Humor in Uniform – PROMOTION BLUES

Humour in Uniform

PROMOTION BLUES

An Apocryphal Story

By

VIKRAM KARVE

In his candid and controversial autobiography SPYCATCHER Peter Wright tells us about the lesson he learnt after meeting Klop Ustinov (father of actor Peter Ustinov) who was in near penury after retirement:

“...I learned a lesson I never forgot: that MI5 expects its officers to remain loyal unto the grave, without necessarily offering loyalty in return”

When one observes the plight of veteran ex-servicemen, it seems the same holds true in our environment too.

In the Navy, I have seen officers giving their dedicated loyalty and devotion to service, but the service does not reward them with loyalty in return once they retire or, worse, when they are superseded for promotion and fall by the wayside.

Maybe it is the same in the Army and Air Force too.

Here is a story, which happened many years ago, in the 1980’s, much before the 2006 AVS Cadre Review Bonanza, when there was a selection board for promotion from Lieutenant Commander to Commander rank after around 15-16 years of service – now things are cool and every officer automatically becomes a Commander in 13 years.

Lieutenant Commander “X” was passed over for promotion to the rank of Commander.

“X” was devastated.

“X” was a typical service minded ex Sainik School, ex National Defence Academy (NDA) Officer – the only world he knew was the “fauji” military world.

And since he had joined the Navy after NDA, the Navy was the “be-all and end-all” of his life.

For “X”, getting superseded for promotion was the end of the world.

It was extremely cruel for a devoted service minded officer like “X” to be told at the age of 35 that it was the end of the road as far as his naval career was concerned.

Observing how badly supersession had affected “X”, the Captain called all officers to the wardroom, and in our presence, the Captain gave “X” a pep talk.

“Come on, cheer up. What is there in a promotion? The navy is not everything. There are so many other aspects to life. Your career is just one small part of your life. And just because you are superseded does not mean you are not a good officer. There are just not enough vacancies. You must take it in your stride in the right spirit and keep working with full josh. Even as a superseded officer you can contribute…blah blah blah…and you can take up a second innings in the civvy street too – so many ex-navy officers have succeeded in their civilian careers…you must put the past behind you and move on…blah blah blah…” the Captain went on and on.

“X” wanted to put up a representation against his supersession, but the Captain said to him: “There is no point fighting the system. You must accept your destiny with grace…blah blah blah…”

And then the Captain continued to pontificate the usual platitudes of consolation and rhetoric of motivation.

But “X” was so heartbroken that he was not convinced by the Captain’s comforting words.

“X” wanted to quit the navy there and then, for he did not want to suffer the ignominy of serving under his juniors.

However, his friends and wife convinced him to hang on for at least 5 years more till he completed the minimum 20 years required for getting a pension.

“X” stuck on for 5 more years in the navy, serving in insignificant appointments meant for those officers who had fallen by the wayside.

The moment he completed 20 years of service, he quit the navy.

Meanwhile, the Captain did well in service, and in due course he was promoted to Flag Rank.

It was strange and ironic that hardly any officer from his ship had been promoted, even his Heads of Department, the XO, EO and LO had missed their promotions, but the Captain had become a Rear Admiral.

After a few years passed, one morning, I suddenly met “X” in the INCS Canteen.

I took him over to the club, and we sat down for a glass of beer and talked of old times.

He told me that he had got a good job and was doing well in civilian life.

“Our Captain was right,” he said, “promotion is not everything. There are so many aspects to life. I was unnecessarily so upset that I did not get promoted.”

Suddenly a shipmate from the same ship came into the bar, and the moment he saw us, he joined us.

He had come on Ty Duty from Delhi.

Our ex-Captain had been posted to Delhi, so “X” asked him: “So, how is our old man, our ex-Captain – he is an Admiral now, isn’t it?”

“He is bad shape,” the officer said.

“He is in bad shape? What happened to him?”

“Don’t you know how desperate he was to get promoted? He was so ambitious that he even wanted to be the Chief. Unfortunately, he missed his promotion to Vice Admiral and the shock of being passed over has driven him crazy – he put up representations, statutory complaints, fought court cases – in fact, he is still fighting the system and has become very bitter and depressed – his supersession has affected him so badly that he has even had a heart attack and is suffering from hypertension too…”

MORAL OF THE STORY

It is easy to console others, but it is difficult to console yourself.

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. 

