Caught red handed! The story of an unposted letter
Even during 1980s also when Internet had not yet “arrived” and telephones were still a luxury to have at home, thanks to our dear Department of Posts, Government of India, we were able to communicate with one another. Full credit is to be given to the Postman who unfailingly treks laboriously without any complaint to deliver letters even to remote corners of the country.
In those days we were staying in our own apartment in Konkanbhuvan node of New Bombay, a satellite township being established to ease the congestion in the main city Bombay (now called Mumbai). The civic amenities were being provided in stages in the township. First the streetlights came, then a bank, a postbox and then a delivery branch of post office. As the postal services were yet to be streamlined, we used to carry all our letters for posting in our BARC post office. We used to think that mail would be dispatched relatively quickly.
One morning, Shobha (whose ‘worse – half is me’) handed an inland letter to me for posting. The letter was addressed to her parents. I took it and put it in my bag for taking it to BARC for posting.
I hold a theory that any central government servant in India possesses unique characteristics or over a course of time during his service, acquires these characteristics. I am not sure whether a person has these unique characteristics before joining central government service or he acquires them during the course of time. The unique characteristics are (i) having an impassive and expressionless face, (ii) cultivating that bored and worn out look even at the start of the day, (iii) looking extremely busy and occupied when need arises, (iv) faking that concentrated look while the boss is speaking simultaneously shutting all the other sensory faculties. As long as one does not carry these features outside the office particularly at home it is safe for the individual.
The mistake I did was indeed the opposite. The net result is I forgot to post the letter given by Shobha. In the evening after I returned home she did enquire and for a change I told her the truth and promised that I would definitely post the letter next day. Next day came and gone but the letter continued to remain in the bag. I lied to the Lady of the House that I had an extremely urgent meeting, which lasted throughout the day. Luckily next day Shobha did not ask and so I was saved from lying. The day after I decided I would keep the letter in my shirt packet so I would not forget. I transferred the letter from the bag to the packet. But this time I entirely forgot about the same for two days.
On Friday, in BARC while boarding the office bus, there was checking of the valid bus pass. (All the BARC employees availing the official bus transport are given a bus pass). When I pulled the bus pass out of the packet, the letter also “popped” out.
I decided that I would hold the letter in hand and as soon as I got down at Konanbhuvan, I would drop it into the postbox there before going home. For a change I remembered my task and no sooner we got down, than I rushed towards the postbox. Just as I was about to drop the letter, there was a movement on my back and there was a query, “ What are you posting? Letter?” I turned back to see. There standing in front of me was Shobha with her friend Krishnakumari!
In a hurry I posted the letter and gave a sheepish smile and mumbled. Now you know when the letters do not reach the destination, Postal Department alone is not to be blamed. Our contribution is also not insignificant!
Even during 1980s also when Internet had not yet “arrived” and telephones were still a luxury to have at home, thanks to our dear Department of Posts, Government of India, we were able to communicate with one another. Full credit is to be given to the Postman who unfailingly treks laboriously without any complaint to deliver letters even to remote corners of the country.
In those days we were staying in our own apartment in Konkanbhuvan node of New Bombay, a satellite township being established to ease the congestion in the main city Bombay (now called Mumbai). The civic amenities were being provided in stages in the township. First the streetlights came, then a bank, a postbox and then a delivery branch of post office. As the postal services were yet to be streamlined, we used to carry all our letters for posting in our BARC post office. We used to think that mail would be dispatched relatively quickly.
One morning, Shobha (whose ‘worse – half is me’) handed an inland letter to me for posting. The letter was addressed to her parents. I took it and put it in my bag for taking it to BARC for posting.
I hold a theory that any central government servant in India possesses unique characteristics or over a course of time during his service, acquires these characteristics. I am not sure whether a person has these unique characteristics before joining central government service or he acquires them during the course of time. The unique characteristics are (i) having an impassive and expressionless face, (ii) cultivating that bored and worn out look even at the start of the day, (iii) looking extremely busy and occupied when need arises, (iv) faking that concentrated look while the boss is speaking simultaneously shutting all the other sensory faculties. As long as one does not carry these features outside the office particularly at home it is safe for the individual.
The mistake I did was indeed the opposite. The net result is I forgot to post the letter given by Shobha. In the evening after I returned home she did enquire and for a change I told her the truth and promised that I would definitely post the letter next day. Next day came and gone but the letter continued to remain in the bag. I lied to the Lady of the House that I had an extremely urgent meeting, which lasted throughout the day. Luckily next day Shobha did not ask and so I was saved from lying. The day after I decided I would keep the letter in my shirt packet so I would not forget. I transferred the letter from the bag to the packet. But this time I entirely forgot about the same for two days.
On Friday, in BARC while boarding the office bus, there was checking of the valid bus pass. (All the BARC employees availing the official bus transport are given a bus pass). When I pulled the bus pass out of the packet, the letter also “popped” out.
I decided that I would hold the letter in hand and as soon as I got down at Konanbhuvan, I would drop it into the postbox there before going home. For a change I remembered my task and no sooner we got down, than I rushed towards the postbox. Just as I was about to drop the letter, there was a movement on my back and there was a query, “ What are you posting? Letter?” I turned back to see. There standing in front of me was Shobha with her friend Krishnakumari!
In a hurry I posted the letter and gave a sheepish smile and mumbled. Now you know when the letters do not reach the destination, Postal Department alone is not to be blamed. Our contribution is also not insignificant!
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