THE WORST BOSS I EVER HAD
Story from My Vizag Navy Days
By
VIKRAM KARVE
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PROLOGUE
Do you remember the worst boss you ever had in your career…?
I do.
It was Commodore “P” – the most “sadistic”, callous and coldblooded boss I ever had in the Navy – a terrible fellow.
This was in Vizag (Visakhapatnam) – around 30 years ago – in the end 1980’s/early 1990’s – during my appointment in the prestigious Naval Dockyard at Vizag.
Dear Reader – let me tell you a bit about Commodore “P” – the worst boss I ever had…
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Vizag (Visakhapatnam) – Circa 1989
PART 1 – MIDNIGHT CALL
I was woken up from my deep sleep by the shrill ring of the telephone.
Actually – it was my wife who heard the phone ring.
My wife poked me hard in the ribs – and she said to me: “Are you dead…? Can’t you hear the phone…?”
Well – I was good as dead – I had gone to sleep “dead drunk” – after a heavy working day – a brisk jog up Dolphin’s Nose and back – a vigorous swim in the Navy Pool – a hot water bath at home – followed by half a bottle of Rum – a heavy dinner – a bout of frenzied lovemaking – all this had exhausted me totally – and – put me into an unconscious state of deep deadened sleep.
I lay down in my “comatose” stupor – listening with irritation to the shrill ring of the phone.
My wife poked me in my ribs once more – and said: “Go and pick up the phone…”
I woke up from my cataleptic stupor.
I felt disoriented – but – I managed to stagger to the phone – which was kept on a table in the passageway.
I picked up the phone and identified myself.
“Come Over…” the voice at the other end said – and then – the person at the other end disconnected the phone.
I recognized the voice – it was my boss – Commodore “P”.
As was his style – he had uttered just two words: “Come Over…”
Commodore “P” believed in brevity.
“Come Over…” that’s all he said – no “why” – no details.
“What’s the matter…?” my wife asked.
“It’s Commodore “P” – my boss…” I said, “He wants me to come over…”
“Now…?” my wife exclaimed, “It is past 11 o’clock at night – almost midnight…”
“Must be something urgent…” I said, “I’ll walk down to his house and meet him…”
“You better wash up…” my wife said, “You are totally drunk – I’ll make some coffee too – just to sober you up a bit…”
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Dear Reader – while I wash up and
have some coffee to sober up – here is a small digression:
If you are a Navy Veteran – and
have served in Vizag in the 1970’s/1980’s – you may have lived in Naval Park.
(Sometime in the 1980’s – Naval
Park “Annexe” was built – comprising multi-storey buildings – but – I was lucky
to get a house in the original Naval Park)
The Naval Park comprised lovely
old style houses.
Each building had 3 Storeys – a
total of 6 houses – two houses on each floor – with spacious terraces in
between.
I was lucky to get a ground floor
house – with a lawn in front – garage on the side – and – garden in the rear.
We were a mix of occupants in the
6 houses in our building – and in the similar block of 6 houses opposite – 12
of us with varying ranks from Lieutenant Commander to Commodore – from diverse
ships and shore establishments – and the spacious common area in between the
two buildings was called “Nukkad” – and we would have frequent impromptu “pot luck”
get-togethers there – especially during “load shedding” (power cuts) – which
happened quite frequently in the evenings.
Those days – it took 11 years of
commissioned service to become a Lieutenant Commander – and – the type of
married accommodation was the same from Major to Brigadier (Lieutenant
Commander to Commodore) – so all of us lived together in common housing in
Naval Park – while there were 4 separate Bungalows for Rear Admirals – and the “CinC”
– a Vice Admiral – he lived in his appointment house in Vizag City.
My boss – a Commodore – lived on
a ground floor house similar to mine – in an identical building near our house.
Digression over – story
continues…
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Actually – Commodore “P” was not my direct boss – he was the boss of my boss – Captain “K” – a senior Captain (IN) – who had “switched off” and got out of the “rat race”.
Captain “K” had accepted the fact that he had reached his level of incompetence – and he had decided to enjoy his remaining years in the Navy till superannuation in peace and tranquility.
So – Captain “K” astutely remained out of the “firing line” – and he let me have it nice and proper from Commodore “P”.
And now – Commodore “P” had called me at this unearthly hour – it was well past 11 PM – almost midnight.
I changed into trousers and bush shirt – wore my sandals – and – to sober up – I gulped down the coffee my wife had hurriedly prepared.
Then – I walked towards the house of Commodore “P” – which was nearby.
As I reached the ground floor house – I noticed that the light in the drawing room was on.
Commodore “P” must be waiting for me in his drawing room – I thought.
I rang the doorbell.
The door opened.
I had expected Commodore “P” to open the door.
But – it was his wife – Mrs. “P” – who opened the door.
Mrs. “P” was a most refined, gracious and elegant lady.
“Good Evening, Ma’am…” I said to her, “Your husband had called me on the phone – he wanted to see me…”
“He hasn’t come home…” she said.
“Is he still in his office…?” I asked.
“Yes…” she said, “I had called his PA half an hour ago. The PA said that my husband was busy working…”
“I am sorry for the inconvenience, Ma’am…” I said, “I’ll go to his office and meet him…”
“Yes – I think you do that…” Mrs. “P” said.
“Good Night, Ma’am…” I said.
“Good Night…” Mrs. “P” said.
She smiled at me – and – as I began to leave – she closed the door.
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To Be Continued...
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2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
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