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:

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)

Humor in Uniform - HEIGHT OF CAREER CONSCIOUSNESS

Humor in Uniform

HEIGHT OF CAREER CONSCIOUSNESS

At a meeting, where a lot of “brass” was present, I profusely praised a fellow naval officer, a course-mate of mine.

After the meeting, he came to my office.

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

Instead he said: “I have one request - please don’t praise me like you did today - especially in front of senior officers.”

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

He looked at me and 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.”

HUMOR IN AND OUT OF UNIFORM - MARRIED TO THE NAVY

HUMOUR IN AND OUT OF UNIFORM

MARRIED TO THE NAVY

An Apocryphal Story

By

VIKRAM KARVE

THE OFFICER WHO WAS “MARRIED TO THE NAVY”

I once knew a very ambitious naval officer.

He was a total careerist and had no other interests.

His favourite line was: “I am married to the navy”.

His sole aim was to become an Admiral.

He would have been happy to remain a bachelor all his life.

This way he would have no distractions of domestic life.

Being a bachelor would enable him to focus all his attention totally on his naval career.

This would help him achieve his whole and sole aim of becoming an Admiral.

But his parents insisted that he get married.

So he agreed to see a girl.

He honestly told the girl about his career ambitions.

He clearly told her that his career would come first above everything else.

He then emphatically quoted his favourite dialogue: “I am married to the navy”.

The girl liked this career-conscious officer mainly because he did not have any vices - he was a strict teetotaller and non-smoker - he did not touch alcohol or tobacco - a rarity in the navy those days.

Yes, as far as other major and minor vices were concerned too, he was quite unlike most other naval officers.  

The girl thought he would change after marriage.

She was sure he would “accommodate” her in his “marriage” with the navy, even if he treated her as the “other woman”.

She was wrong.

This devoted sailor was strictly a “one woman man”.

And the one “woman” he was married to was the navy - the navy was his first “wife”.

He had not time for the other “woman” in his life - his human wife.

Yes, he was so loyally and devotedly “married to the navy” that he had absolutely no time for “other women” like his lawfully wedded human wife.

Fed up of being neglected, she (the “other woman”) walked out of the marriage so that her husband could devote himself to his “first wife” (Navy).

(By the way, in contrast to the above story, I have seen some navy wives who actively help their naval husbands achieve success in their naval careers by willingly playing second fiddle and such ambitious naval wives are ready to go to any extent to promote the careers of their husbands)

MY WIFE AND MY “MISTRESS”

Well, that was the Naval Yarn.

Now I am facing a similar predicament.

Till I was in the navy I had only one woman in my marriage and that was my lawfully wedded wife.

(Unlike the careerist naval officer, I was not desperately “married” to the navy).

But ever since I retired from the navy and became a full time writer, I am in a quandary.

Sometimes I feel the same way as the famous writer Anton Chekhov (a doctor by profession) who so aptly expressed his dilemma in a letter to a friend:

“Medicine is my lawful wife, and literature is my mistress. 

When I get fed up with one, I spend the night with the other. 

Though it is irregular, it is less boring this way, and besides, neither of them loses anything through my infidelity”.

In my case, since I have retired from the navy, my Wife is my lawful wife and Writing is my “mistress”.

Or is the other way round?

I really do not know.

It is difficult to live a dual life.

I have been a loyal husband.

I never had a mistress before.

So I really have no clue as to how to simultaneously handle a “wife” and a “mistress”.

Ever since I acquired this “mistress” of writing, my wife has started cribbing. 

She hates my “mistress”.

But now that I am bitten by the “writing bug” I like my “mistress” deeply and I cannot get rid of her.

I do not want to get rid of my much married wife.

I cannot get rid of my “mistress”.

Maybe my wife may dump me as she hates my writing.

She may give me an ultimatum to get rid of my “writing mistress” saying that there can be only one “woman” in a marriage.

I love my wife and I love my “mistress” too.

Now I am soon going to start writing my ambitious novel so I will have to devote a lot of attention to my “mistress”.

How will my wife react?

It going to be a difficult life.

Will I be able to “handle” both my wife and my “mistress”?

Can they both co-exist?

Or will I have to get rid of one.

I don’t know what to do.

I seek your advice, especially if you are one of those lucky ones who have had the experience and the dexterity to simultaneously handle a “wife” and a “mistress”.

Please tell me what to do.

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this book review. 

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:

All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

NB:

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)

Did you like this story?

