Musings

Continuing my romance with Tinkle

I thought I should mark March 16, 2006 as an important date in my diary. It was the day I introduced my daughter to Tinkle. Yes, our old lovable Tinkle comic with whom I must say I had my first romance.

Buying my daughter her first copy made me take a walk down the memory lane. I can still remember vividly the days spent with Tinkle. It must have been the early eighties when my father introduced me to the magical world of Tinkle. We then lived in the Northeast –  Kohima, a small town that had only two bookstores selling the comic – one close to my school. The supply was never regular and it came as no surprise if we were reading the April issue in August.

The wait for new issue always generated excitement, wherein every morning, a  thought would knock and say – today the issue is bound to be there, it cannot get later than this.

I still remember clearly the bookstore. It used to have a huge window through which I regularly scanned the collection of books and comics. I used to visit the shop everyday to ask if any new issue had arrived. It had become such  a habit that as soon as they saw my approaching silhouette, they would either wave a bye conveying – No issue – or wave excitedly – Come over, it is here.

After taking a peek at the new issue, I would rush home to get the money. Then it used to cost Re 3. The rush up and down used to be a marathon. Kohima, being a a hilly region, had many slopes and winding roads….  I had to climb up and down a flight of 200 steps as well as walk through narrow tarred roads, which looked like lines drawn amid trees and bushes. But I used to scale all these in no time.

Once the copy was in my hand, all the effort seemed worth it. I used to start reading it immediately and my way back used to be a very slow one.  The cover story was always the first to catch my attention. After  I had taken in every  word and lived their adventure, I would move to other stories. RajaHooja and Tantri – the Mantri used to be an all time favorite, followed by Supandi, whose stupidity always evoked laughter. Then came Nasseruddin, Raghu, Anwar, etc. I always saved Kalia or Shikari Shambu for the last. All these characters used to instantly come to life and I would be in their world as I walked home. Once I reached home, I would always find my father waiting eagerly waiting for the issue.  After he read it, I would go and read it over and over again. I never got tired of it. It was indeed magical.

So, the other day when I bought Tinkle after about two decades, I was envisaging a similar experience and I must tell you I was not disappointed. Though the price had risen to Rs 20 and Raja Hooja and Tantri had given way to their children – Junior Hooja and Junior Tantri, the essence was still there. I have to admit Uncle Pai is still at his best.

Now, when I see my daughter sit with the comic trying to take in every picture (as words are still a mumble-jumble for her), I proudly feel I have introduced her to a world where she can sneak in whenever she wants to and have her own adventures. I bet my father must have felt the same, though I always feel he introduced me to Tinkle to continue his illegal flirtation with the comic. But today, I don’t blame him as I intend to do the same – continue my romance with Tinkle.

Musings

Should donkeys be tolerated at the top?

I was inspired to write on this topic for various reasons. Before I proceed further, let me warn you that these are the thoughts of a person who is viewing the whole scenario through a simple eye – no complicated management techniques or analysis have been used to deduce whatever has been deduced.

First, the definition of a donkey – an animal that has resigned to the fate that it is meant to slog and carry burden. Have you ever looked at a donkey? There lies no hope or excitement in those eyes, except for the tired resolution to work harder and harder, as the master puts more and more burden on it. Absolutely no desire to quit or change the drudgery, either. You feel bad at its fate and wonder why it can’t just run away. The only time you see excitement is when the master canes it. Oh! then there is an instant jump..the eyes open up..you can hear some braying and strange noises. You might think this is it!. The donkey is about to break itself free ..but that is where you are mistaken. The fraction-of-a-minute excitement suddenly dies down as soon as the canning stops, and the donkey is back to the normal, ‘very hard working’ life.

Now, what happens when a donkey like this happens to be your boss? A dangerous situation because he is in the process of creating many more donkeys. He knows very well a human mind cannot resist pressure and will soon succumb to it..the same way his mind had succumbed.

In our day-today-life, we come across many such people. We hear them brag of working unenviable hours, neglecting families, ignoring health and most of all stressing on the fact that they have mind space only for their job. What is worse, they expect everyone to be like them. How good is this and how successful are such people?  Do they, at any given point in time, know what they want? Are they simply intelligent, or are intelligent and street smart, or are they none of these? Are they actually fit enough to hold whatever position they are holding? Are they sadists? Who are they and should they be tolerated?

Who are they?

They may be –

a)      Those who are not clear about their goals and how to achieve them.

b)      Those who may believe in planning but not in a structured manner

c)       Very abrupt in nature – believing something at one point and another at the next instant

d)      Slaves to situations and circumstances

e)     They may be sadists

f)        Highly ambitious – wants to achieve something even if it is not humanely possible. This, I consider is the strongest point that makes a donkey out of a human, where you start believing in working harder and harder to achieve it.

Should they be tolerated?

Of course, if they are at the top they might as well be tolerated. Because this is India and this is how Indians work. Indians are very open to accepting their fate – whatever form they may be. If the boss has all the above-mentioned qualities, is there anything much that you can do? No. Go ahead and change the company and become wiser of the fact that you left one dhobi ghat for another and the previous master at least had a smaller cane.

After changing many ghats and happy at the thought that you have rebelled and not succumbed to fate, you realize you have actually reached the top. Your promotion has just happened. You walk into your cabin and you sit on the chair. Elated is how you can describe yourself then. Easing back, you smile and slowly pick up your tail and place it carefully on the arm of the chair. Hey, when did this grow? Yet you are happy. You look at your reflection, your long ears, those hopeless, lifeless eyes, and the very huge burden on your back..hey, when did this happen? Oh! I can analyze it later, let me enjoy the moment now, my  moment, you think. You smile. You are extremely happy.

So, this is it guys. You might as well tolerate them. Even if you don’t, you end up tolerating them anyway.