A meeting was arranged with the Boss'
Boss in the latter's office, 7 km from our work place. Four Heads of
Departments were asked to attend, three superspecialists and one
Specialist. The four reached the place in time, but were informed
that the meeting was postponed by a half hour.
“Let us go to the canteen, the most
senior superspecialist (MSS) said. The Specialist did not want to eat
or drink anything, but had to remain in the group, in case they
discussed anything related to the meeting. So he tagged along. The
canteen was self service type, where you paid in advance, and
collected your food and beverage, carried it to a place of your
choice (if there was a choice) and enjoyed. The three orderers (those
who wanted to order things) Superspecialists stood in a queue, while
the Specialist stood at a respectful distance.
“What do you want?” asked MSS.
“Nothing” he said.
“OK, hold this” he said and handed
over a dish even before paying for it. He had a greenback in his
hand, and he made out that he wanted to pay, in which time the
non-orderer Specialist should oblige by holding his dish. He held it.
This took some time, in which one of the Superspecialists paid the
joint bill of the three. MSS pocketed his greenback. He turned to go
sit at a place of his choice.
“Take your dish” said the
non-orderer Specialist.
“Bring it along” MSS said
nonchalantly and walked away to the most distant place he could find
vacant in the canteen. The Specialist carried the dish along he was
not going to eat anyway. MSS settled down in the seat of his choice,
the others joined him.
“Have something” said MSS to the
dish-carrier.
“No, thanks” he said.
While he sat there and thought about
the attitude of MSS, he suddenly realized the double maneuver MSS
had executed. He had avoided paying the bill (the free lunch
maneuver) and made someone else do his work of carrying his dish (the
exploitation maneuver). He also realized MSS had started resembling
his political master-godfather not only in size and appearance, but
also in political maneuvering.
(Note: the words 'orderer and non-orderer are used for want of better words which could express the meaning as accurately, even if these words are not in the dictionary.)