I am sure you will like the 27 short stories from my recently published anthology of Short Fiction COCKTAIL
To order your COCKTAIL please click any of the links below:
http://www.flipkart.com/cocktail-vikram-karve-short-stories-book-8191091844?affid=nme
http://www.indiaplaza.in/cocktail-vikram-karve/books/9788191091847.htm
http://www.apkpublishers.com/books/short-stories/cocktail-by-vikram-karve.html

COCKTAIL ebook

If you prefer reading ebooks on Kindle or your ebook reader, please order Cocktail E-book by clicking the links below:
AMAZON
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MGERZ6
SMASHWORDS
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/87925

Foodie Book:  Appetite for a Stroll
If your are a Foodie you will like my book of Food Adventures APPETITE FOR A STROLL. Do order a copy from FLIPKART:
http://www.flipkart.com/appetite-stroll-vikram-karve/8190690094-gw23f9mr2o

About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer and blogger. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and an anthology of short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional  and academic research papers in journals and edited in-house journals and magazines for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramkarve@hotmail.com

Twitter: @vikramkarve

      

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

HUMOUR IN UNIFORM - THE STORY OF THE AMBITIOUS NAVAL OFFICER

HUMOR IN UNIFORM

THE STORY OF THE AMBITIOUS NAVAL OFFICER

By

VIKRAM KARVE

Disclaimer:

1. Please read this story only if you have a sense of humour. This is a spoof, a yarn, just for a laugh, no offence meant to anyone, so please take it with a pinch of salt.

2. This story is a work of fiction. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

NB

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)

THE STORY OF THE AMBITIOUS NAVY OFFICER - a yarn by Vikram Karve

“A” was a most ambitious naval officer.

His sole aim was to become an Admiral.

He moved heaven and earth and did everything possible to achieve his objective.

Those days the first promotion board was for the rank of Commander.

As his promotion board approached, the fear of supersession made him highly anxious and tense.

Soon the promotion board was over but the results were not yet declared and he eagerly waited for the promotion signal.

This excruciating wait almost drove him crazy.

He was hearing conflicting rumours.

This made him so tense and stressed-out, that his shipmates called us over and told us: “Hey, you guys are his friends. He is so bloody tense about his promotion. He is almost on the verge of a nervous breakdown. I think you chaps better speak to him and pep him up a bit.”

“We will do that,” we said.

“The promotion signal is likely to be released tonight. The bugger is so nervous and frantic that he may even commit suicide if he doesn’t get promoted. He is all alone – his wife and kids are away for their summer holidays. I think it is better someone is with him to make sure he doesn’t go berserk and do something stupid if his name is not on the list,” said a shipmate of “A”.

In the evening we reached his house with a bottle of rum.

We did not have to open our bottle, since “A” was already drinking to soothe his nerves.

“Why are you worried? With your outstanding performance, you are sure to get promoted,” we said.

“What bloody outstanding performance? Someone told me that the buggers in Delhi are manipulating the list. That’s why the signal is delayed. I hope it comes tonight,” he said and downed his glass of rum.

His voice had a note of desperation.

I filled up his glass and said, “With your sea service, they cannot ignore you.”

“Sea service? My foot! All this sea-report crap is bullshit. Look at the number of guys who get their sea-time waived and all of them get promoted. Someone told me that my name is being pushed out of the list to accommodate some bloody influential landlubber pen-pusher sitting in Delhi. I am convinced of one thing now – never go to sea if you want to get promoted,” he said bitterly.

“Let’s go out for dinner,” I said, trying to change the subject. Maybe an outing would do him a bit of good.

“No. I am not feeling okay. If you want you can go ahead,” he said.

“Okay. I’ll sit with you and give you company. He’ll go and get us some dinner. What do you want – Biryani from Olympia or Butter Chicken from Delhi Darbar?”

“I am in no mood to eat. You get anything you want,” he said.

As my buddy left to get food, on the way out, I whispered to him to go to the signal centre and find out about the promotion signal – when was it likely to come?

We, “A” and me, kept drinking.

“A” was quite drunk now.

It was more than two hours, almost midnight, but my buddy had still not returned.

I feared the worst.

We kept drinking in silence, losing all sense of time

Suddenly my buddy arrived.

He seemed overjoyed.

The promotion signal had arrived.

“A” had been promoted.

On hearing the good news, “A” asked, “are you sure my name is on the list?”

“Of course your name is very much there. I knew you would have doubts, so I have got a copy of the signal for you – see for yourself.”

“A” kept staring at the signal, at his name.

All his pent up tension seemed to dissolve and relief was visible on his face.

It was time to leave him alone to savour his moment of triumph.

