Cocktail In The Rainbow - Chapter - 15

 

Chapter – 15

 

“Sir, meet Harun-Al-Rashid.”

I was taken aback on hearing the name of the famous ‘Khalifah’ of Baghdad, immortalised in the stories of ‘Arabian Nights’.

I was actually floating in the crowd with the same glass in my hand after Atanu had gone down for toilet to ease himself. Myself being a music lover I did not feel bored as the orchestral party had been playing all along my favourite songs on their instruments. At that time I was totally mused in the sweet melody of ‘Blue Danube’ followed by ‘Waves of Danube’.

I looked back and found Nandi with a handsome young man well dressed in black trousers, white coat, black bow tie and shiny polished black shoes – complete uniform for an official dinner party.

 I shook hands with the young man and said, “Sumanta Bose.”

“At your service Sir! I am Kazi Harun-Al-Rashid Rahman from Bangladesh,” the young man said.

“Bangladesh! It’s a beautiful country.” I said.

“Did you visit our country anytime?” Rahman asked me.

“Yes! I visited Bangladesh only last year, shortly after liberation. I went there on export promotion tour on behalf of my ex-employer.” I said.

“Did you visit all the important towns of Bangladesh?” Rahman asked.

“Sorry! I could not. I visited only Dhaka and Chittagong. But I had thrilling experience. From Dhaka to Chittagong I was to go by air. My host got my air-ticket cancelled and carried me by his car and boat crossing wide rivers and paddy fields both sides right upto Chittagong. I will never forget that beautiful journey with sojourn at Cumilla and Fenny for refreshment and the warm hospitality of my host.” I said.

“Sir, next time you will be my guest.” Rahman said politely and gave me his visiting card. “My residential address and telephone numbers are mentioned on the card.”

I looked at his visiting card and came to know that he was the Branch Manager of Rainbow International for Bangladesh. I also learned from Rahman that entire operation of Rainbow in Bangladesh was controlled by Chanakya Nag on behalf of Rainbow India. Very shortly manufacturing unit would be started in Bangladesh under the name, Rainbow Bangladesh distributing public shares.

“Hallow Fatikda, how are you?” said another well-dressed young man with Mongolian countenance and yellowish complexion.

“Fine. How are you Gautam? Meet Mr. Bose, our Divisional Manager for Agro Chemicals Division.” Nandi said. “Sir, meet Mr. Gautam Thapa our Sales Executive in Nepal for Pharmaceutical Division.

“How do you do Mr. Thapa?” I said.

“Fine! I am happy to meet you Sir” Gautam Thapa said.

“You are posted at Kathmandu?” I said.

“Yes Sir! Have you visited Nepal?” Gautam said.

“Oh yes! I visited your lovely country several times since Nineteen Sixty, of course on company’s business. But during each visit to Kathmandu and Pokhara Valley, I enjoyed some thrilling Himalayan excursion and sight seeing tours to the temples and palaces built by the medieval Kings.”

“Hallow brother! Having good time with Thapa?” Ramani Talukdar said with a full glass of Whisky in his hand.

“Yes Mr. Talukdar.  I got acquainted with Mr. Rahman and Mr. Thapa. Mr. Nandi introduced with them.” I said.

Nandi moved away tactfully from the place. Rahman and Thapa also followed him.

“Brother, I feel you should have fresh drinks.” Talukdar said.

“It would have been my pleasure to give you company in fresh drinks. I don’t know the reason; but my stomach is causing obnoxious eructation time to time. May be for changing drinks.” I got to tell him lie to avoid more drinks.

Talukdar nodded his head and said, “ Brother! That’s why I suggest everybody not to change wine and woman. Stick to one brand and enjoy to your heart’s content. You will never belch. You will always live in healthy body and tranquil mind.”

Looking at my glass he said further, “You need not consume whatever is left in your glass. I am getting for you fresh lime with soda. You will be alright in no time.”

Talukdar called the cocktail boy and asked him to bring lime and soda for me. Sipping almost half of the Whisky in a gallop, Talukdar said, “Brother! How do you feel as a peripheral manager?”

“Peripheral! I exclaimed.

“You don’t know the term? No problem. I will explain. Regional GMs or DMs are all peripheral managers. It’s like a solar system. Planets are revolving round the sun and the satellites are also revolving round the planets. In a professionally organised system of a multinational or national company, both regional GMs and DMs are the peripheral managers. GMs are the planets and the DMs are the satellites. Head office is the nucleus of this professional infrastructure like the sun of the solar system.” Talukdar said and looked at me with self-satisfaction.

“Really marvellous! You have clarified our position nicely.” I said.

“No brother! I have not clarified in details about the position of a peripheral manager, better to say DM of Rainbow India, look that side.”

I saw according to his direction. Keya Talukdar was having chats with Gregory Anthony, all India manager of pharmaceutical division.

Talukdar said with a smile, “The lady does not know that her husband is to carry suitcase containing dirty garments and linens of the man she is talking to.”

I could not follow and hence looked at Talukdar with curiosity.

“I guess you don’t follow me. Ok! I will tell you, whenever head office boss comes to Regional office, depending upon status GM or DM or both will have to receive him at the airport. If both GM and DM are there at the airport, GM will accompany the VIP to car waiting outside leaving the baggage tag with the DM. DM will lift the suitcase or bag from the conveyer belt and carry the same to his car. You know, many times I saw dirty old garments and linens being handed over to hotel laundry man for washing. Since senior managers of Rainbow travel on actual expenses to be paid by the company, they get their suits and linens washed in five star hotel laundry, hair cut in hotel saloon and body massaged in hotel health clinic.”

