It is almost universal truth that many high ranking officials in government and civic bodies have great wisdom, not only on topics in their field of work, but very often anything and everything anywhere and everywhere.
Our erstwhile Boss was once conducting a meeting of Heads of Departments. Somehow he started speaking on water management and the monologue veered on shaving.
"I know I should not be doing it. But when I shave, the tap is open. I have to have water running when I shave. I am sure you all do the same."
The men kept quiet. The women probably looked embarrassed. I did not look at the face of any of the women because I was thinking of my operation theater servants who kept blood soaked linen under running tap water until it got cleaned by the flow of water. No amount of counseling cured them of this habit, though there was a drought all over the state, including their home towns. So I don't know of my own knowledge that the women were embarrassed, but they must have been and the Boss must have seen the embarrassment on their faces, because he added as an afterthought,
"I mean the men present here who shave" and he made a gesture of shaving over his chin. That explained everything! I did not look at any women for fear of causing further embarrassment.
"I bet everyone does that. Who doesn't?"
I raised my hand. It was not as if I wanted him to know I kept the tap closed during shaving. I did not want all others to think I did, or to think that I was afraid to say I did not. The Boss looked at my hand, possibly the expression on my face if any, and ignored both the hand and the face.
I wonder if he still shaves with the tap open. He did not speak on this topic again until he left the institute.
Our erstwhile Boss was once conducting a meeting of Heads of Departments. Somehow he started speaking on water management and the monologue veered on shaving.
"I know I should not be doing it. But when I shave, the tap is open. I have to have water running when I shave. I am sure you all do the same."
The men kept quiet. The women probably looked embarrassed. I did not look at the face of any of the women because I was thinking of my operation theater servants who kept blood soaked linen under running tap water until it got cleaned by the flow of water. No amount of counseling cured them of this habit, though there was a drought all over the state, including their home towns. So I don't know of my own knowledge that the women were embarrassed, but they must have been and the Boss must have seen the embarrassment on their faces, because he added as an afterthought,
"I mean the men present here who shave" and he made a gesture of shaving over his chin. That explained everything! I did not look at any women for fear of causing further embarrassment.
"I bet everyone does that. Who doesn't?"
I raised my hand. It was not as if I wanted him to know I kept the tap closed during shaving. I did not want all others to think I did, or to think that I was afraid to say I did not. The Boss looked at my hand, possibly the expression on my face if any, and ignored both the hand and the face.
I wonder if he still shaves with the tap open. He did not speak on this topic again until he left the institute.