But “A” would not let us go, “No. No. Wait. Don’t go. The good news calls for a drink. I’ve kept a bottle of Royal Salute for this occasion.”

“Whisky? After so much Rum?” I asked.

“Come on guys. It doesn’t matter. Today is a special day. Let’s celebrate.”

It took just two hours for us to polish off the bottle of Royal Salute.

“It’s nearly 3 in the morning. Time to leave,” I said.

“A” looked at me with hazy eyes and said, “Thanks for coming.”

“Do you know why we actually came?” my buddy asked, lurching drunkenly.

“Shut up,” I said.

“No. Tell me. Tell me why you came,” stuttered “A”, his speech blurred with intoxication.

“They told us you would commit suicide if you didn’t get promoted,” my buddy blurted out.

“A” looked at us and said, “Well, I don’t know about me. But one thing is sure. My wife would have committed suicide if I hadn’t got my promotion.” 

“What? Your Wife? Your wife would have committed suicide had you missed your promotion?” we asked in surprise.

“Yes. My wife would have been so totally devastated if I had been passed over for promotion that she would have surely committed suicide. She had worked so hard for my promotion. She would not have been able to bear the agony of my supersession…”

After uttering this insightful truth, “A” passed out on the sofa, happily drunk.

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. 

© vikram karve., all rights reserved. 

Disclaimer:

All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

NB

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 2013. All Rights Reserved

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Did you like this story?  

I am sure you will like the 27 short stories from my recently published anthology of Short Fiction COCKTAIL
To order your COCKTAIL please click any of the links below:
http://www.flipkart.com/cocktail-vikram-karve-short-stories-book-8191091844?affid=nme
http://www.indiaplaza.in/cocktail-vikram-karve/books/9788191091847.htm
http://www.apkpublishers.com/books/short-stories/cocktail-by-vikram-karve.html

COCKTAIL ebook

If you prefer reading ebooks on Kindle or your ebook reader, please order Cocktail E-book by clicking the links below:
AMAZON
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MGERZ6
SMASHWORDS
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/87925

Foodie Book:  Appetite for a Stroll
If your are a Foodie I am sure that you will like my book of Food Adventures APPETITE FOR A STROLL. Do order a copy from FLIPKART:
http://www.flipkart.com/appetite-stroll-vikram-karve/8190690094-gw23f9mr2o

About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer and blogger. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and an anthology of short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional  and academic research papers in journals and edited in-house journals and magazines for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramkarve@hotmail.com

Twitter: @vikramkarve

      

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

OFFICERS AND CHARLATANS

HUMOUR IN UNIFORM

OFFICERS AND CHARLATANS 

A Naval Yarn

By

VIKRAM KARVE

Disclaimer:

This story is a yarn. It is a work of fiction. The characters and setting do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. 

In the Navy I found two types of officers:

1. Sincere Officers who genuinely did the work

2. Charlatans who dishonestly usurped the credit

Once when we worked in a team, we had one such imposter.

This charlatan always avoided doing any actual work but discreetly kept track of what was going on.

As is the case with most “con artists” this officer possessed excellent “communication skills” and thanks to his “gift of the gab” he excelled in “hogging the limelight” in the presence of senior officers.

In fact, this “fraud officer” had created an impression in the eyes of senior officers that it was he who was doing most of the work in the team.

He also succeeded in projecting an image of the rest of his fellow-officers of the team as lazy “shammers”.

Of course, in due course, we exposed him by employing “disinformation shock” techniques of “information warfare”, but that is another story.

Let me tell you another interesting story that happened a long time ago when we were on the faculty of a premier inter-service institution for higher education.

A student officer wrote a research paper based on his Master’s Dissertation.

It was decided to send this paper to a prestigious professional journal for publication.

As was the custom in academia, the student officer (let us call him “A”) wrote his name first as the principal author and included the name of his dissertation guide (let us call him “B”) at the second place as co-author.

The research paper authored by “A” and “B” was duly forwarded through “proper channel”.

The Head of Department (let us call him “C”) read the research paper and was impressed by the high quality of work.

He was quite sure that this top-quality research paper would be accepted by the prestigious journal for publication and this would bring laurels to the department and institution.

The Head of Department “C” called the student officer “A” and the faculty guide “B” and said to them: “You have done outstanding research work and written an excellent paper. Well done. Why don’t you include my name as a co-author? After all I am the Head of Department and gave you all the help you wanted, didn’t I?”

“Sir, we have included your name in the acknowledgements paragraph at the end of the paper,” the guide “B” said.