Talukdar said that in such a style I could not check my laughter. He was senior to me in age and from the day of my joining the office he had been very affectionate to me with full cooperation as colleague. He used to address me as ‘Brother’, not Mr. Bose or Sumanta, my first name.

“Why don’t you come to my residence next Sunday for dinner?” Talukdar said.

“I will see my week-end programme and tell you tomorrow.” I said.

“For a bachelor week-end programme can be fixed instantly. So keep aside ‘tomorrow’ and confirm right now.” Talukdar said.

“Ok Mr. Talukdar, I am coming to your residence next Sunday for dinner. What will be your convenient time?” I said.

“You are coming for drinks and dinner. So best time will be 8 p.m. if not inconvenient to you, you can come earlier. We will have chats and my son Amit will entertain you with Tagore songs.” Talukdar said with confidence. 

“It will be my pleasure to be at your residence and listen your son singing Tagore songs.” I said.

“It will be also my pleasure to get you at my residence. My family and Nirapada will welcome you.” Talukdar said.

“Nirapada!” I exclaimed.

Talukdar said smilingly, “Nirapada is my affectionate dog.”

“First time in my life I hear such name of a dog.” I said.

“Oh yes! Nirapada was a common name of Bengali man in olden days. Even now this name may be found in the rural areas. Do you know who christened my dog?” Talukdar said and without waiting for my reply added “Santanu Majumdar.”

“Santanu Majumdar? I mean our former DM – Home Products?” I said.

“Yes. Santanu, my ex-colleague. He christened my pet. Since the puppy was calm and gentle, Majumdar suggested me to call the little creature ‘Nirapada’ i.e. safe in English.” Talukdar said.

“Really good name.” I said.

“But Keya did not like this rural Bengali name for a pet. She almost shouted at Santanu, as he did not suggest any good western name. Santanu was smiling, but did not argue with Keya. I told her, since creature was born in West Bengal and it’s ancestor’s identity was not established, how it was possible to christen it by western name! However Keya was not at all satisfied with my explanation. So I suggested various western names like Tom, Tusi, John, Johnny, Dick, Dicky, Tiger, Lion and so on. But my loving wife did not like these common names as many of her relatives and friends were having dogs of such names. She wanted some special name for her pet. Since dog played important role in Indian Mythology like ‘Mahabharata’, Santanu suggested some mythological names which were rejected by Keya who ultimately agreed to retain the earlier name ‘Nirapada’ or safe.”

“It’s a good name.” I repeated my appreciation of the name.

“But even by mistake please don’t admire this name before Keya. Then you may miss specially fried Pomphret with drinks at my residence on next Sunday. You will have to munch only roasted peanuts.” Talukdar said jokingly.

“Oh no! I don’t like to miss specially fried Pomphret. You may rest assured I won’t repeat this mistake. By the by, is Nirapada the first pet at your residence?” I said.

“You are absolutely correct. Nirapada is the first pet at my new flat given to me by Rainbow as my official residence. Previously I used to stay at my ancestral home at Salkia in Howrah city where we had many pets like cats, mice, rats and cockroaches which used to move freely in the old house of our joint family. After getting company’s flat, I moved there with my wife and son. Flat was well furnished with beautiful cushions and curtains. I spent further amount to beautify it as per demand of Keya. But you know, desire does not have limitation. One day Keya told me that during my tour and Amit being in school she had felt many times absolutely lonely in the flat and so she must get a pet to spend the lonely hours. She further told me that she had seen a nice Pekingese dog on the lap of Mandakini Nag during our last visit to their flat.” Talukdar paused for few seconds and had another long sip of Whisky.

“So my search for foreign puppy began. Santanu Majumdar came forward to help me. One day he took me to the bank of the Ganges near Princep Ghat where some Gypsies had been living for few months. Though I did not meet before any Gypsy, I heard that these Romany people earned their livelihood by selling puppies, musks, taxidermic figures of birds of Prey and Mongoose, aphrodisiac herbs etc. One elderly fellow brought from his tent nearly a dozen of puppies, all of which looked like the offspring of street dogs abandoned in Calcutta city. He touched each small creature and said smartly Alsatian, German Shepherd, Greyhound, Foxhound, Dingo, Lurcher, Mastiff, Terrier, Spaniel, Bull dog, Great Dane, and so on which I can’t remember. Santanu told him that he did not find any difference in appearance and so it was not possible for him to select any one. If he had any pure Indian puppy, he would buy immediately. The Gypsy fellow with his fully expressed laughter said, ‘Sir, all these puppies are of purely Indian origin. You may choose any of these creatures. All are same. But I tell you, if you domesticated properly, any one of these puppies will become your obedient servant.’ So we bought one puppy that day and the little creature grew up to full form of an Alsatian male dog with meat, milk and maize dough mixed with Rainbow multivitamin capsules as fed by Keya with her motherly care everyday. But I tell you brother, the fellow is hundred percent safe. Santanu rightly christened it’s name ‘Nirapada’.” Ramani Talukdar put an end to his dog’s story, but not to his drinks. He picked up another glass of Scotch from the tray of a passing cocktail boy and said, “Meet you again brother, some guests are waiting for me, bye.”  

to be continued....