Who should feel embarrased ?

Through this writing under the column 'Light Readings', I wish to share with my friends of KAVITANJALI and my other well wishers the following true event that occured in my work place some time in October 1974/75 when I was working as an officer in what was then and is still one of the largest of the Multinationals in India in the manufacture and marketing of Consumer Products like Soaps and
Detergents,Toiletaries,Processed Foods,Hydrogenated Fats and the likes.I was then in charge of Production of TOILET PREPARATIONS like Tooth Paste,Shaving cremes,Fairness Creme,Shampoo and Transparent Glycerine soap in the company's plant at Sewri ln Mumbai (then called Bombay.It was customery then for the company to invite VIPs from different stratas of the society to show them round the plant as a part of Public Relations development.

Against the above background on one pleasant day SIMI GREWAL a then well known upcoming CINE STAR,aged in mid 2os visited our plant alongwith her Secretary of around the same age,built and personality.

Being a very large factory which takes around as high as a little over 2 hours to complete a detailed round of all sections of the factory, it was cutomary for the Personnel in charge to take the visitors to one department introduce them to the departmental head and hand them over to the person who in turn after completing his departmental visit would hand them over to the next departmental head to cover his department.This exercise goes on as in a Relay Race till the visitors complete their visit to the last department when they will be handed over to the Personnel Head to wind off the visit after some refreshments.

I distincly remember this particular visit for the embarrasment caused by me on their visit to my plant after finishing the Hard Soaps department whose Departmental Head,one Mr Shivaskandan, only moments earlier, had made the Cine Star feel elated by saying "Simi Grewal needs no introduction"when he was introduced to the visitors in his department.

So when I was introduced to the visitors by Shiv saying "Ram(which is my abridged official name),Meet Simi Grewal" I quite innocently addressed both visitors by enquiring "OF YOU TWO,WHO IS SIMI GREWAL?"

This caused a mild flutter to those present although the Cine Star herself took it on her stride in the right spirit after a momentary show of stunned silence.Quite needless to say the visit itself went off well.

However after the visit was over and the visitors left the arena,SHIV joined by few others of my staff literally pounced upon me and enquired whether I did not feel embarresed by what I asked the visitors.I was not.Still I do not understand where I was at fault.If any of the readers of this write up can tell me I will be grateful.On my part I am not clear who should feel embarresed ---I OR THE CINE STAR ?

Composed by BAIYU London AUGUST 2010