in a daze. i hastily looked around to see if anyone was watching. i was glad to see the Coy Sub rushing with the CHM and a couple of men. Before i could say anything, they manually lifted the vehicle out of the ditch and placed it on the road on all four wheels.I proceeded to the city, with the driver in his proper seat, all the time praying that no one else had noticed the fiasco.As no mention was made, i presume that it went unnoticed.
Next came the day of the CO's conference. Notebook in hand and a brand new ballpen in the pocket, puffed up with self-importance, i settled myself in a chair in front of the C.O. Lt.Pat ( ex-N.D.A.) , a brother officiating Coy Cdr sat next to me likewise, notebook in hand and pen on the ready. The other two regular Coy Cdrs were visibly more at ease.The C.O. began by enquiring about the condition of the troops in general, in answer to which we all were ready with an "all is ok" report.
Then came the first bombshell, in the form of a question- " What are the timings of water supply ? Are the troops getting enough water ? " This googly, delivered out of the blue when all seemed hunky-dory, took me unawares. i was clean bowled. It was news to me that the water supply in the unit lines was a timed and restricted affair, unlike in the Mess. But where i was clean bowled, Lt. Pat did not even flinch. He confidently rattled off the timings of water supply (his own creation) without batting an eye-lid. Unfortunately for him, though, the CO had come fully prepared for this. Lt Pat was asked in an acid tone to check up the actual timings by kindly paying a visit to the lines someday when he found time to do so.
Frantic scribbling on the notebooks followed for the remainder of the conference. Lt. Pat seemed to be finding much more to jot down than me as his pen was in action non-stop. Surprised at this, and not wanting to miss out any important points, i surreptitiously peeked into that notebook of his .What Pat had been religiously and repeatedly writing was his own rank and name again and again !
Raising Day of the unit was coming up and the CO was desirous that the same should be celebrated on a grand scale. So all leave was to be curtailed and preparations begun in right earnest forthwith.
Getting back to the Company, i conveyed all directions of the CO to the Coy Sub. I also made it a point to ask him rather sharply about the timings of water supply and why i had not been informed about the problems on that count, as also other inconveniences being faced by the troops. He countered by informing how the Junior Adjutant was overtasking the Company and the Quarter-Master was deliberately issuing powdery coal ( choora ), taking advantage of the absence of the regular Coy Cdr.
That did it. Along with an NCO,ii went to the QM stores coal dump where coal distribution was in progress. Though i could not make out much, i made a big show of asking questions and jotting down some facts and figures in my notebook. With a very satisfied smirk, i came back to the Coy office and over a cup of tea, started preparing a stinging report on the state of affairs in the unit re coal distribution.I had not even gotten beyond the introduction stage, when the phone rang.
Capt V, the unit Quarter Master, shouted at the top of his voice over the phone - " What sort of an officer are you ? How dare you go around inspecting my area without having the basic courtesy of informing me ? You come here forthwith ! " I am quite sure that i heard the Coy Sub chuckling away as i made my way to the QM office. Once there,i had to listen to Capt V,who minced no words about the kind of officers joining the unit of late,not aware of their position in the scheme of things and going around poking their noses all over the place.It was a thoughtful and sombre Officiating Coy Cdr who returned to the office .
Hmmmm. There was a lot more to learn about working in an Engineer Regiment in peace location yet for the 2/Lt. !
