No place left to hide

Whenever recruitments were due, every other person on the phone would introduce himself as alegislator or as a minister. I had to be correct and cautious, and had to listen to all the recommendations, though I knew I was not going to interfere in a single case. When the floodgates really opened, I told my security aide to take down the names and numbers. On verification, I found that either the numbers were wrong or the alleged caller had never tried to contact me or recommend anything.

Even this strategy had its holes, so I decided that my number would have to be unlisted. People who were given the number were requested not to pass it on to anyone. This bought only temporary relief, for those on my unwanted8217; list had their sources. The only solution was to change the regular phone number as well as the official cellular number at least once a week. In the case of the cellular, there was an additional problem. I needed to get my caller ID suppressed, so that my number wouldn8217;t show up on other people8217;s screens.

It was not that I8217;d become anti-social. I was simply tired of everyone recommendingeveryone else to me. There was no question of my interceding on behalf of anyone, and I didn8217;t want to sour any friendships either, so a new system was in order.

Whenever anyone called, he would be politely asked to leave his name, address, number and the purpose of his call by my personal staff. A list would be made out every two hours, and I would decide who I wanted to call back or meet. All those involved in CBI cases, however highly placed, would be denied the courtesy of a reply.

But finally, the ringing telephone mercilessly demands attention. A friend of mine, Jaspal Dass, has decided not to contradict anyone who rings him up. When a caller asked whether it was the Nepal Air office, he said, quot;Yes sir, what can I do for you?quot; quot;I have to go to London today. Can you get me a seat?quot; quot;We8217;re full up for the 2 am flight, but try the 11 am one and pay for your ticket at the airport.quot; It is not known if the caller made it to London, but it is definite that there is no Nepal Air, only the Royal NepalAirlines.

On the contrary, another friend, Rao, loves the phone so much he doesn8217;t let you get a word in edgeways. And he enquires after the well-being of the whole household, including the dog. My daughter Randeep actually insists on talking to the dog over the phone. It is doubtful if the dog understands a word of what she says. Her sister Harveen defends her right to remain glued to the handset for hour at a stretch. She says she8217;s using her mother8217;s phone, so I have no right to interfere.

My father, Mahant Kartar Singh, found in the telephone an excellent substitute for meeting people. Only in the last few weeks before his death would he ignore a ringing phone. Even then, it was with a twinge of guilt. To his last day, he firmly believed that not attending to a ringing phone amounted to refusing to speak with a friend.