Humor in Uniform - SPOKEN REPUTATION - Story of My Ambitious Coursemate

HUMOUR IN UNIFORM

STORY OF MY AMBITIOUS COURSEMATE

SPOKEN REPUTATION
Unforgettable Characters I Met in the Navy
A Spoof
By
VIKRAM KARVE

There is a saying in the Navy: 

“If you want to know the true character of an officer – ask his coursemates”.

Seniors will have one view of an officer – juniors will have another view – but it is his peers who will know the officer inside-out – especially his coursemates who have seen the officers from close quarters from academy days.

Here is a story of me and one of my ambitious coursemates.


MY AMBITIOUS COURSEMATE

Long ago – at a meeting – where a lot of “brass” was present – I profusely praised a fellow naval officer who was a coursemate of mine.

After the meeting, my coursemate came to my office.

I thought he had come to thank me – and he would utter some words of gratitude.

Instead he said: “I want to make one sincere request to you.”

“You know I will do anything for a coursemate,” I said, “Go ahead – tell me – what can I do for you?”

“Please don’t praise me like you did today – especially in front of senior officers,” he pleaded.

“But why shouldn’t I praise you?” I asked, “I am your well-wisher.”

My coursemate looked at me and he said: “I know you are my well-wisher. But you have a most terrible reputation with most senior officers. So – If you praise me – it may have the opposite effect.”

EPILOGUE

My coursemate returned the favour a few years later.

By nature – I am an honest, straightforward and outspoken person.

Well, as far as senior officers were concerned – my being honest was fine.

My straightforwardness was tolerated.

But my outspokenness had earned me a reputation of being a tactless, abrasive and “difficult” officer.

Once, during a meeting, I expressed my views in my usual blunt manner.

After the meeting, I overheard a senior officer remark to my coursemate about me: “Your coursemate really calls a spade a spade.”

My coursemate “praised” me with these flattering words: “Sir – he does not call a spade a spade – he calls a spade a bulldozer.”

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:

1. This story is a spoof, pure fiction, just for fun and humor, no offence is meant to anyone, so take it with a pinch of salt and have a laugh.

2. All Stories in this Blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright Notice:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (all rights reserved)

Revised Version of My Story Earlier Posted by me Vikram Karve at 5/01/2014 12:45:00 AM in my Academic and Creative Writing Journal Blog at url: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2014/05/humor-in-uniform-height-of-career.html