Yesterday morning, Fr Anithottam was sharing with us that the people of Andhra will never refuse or deny a clergyman anything, even if they do not intend to do or give what has been asked for. The response is always positive, even if they have no intention or possibility of doing, giving or complying to the request. The reason: it is considered bad manners to say 'no' to a man of the cloth. So you invite someone and they would say, 'we'll come' - they may not even be in town on the invited day; to another you tell to hand over the borrowed drill machine and he'd reply, "I'll get it today itself." It may be days before you get to see the drill machine.
As if to confirm this was the event in the night. A Brother's mother and aunty landed up unannounced around 9.30 pm about an hour after our supper. One of the first things I asked them when they showed up at that hour was if they had their supper and both of them cheerfully and immediately replied that they already had their supper after the function they had come to attend nearby and had only come to the Seminary only to rest for the night. I asked the Brother concerned to give them a guest room and wished them well. A couple of minutes later the Brother comes to me saying that they did not have their meals and if he could provide them with something! Why then did they not tell me and Fr KT whom they met earlier and who had also enquired about their meals? Just like that!
For me, I'd like to call a spade a spade. There is no great virtue in camouflaging or redefining a spade just for the heck of it.
No comments:
Post a Comment