“I would like my name to be mentioned as an author. After all, you are the guide but you too have included your name as an author haven’t you?” the Head of Department “C” retorted to the guide “B”.

So the research paper now had 3 authors – “A” the actual researcher, “B” his guide and “C” the Head of Department.

As the paper progressed through the hierarchy, the Dean “D” decided to add his name too.

The Dean, who was a careerist naval officer, knew that in the academia, a lot of importance was given to research publications.

He knew that in his present “academic” appointment publishing papers was considered as a “feather in his cap” and this would boost his ACR (performance appraisal report) and enhance his promotion prospects.

Also, such “academic achievements” would add value to his CV when he would look for job in his second innings after retirement.

So the Dean “D” (who hardly did any research work) was in the habit of adding his name as co-author to all research papers going out of the institution.

So the paper now had four authors – “A” the researcher, “B” the guide, “C” the Head of Department and “D” the Dean.

The research paper was sent to Headquarters for final clearance and forwarding to the journal.

After due process, one fine day, the paper landed on the desk of an administrative staff officer who was to forward it to the journal.

The administrative officer was a most rank conscious officer.

The moment he saw the paper he sensed something was wrong.

“Why is the name of the junior-most officer on top?” he wondered.

Then he noticed that the names were written in reverse order of seniority – the name of “A” (Lieutenant) was on top followed by “B” (Lieutenant Commander) then “C” (Commander) and lastly “D” (Commodore) whose name was at the bottom of the list.

This “breach of protocol” irked him and was unacceptable. In the defence services, rank and seniority were sacrosanct and the “pecking order” had to be maintained at all costs.

The administrative officer decided to correct things.

He called his clerk and told him retype the names of the authors in order of seniority – the senior-most “D” on top followed by “C” “B” and “A”.

The research journal had a policy of restricting the number of authors to a maximum of three.

So they duly “chopped off” the name of the fourth author “A”.

When the research paper was finally published, the name of the Dean “D” appeared on top as the principal author, followed by the names of the Head of Department “C” and guide “B” as co-authors.

The name of the actual researcher “A” did not figure anywhere.

The name of “A” was nowhere to be seen.

Looking at the paper as it appeared in the journal, it seemed that the paper had been authored by the Dean “D”, the Head of Department “C” and the guide “B”.

Of course, the Dean “D” got the maximum credit as the principal author although he did not have even the slightest clue about the actual research work.

What a travesty?

“A” who slogged for over one year and did all the research work and wrote the excellent paper did not get any credit for his efforts and the laurels were usurped by his seniors “D” “C” and “B”.

That is why I say that there are two types of officers:

1. Sincere Officers who genuinely do the work

2. Charlatans who dishonestly usurp the credit

And it is due to the unsung efforts of the first type of sincere officer that things are running fine.

Of course, I have seen some “hybrid officers” who are a combination of the two types – the “careerist” officer who works hard and makes sure that he gets the credit. We used to joke that this type of officer was “married to the navy” – I will tell you a few hilarious yarns about some “married to the navy” officers later in my blog.

Look around, observe your workplace and identify the sincere types, the charlatans, and, of course, the careerist “married to the organization” types.

Enjoy your Monday and have a great week ahead.

VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 2013
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. 
© vikram karve., all rights reserved. 

Disclaimer:

All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

NB:

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 2013. All Rights Reserved

Did you like reading this story?
I am sure you will like all the 27 stories in my book  COCKTAIL an anthology of Short Fiction.
To order your COCKTAIL please click any of the links below:
http://www.flipkart.com/cocktail-vikram-karve-short-stories-book-8191091844?affid=nme
http://www.indiaplaza.in/cocktail-vikram-karve/books/9788191091847.htm
http://www.apkpublishers.com/books/short-stories/cocktail-by-vikram-karve.html
COCKTAIL ebook
If you prefer reading ebooks on Kindle or your ebook reader, please order Cocktail E-book by clicking the links below:
AMAZON
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MGERZ6
SMASHWORDS
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/87925

Foodie Book:  Appetite for a Stroll
If your are a Foodie you will like my book of Food Adventures APPETITE FOR A STROLL. Do order a copy from FLIPKART:
http://www.flipkart.com/appetite-stroll-vikram-karve/8190690094-gw23f9mr2o

About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer and blogger. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and an anthology of short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional  and academic research papers in journals and edited in-house journals and magazines for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramwamankarve@gmail.com

Twitter: @vikramkarve

      

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