Chapter4
Madame Wan Chu , wife of the consul general ,Government of Singapore,Chennai, India,was very pleasantly surprised to receive the invitation from the famous Chennai Music Academy to chair a session during the inauguration of the music season. The Madam had majored in Performing arts with specialisation in vocal music. She had interacted with the south Indian community in Singapore during her studies, so she had more than passing acquaintance with Carnatic music. She had treasured the season’s pass for the concerts, that had come with the invitation. .She wasted no time to ring up the chairman of the academy to convey her appreciation of the gesture by the organising committee to invite her to be present for the inaugural function.
The evening programme at the Music academy was a stand out success. Her speech with choice quotation in chaste tamil earned her a standing applause. So when she stepped out of the auditorium at the end of the programme, she was actually on cloud nine. So, it was with a great sense of shock that she realised she was a very ordinary human being when her staff driver told her that her car had a flat tyre and she would be better off ringing up consular office to send another car for her or take a taxi home.
Aruna Reddy IPS was watching with amusement the discomfiture experienced by the distinguished foreigner. From a distance , she watched Madam Wan chu looking at the flat tyre in total disbelief. It was not a normal flat. The tyre has been slashed open. Such things don’t happen in Singapore. Aruna timed her arrival at the scene to a nicety. She spoke loudly ,”Hello there, that was the best speech I have ever heard at this venue. So technical, so right. Let me congratulate on your excellent proficiency in Tamil, madam………Is any thing wrong? Can I help you? “ Aruna was compassionate to say the least.
Madam turned to look at the imposing presence of Aruna reddy in her resplendent khaki uniform.
Aruna looked at the Chinese Driver from the embassy, the flat tyre and drew right conclusions. She hastened to assure the devastated lady,” My, that flat was deliberate. But ,do not worry madam. I will take care of the car and send it over to your house. I can drive you to the embassy if you don’t mind travelling with a police woman’
Madam looked at her nervously and thanked her for her offer. Luckily for her, Aruna had brought her personal car , a brand new BMW. Madam Wan Chu walked like a lamb behind the pondering policewoman. She climbed in and watched the car glide softly out of the parking lot and on to the main road with roaring traffic.
The police mechanic came around to help the Chinese driver to change the tyre in the embassy car. The police politely asked the Chinese driver to sit in the car and the car was driven to the police dump adjacent to the academy
Next day, the morning papers carried colour pictures of Madame Wan Chu being held by the police commissioner Aruna Reddy, the shining embassy car in the police dump and the Chinese staff driver in the police interrogation centre. The reporter had filed an extraordinary story of embassy car being involved in local drug trafficking.
The consul general was woken up rudely by a call from his Ambassador in new Delhi. “Mr Chu, have you seen today’s papers?” A loud voice asked him. He was still sleepy and did not hear a word. He simply mumbled, ’ I beg your pardon, what was that ? please, can you say it again?’
.The ambassador roared, ’wake up man. You have rubbed somebody in a very wrong way. Do you know of any person called Dickey?”
No Sir,
Well , let me tell you. You are catching the first available flight to Hyderabad and personally hand over a visa certificate along with a letter of invitation from the ministry of Internal affairs, Singapore. The police chief in Singapore is furious with you for denying a visa to a VIP. The letter is in your computer. Move, man, before all hell breaks over your head
The CG did not understand a word. He said nervously, “Sir, what was the name ?’
Dickey D I c k e y
The butler appeared with a tray of tea and morning newspaper.CG looked at the paper and the photographs and jumped out of his bed screaming for his wife. In the next ten minutes he was on his way to the airport to catch the plane to Hyderabad carrying two documents in sealed embassy envelope carrying the address. Major Dickey. S. Gurung ,Friends nest, Maredpalli.
Chu was asking himself for hundredth time, who the hell is this dick ?.