mr davinda

one of our friends has recently gone on a trip to india and every time i hear of someone going, i get so excited, as it's a place like no other.

in 2000, i went to india to visit my sister who was on posting and it didn't take much convincing for me to quit my job and stay for six months.

there's some strict rules around working in india, especially for foreigners, but i managed to jag a short term job in new delhi at the imperial india - one of the most beautiful hotels.

underneath the hotel was the engine room - the lockers, laundry, and the staff meal area.  each day you would head down for lunch and watch the cooks prepare massive pots of dals, currys, fresh cooked naan.  you could take this with hot chutneys, fresh green chillis, and a coke in a glass bottle, with a wedge of lemon of course.

some days before i went to work if my tummy didn't feel too good, i would have a quick nip of scotch - this was purely medicinal.

the imperial even had its own staff doctor and most ailments of the stomach were diagnosed as dysentery, which was cured by some pills in a brown paper bag. (you can see why i took the scotch option). when you wiki dysentery, it paints a pretty crappy picture of what goes on in ones undercarriage.

when pay day rolled around, we would all head down to the engine room and wait to collect our cash,   which was stapled in a wad and handed over from a big suitcase.

my job was to manage the business centre and write a procedures book, along with some much needed streamlining of the processes that took place, and if you are familiar with india and it's quirks, then you can imagine there was probably a few.

it was a small team that worked in the business centre, and when i arrived, mr davinda was the self appointed manager. Well, that was until i came along and he took it upon himself to resign.  i think his feelings were hurt and he tendered his resignation as follows.

 

General Manager, Hotel Imperial, New Delhi
Under compelling circumstances i cannot continue my service. Pl accept my resignation we/ 15.4.2001.  I am sorry to create such like situation.
Thanking you. etc etc

Of course, it's never nice to think that anyone has to make a choice that they don't really want to, so six days later, he wanted his job back and presented a letter to the effect.

General Manager, The Imperial, Janpath, New Delhi
Sir
Due to upset and pressure on my mind, i have given my resignation.  Now i have re-organised the vessel of my mind i want to withdraw my resignation and want to continue my duties with same spirit as i was doing. Pl allow and forgive me for the shame.
Thanks, yours faithfully, Davinda

Well of course i was going to let him have his job back. It was India after all, where liberties can sometimes be taken, and upset and pressure of the mind can be forgiven.