Perks of an Honorary Professor

“Sir, did you know they are putting up a multispecialty hospital at Andxxri and giving very good salary to even resident doctors?” “Yes. It is twice as much as of our resident doctors.” “The faculty positions are also being filled up. There is going to be a medical college attached to it, run by the government.” “Yes, I heard that.” “Do you know who is heading the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology?” “No. Who is it?” I asked. “Dr. XXX, who was honorary professor at government medical college.” “Hmm...” I said “I recall her. How did they land up with her?” “We don't know. But because she is going to head the department, a number of us who had applied for Assistant Professor's post did not go for the interview.” “Why?” I asked. It seemed a bit too much. There must be something I did not know about that person. “She used to expect coconut water kept ready for her when she arrived for her morning ward round.” “Who was expected to do it?” “Anybody.” “Who paid for it?” “Anybody. It just had to be there, or else.” “That sounds familiar” I said. “I recall what she used to do when she came to our college as MBBS examiner. She would arrive a little late, and exclaim 'get me a cold drink. It is so terribly hot.' So we would give her a cold drink while the exam remained suspended. It would start after she finished the drink. A half hour later she would say 'I need hot coffee. I can't examine another student until I have had hot coffee.' So an intern would rush to the canteen to get her hot coffee. One day she said 'I have developed headache. Get someone to get me Sxxxxr oil.' Sxxxxr oil was a rubifacient oil for local application for relieving pain. One intern went to the chemist and purchased it. She took it, but did not pay for it. Finally the examiner whose intern had gone for that purchase reimbursed the intern.' “So now you know the reason for the applicants' not going for the interview” the informant grinned.