Calls for a Purpose

I got a call from one of our Associate Professors at 12:30 P.M. “Sir, this regarding the meeting we hold for every new batch of residents. We have not held it for the current batch.” There was no need to call me for that. It could have been done when we met in the staff room, as we often did. “All residents have not joined yet. Let us wait until they do” I said. “Yes, of course” the AP said “ I am just saying we should prepare for that”. “OK” I said. I got another call from the same AP at 1:45 P.M. “Sir, this is regarding the workshop we have to hold for the new residents, explaining the breastfeeding details.” “The pediatric department holds it every year. Why do we want to duplicate the effort?” I asked. “They call only two residents. We have many more.” “OK, Do it after all residents join duty” I got a third call at 2:30 P.M. It was for some equally minor thing. I wondered what it was. Normally all such matters are discussed during staff members' regular meetings. Three calls in such a small period was something unusual. At 3:15 a new resident came to see me. She had got admission for postgraduation in another institute for a subject of her choice and wanted to be relieved from our institute. “Sir, I wanted to get my boss' signature, but the boss seems to have gone to another institute for a meeting. So the clerk sent me to you directly”. I signed her application. I had had three calls from the AP, but the meeting was not mentioned in any of the calls. Suddenly it was quite clear why I had received so many calls in a short time. It was my psychological preparation in anticipation of a planned departure before closing time.