A  Patient  Listener 

A  dedicated, progressive looking and middle aged smart person, Satpal Singh , was the Chief Executive Officer of a  reputed company in Mumbai. Being the Head of a reputed company and needing to seek Governmental clearances for the projects handled by his company, he was required to travel to Delhi.  It is for this reason, that led to a local person being appointed at Delhi, who could maintain a relationship with Officers of Central Government and could arrange meetings of Singh  to meet these persons in Delhi. 

Capt Kohli,  a pleasant and  talkative Punjabi person was the local person in Delhi. Having retired from Army,  Capt Kohli was a young person with mutiple talents.  He would always accompany Singh for meetings arranged by him on Singh’s directive. Like everyone else of the company employees, Capt Kohli was scared of Singh, due to his erratic nature.  

This is the story when Singh wanted  an urgent meeting with Mr Jitendra Jain, Dy Director of Pollution Control Board. Messages were sent to Capt Kohli to quickly arrange the  meeting  with Mr Jain.   Within hours, a message was received in the office of Singh that a meeting has been arranged on next day.  Capt Kohli was very pleased with the development of fixing a meeting with Mr Jain in such short time and would certainly receive a pat on the back from Singh.

Next day, Singh flew to Delhi and was received at the airport by Capt Kohli. Dressed in a immaculate suit, as he always did for meetings with Senior Governmental Officers, he was ready to meet Mr Jain and directed Capt Kohli to drive straight from airport to Pollution Control Board office.

On reaching the office, Singh walked briskly with his eyes on the name plates of cabins in  the corridors and as they passed by. He spotted the name plate of interest - J Jain, Dy Director. Being in a hurry, as he always was, Singh opened the room and entered.  With Capt Kohli trying to catch up with Singh, he  saw Singh opening the door and was quite terrified.

Entering the room like a storm, Singh introduced himself and started talking non stop with Jain, giving no opportunity for listener  to even open his mouth, and presented his case.  Capt Kohli stood shaking at the back, and stood like a statue.  

Singh rattled his presentation with full details of data without referring to the papers, Jain listened patiently with a bored expression.

Singh, trusting that he made his presentation convincingly  and looked at  Jain with smiling face expecting his approval by nodding.  

“ Well, Singh Saheb,” said Jain, standing to indicate that meeting was over.

 “ I am Jinender Jain and from what you have said, Jitendra Jain is the right person to meet. I am in no way connected with the subject. His offices are located a few cabins later. You may kindly meet him. Thank you”  said Jain in a very polite manner, ready to dismiss Singh.

Singh was quite perplexed and  expressing murmuring regret to Jain, he brushed out. Capt Kohli tried to explain but Singh was in no mood to listen .

“ Why didn’t you stop me from entering Jain’ s office. “ Singh literally fired Capt Kohli. 

“ Duffer, now where is the right man’s office” barked Singh.

“ Just a few cabins later” said Capt., trying to speed up with Singh, when they saw it.

Jitendra Jain, Dy Director.

With quiet dignity, Singh opened the room , introduced himself and rattled his presentation.

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