Damn the cat, and be damned

THE story goes that a cat and a rat lived in the same house. It was a perilous existence for the rat, which had to make sure that the cat was not around before venturing out of its hiding place and looking for something to eat. If there was any noise or the slightest suspicion of the cat being nearby, the rodent would run for cover, often leaving the food half-eaten. In the evening, the rat was tempted by the aroma of food being cooked for dinner, but the fear of the feline would hold it back.

One day, the owner of the house was having a drink. The rat got a whiff of whiskey. All of a sudden, the owner left to answer an urgent call, leaving his glass full. The rat came out of hiding and climbed on to the table. It took a sip and liked the taste, but then it thought of the cat and ran back to its hiding place. However, the cat did not appear, and the rat went back for another sip. This happened a few more times. Getting bolder, the rodent took a deep sip. By now, the whiskey had seized control of the rat’s senses. The little one climbed on to the edge of the glass. Standing on its hind legs, it twirled its whiskers with its forelegs and declared, “damn the cat”.

In the Army, some young officers slip into the ‘damn the cat’ state, particularly during tense situations. In bygone days, the dress regulations of the Officers’ Mess had to be strictly followed. Even during ‘non-dinner nights’, one had to be properly dressed.

One evening, two young officers, having had their fill at the bar, moved towards the dining room. Looking through the door, they saw the unit’s Adjutant having dinner. These officers were not properly dressed for dinner. One of them was heard saying, “Let us wait for the Adjutant to leave before we step in for dinner.” However, by now the other officer had entered the daredevil mode. He declared, ‘Damn the Adjutant, just follow me.”

On entering the dining room, he called out, “Good evening, Adjutant”, to which the latter politely responded.

Next morning, the Adjutant had both of them marched up to him and put them on night duty for 10 days each for being improperly dressed for dinner in the Mess.

The one who adopted the ‘damn the cat’ attitude went on to attend the Royal College of Defence Studies in the UK. Later, he rose to the rank of General in the Indian Army.