Air Marshal DS Sabhikhi (Retd ) smiled at my wife a closed lipped companionable smile. He was siting on a steel cushioned chair across the Doctors laminated table. A few stood in a disciplined queue waiting for signature of the doctor. Air Marshal is the president of Vasant Vihar resident society . No body smiles at me nor do they relate with me . In the first place I stay put at sea more than I stay on land. Walking on land, there is fair chance I shall meet with an accident. 40 years at sea were accident free . I fractured my humerus bone at the landing of the stairs in my own house. We were sitting on a sofa kept inside the Doctors room at the ECHS administrative office located in one corner of impressive and very competent research and referral army hospital . Delhi. Yes it is a very professional and well managed hospital . A fortnight ago, Karan Thapar who too stays in Vasant Vihar had taken her 96 years old mother in a grave emergency condition to the hospital. She was saved by the competent doctors and Karan wrote about it in the Hindustan Times and said ,that she is alive today because of the efficiency and competence of the doctors of the hospital. He is most thankful. It is not humour . Yes . But running down the Army doctors which we so often do, amongst us too is not humour. I recognised the Air Marshal and why not. He is the President . I am just an resident. I smiled back seamlessly. I am VP Malik son I said very politely . He did not register. I estimated his age to be around 85. A few seconds later as if some loose connection in his brain connected , he lit up smiled showing his burt match stick like teeth and said Oh ! Ved Prakash waited for me to ,acknowledge and before I could reply and confirm said pointing at me very politely Doctor No sir, that is my younger brother And his son is a doctor , so is his daughter in law, all doctors in the family he summarised And what are you? he questioned pointing his palm at me. As it is always my wife answered , He was in the Indian Navy , now in the Merchant Navy, he is a Captain , Master you know, he left in 1993 , then he joined Great Eastern ,......... She continued . Women like to talk and take charge . They are know all. Google.The fauji wife in particular. They glow in pride when they talk about their husband. Lounging back in the chair, the Air Marshal listened to her with patience. OLQ and respect to the lady are synonym for officers of the armed forces. He waited for her to stop and then he asked me Ex NDA he stooped and little understated continued Direct Entry NDA sir I answered . Which course ? 35 th Sir He then said in a very clear resonant upbeat tone I am from 1 st NDA , same as Admiral Ramdas, Admiral SBN Singh And then very unexpectedly he raised himself from his chair , took a step towards me and did high five. Sure I am Ex NDAs will even in the graveyard if they discover that the chap buried along side is a ex NDA will extend their boney skeleton of a hand across subterranean grave and do a high five. If the fellow turns out to be a course mate then their will be dance and music in the क़ब्रिस्तान certainly.
Posted on: Mon, 08 Sep 2014 14:33:00 +0000
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