703. God's Special Gift

"I don't understand why our MD* has been taking Varadu with him, while attending a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce, like someone taking a pet animal with him!" commented Santhan, somewhat irritably.

"Are you jealous that the MD has not been taking you along?" asked Sarala, sitting next to him in the office.

"The MD has not been taking even the Manager with him, while attending an important meeting. How can I expect him to take me along?" said Santhan.

"If the MD takes the Manager with him, who will control you people? Even when the Manager is in the office, you two have been chatting in the office. If he is not in the office, this won't be like an office at all!" quipped Kumaraswamy, a senior employee, who was listening to the conversation.

"The old man has been deluding himself that he is the only person in the office, working sincerely. The output we deliver, even after spending some time chatting, is much more than the output he delivers by immersing himself in work!" Santhan whispered to Sarala, with a smile.  

Varadarajan was sitting at a corner of the room in which the meeting of the Chamber of Commerce was being held.

Though there was some resentment among several members about Nallasivam's bringing his assistant to the meetings of the Chamber of Commerce, they could not object to it, since the rules permitted the presence of an assistant to a member in the meetings. 

A few minutes after returning to his office, after the meeting of the Chamber of Commerce got over, Nallasivam summoned Varadarajan to his cabin. 

"The two of them just returned to the office from the meeting. Why is the MD calling Varadu to his cabin?" Santhan asked Sarala, in a whispering tone.

"Perhaps, the MD wants to discuss the deliberations of the meeting with the 'senior executive' Varadu!" said Sarala, mockingly. 

"Tell me, Varadu" asked Nallasivam.

Varadarajan said, "Whenever, you signaled me, I observed the people pointed by you to me. The points made by Mr. Sambandham were not to the liking of many people. The suggestions given by Mr. Kathiresan, on the other hand, were well received by most of the people. However, M/s Sundaresan and And Shanmugam were not impressed. Then..."

After listening to the observations made by Varadarajan, with interest and amazement, Nallasivam said, "How do you do this, Varadu? I was sitting near these people, but I could not discern their feelings. But, observing from a distance, you have been able to read so much from their face expressions and gestures. Every time, I hear your observations, I am amazed."

"Sir! I just tell you what I perceived from the face expressions and gestures of people. Only you will know to what extent my perceptions are correct" said Varadarajan, feeling slightly embarrassed by his superior's words of appreciation. 

"Your observations have been confirmed to be accurate, every single time. The skill of reading the minds of people from their face expressions is a special gift given to you by God. By the way, did people in our office ask you why I had been taking you with me to the meetings?"

"Yes, they did. I told them that you were taking me with you, to remind you of the pills you have to take at regular intervals" said Varadarajan.

"Good" said Nallasivam, appreciatively.

*MD - Managing Director

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 71
Divining the Mind

Verse 703 (in Tamil):
kuRippin kuRippu uNarvArai uRuppinuL

yAdhu koduththum koLal.

Meaning:

A person, who, when signaled by his superior, can read others’ minds by observing them, should be retained as an aid, by giving him any amount of resources, for his services.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'varadhuvukku angE enna vElai' by the same author.) 

Verse 704 (Soon)
Verse 702