"That is called Director's Special" the visiting Professor exclaimed when I told him about something that involved two of our past Bosses.
"Huh?" I said. Usually I understand what people say. But this seemed difficult. "What do you mean?"
"Director's Special is a brand of whisky made in India" he said.
"Is it? But what does that have to do with my story?"
"Think carefully" he said. So I thought about the story I had told him. Actually it was two stories. The first involved an erstwhile Boss. It was 2:00 A.M. one day when he called me. I woke up with a start. 'Hello' I said. 'Is the operation done on that child?' the Boss asked me. The words were heavily slurred, but I recognized the voice right away. Child? He had called the wrong person. 'You have called the wrong department head' I said. 'You wanted the head of pediatric surgery, while I am head of obstetrics and gynecology.' 'OK' the Boss slurred and put the phone down.
The other story was about another erstwhile Boss. It was 7:00 P.M. Some newspaper journo called me about something involving the hospital. 'I cannot speak to you unless the Boss allows me to' I informed the journo. 'The Boss asked me to call you' I was told. So I talked to the journo, and then called the Boss. 'Hello' the Boss slurred heavily, 'what is it?' So I explained what it was. 'OK, instruct the concerned persons not to repeat what they did' the Boss managed to say, the voice still very heavy.
"Have you understood the reference to Director's Special?' the visiting Professor asked me with a grin.
"Both Bosses were also called Directors" I said. "Is that what you mean? But what does that have to do with the brand of whisky?" He continued to grin. Then suddenly it dawned on me. "Oh!" I said.
"Yeah!" he said.
"Huh?" I said. Usually I understand what people say. But this seemed difficult. "What do you mean?"
"Director's Special is a brand of whisky made in India" he said.
"Is it? But what does that have to do with my story?"
"Think carefully" he said. So I thought about the story I had told him. Actually it was two stories. The first involved an erstwhile Boss. It was 2:00 A.M. one day when he called me. I woke up with a start. 'Hello' I said. 'Is the operation done on that child?' the Boss asked me. The words were heavily slurred, but I recognized the voice right away. Child? He had called the wrong person. 'You have called the wrong department head' I said. 'You wanted the head of pediatric surgery, while I am head of obstetrics and gynecology.' 'OK' the Boss slurred and put the phone down.
The other story was about another erstwhile Boss. It was 7:00 P.M. Some newspaper journo called me about something involving the hospital. 'I cannot speak to you unless the Boss allows me to' I informed the journo. 'The Boss asked me to call you' I was told. So I talked to the journo, and then called the Boss. 'Hello' the Boss slurred heavily, 'what is it?' So I explained what it was. 'OK, instruct the concerned persons not to repeat what they did' the Boss managed to say, the voice still very heavy.
"Have you understood the reference to Director's Special?' the visiting Professor asked me with a grin.
"Both Bosses were also called Directors" I said. "Is that what you mean? But what does that have to do with the brand of whisky?" He continued to grin. Then suddenly it dawned on me. "Oh!" I said.
"Yeah!" he said.
