6 February 2019 11:44 am
The event was intended to honour the big and the small in the department who fought day and night with great commitment to eradicate the drug menace in the country. The country’s Number One who is known to be taking an abiding interest in the all-out war on drugs happily attended the occasion as the chief guest. The khaki department had arranged to felicitate several hundreds of men on their excellent team performance in the war on drugs. Number One made it a point to inspect the medal and trophies readied for presentation at the ceremony ahead of the event. While inspecting these medals and trophies his eye caught a relatively big trophy with a relatively long citation inscribed on it. He carefully inspected this trophy and read the citation inscribed on it.
It was visibly an angry Number One who looked around next. He called the khaki chief who was seen was busy supervising arrangements.
“I say, why did you invite me to this event?”
“Why, Sir! … you are invited to give away the awards!”
“Remember that I came here to felicitate especially hundreds of small men in the department who have rendered a remarkable service towards containing the drug menace at the risk of their life… Have you no shame, man, to claim the biggest trophy for the dedicated service rendered by hundreds of your small men in the department...?”
“I came here not to confer honours on you, but to felicitate the dedicated small men in the department! Put aside this big trophy…! If you don’t, you do the presenting awards yourself! Because I am leaving this place!”
The khaki chief immediately instructed a subordinate to remove the trophy meant for himself from the collection of medals and trophies awaiting distribution.
Thereafter, Number One gave away all the awards himself. And the khaki chief passively looked on all the time.