Proverbially speaking

Quotation books are full of advisories concretised into eye-catching single liners. 

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Gullible folks then try to put these into practice, not always to helpful results. There are occasions when the advice works more effectively when stood on its head.  

I was commanding a brigade in Sikkim and had been called to Army Headquarters for an important short-notice assignment. A day prior to my scheduled return, Indian Airlines went on strike.  We were in the middle of an operational exercise and I was keen to get back as soon as possible. By coincidence I learnt that the Raksha Mantri was to fly to Bagdogra on the morrow in an Air Force plane. I decided to catch the proverbial bull by the horn and called up the minister's PS, an IAS officer. It was late evening and I telephoned at his residence. After explaining the situation I stated my request for a lift. The officer gave a ponderous pause and then said, “But why don't you go by a civil flight?” 

I repeated what I had just told him about the strike. He said he would have to ask the minister and that I should call back. When I did, he again suggested, “But why don’t you go by a civil flight?”  I had to re-apprise him, adding that I even had a ticket for the civil flight. He then advised that I should reach the airport technical area at 7 the next morning and that he himself would be there, apparently having sought the minister’s permission before that.

I reached the departure point at 6.55 a.m. It was bitingly cold, enough to make a sheep shiver. Apart from a few Air Force technicians there was not a soul around. Some personnel arrived with baggage at 8.30 a.m. and had it loaded on to the plane. I checked if any of them was the PS. Negative. The PS arrived another 15 minutes later. I walked up to him. He regretted not having succeeded in obtaining the minister's permission as the latter was busy meeting the public in his morning ‘durbar’. “And now the minister would be driven right up to the aircraft and emplane”, he said, shrugging his shoulders and adding, “but why don’t you go by…?” I walked away cutting short his drivel, thinking thoughts not appropriate to utter.

At five minutes to nine another gentleman walked up to me. “I notice you have been   waiting sir”, he said respectfully. “Anything?”

I explained.

“Then why don’t you get in, sir?” And without waiting, he called one of the loaders and had my valise put inside. I did not want to be embarrassed and told him the PS has not been able to get the minister's nod. “Do not worry about the PS, sir. I am the minister’s PA.”  

I had a comfortable flight with a sumptuous breakfast served on board. 

At times a bull needs to be caught by the tail.