Lincoln's Precept

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The only Farewell Function in which I spoke a few words from the podium (other than mine own) was that of MSS.

In my Farewell, a few kind souls said many kind words without ifs and buts...and I reciprocated the general goodwill honestly.

After the Function was over, I was surprised when DB (who shared Office Space with me for two momentous decades) came up to me and said he was very disappointed since he had great expectations of fireworks from me. I was rather taken aback since I didn't expect such a remark from him...it just shows, I don't know what.

The other was the Farewell we gave to MSS. The HoD, Professor BC, made only one significant remark in his Opening Address:

"SDM used to tell me that MSS was the Lower Court while he himself was the Higher Court".

SDM meant that MSS and himself were the only True Masters of Mechanics, but while MSS knew only Classical Mechanics, he himself knew Quantum Mechanics as well like the back of his palm...typical of SDM boasts.

This remark of SDM was new to me and so I went up and said spontaneously:

"I am the only one in the world who attended both the Courts and benefited immensely"

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MSS once told me that soon after his M Sc from Patiala University around 1947, he joined as a Temporary Lecturer of Physics in one of the colleges in Punjab.

A week after his joining, the Principal of his College who was a Professor of English summoned MSS to his home and dumped his radio receiver set in MSS's lap and said:

"You are a Physics graduate, no? See what is wrong with this damn thing and set it right"

MSS was flummoxed at the great expectations from a Physics graduate, and since he was no radio buff like Feynman, he didn't know what to do. He had half a mind to take the set home, get it repaired from a shop footing the bill himself, and pass it off as if he himself did the repair work. But MSS was not only honest but also wise, and on second thoughts confessed that his Special Paper was Fluid Mechanics and not Electronics.

Upon which, the Principal went in and brought out half a dozen fountain pens of his joint family that were all as broke as Ten Commandments for repair...

Luckily MSS got the offer of an RS at IIT KGP, ditched Punjab and ran to Bengal...Punjab's loss was Bengal's gain.

Folks expect too much from Physics Graduates.

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There was another Sardarjee who was wiser than MSS himself.

JSV was our B Sc student and the son of a local carpenter of great repute (we still use the three teak cots and the dining set we bought from him...they are as good as new).

JSV was unwilling to take up the family profession and so joined our B Sc Program. The only obstacle for JSV from passing out with his coveted Degree was the other Sardarjee (MSS) who failed him in his Paper thrice; and it was his last chance.

The Great Carpenter himself was stern in his Ethics...once he rebuked an IIT Professor who asked him to waive the hefty Sales Tax since he didn't need any Receipt:

"If learned people like you refuse to pay taxes, how will the WB Govt run?"

But one's own son is always one's Achilles Heel and word was passed on to MSS to be kind in the final attempt. And MSS told me that he would pass the kid this time; and asked me to accompany him in the Lab Viva saying that he would ask only one simple question and I should do the rest of the honors.

So, when we both went over to JSV who was trembling on seeing MSS, the only question MSS put was:

"State Ohm's Law"

JSV stood stock still saying nothing and looking down on the ground beneath his feet grimly.

MSS repeated several times:

"Can't you state Ohm's Law?"

No response.

I then took over and JSV opened like a sunflower in the morning...I am not only kind but also look kind...ask anyone {;-}

So, JSV passed; but not before MSS beckoned him and said:

"You passed this time, but tell me why you didn't answer my question...don't you know Ohm's Law which every school boy knows?"

"Sir, I expected tough questions from you; but when you started with a trivial question on Ohm's Law I suspected there must be some deeper and darker secrets about Ohm's Law and so thought it better to keep silent"

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JSV was following Abraham Lincoln's famous dictum:

"It is better to be silent and suspected a fool rather than speak out and remove the doubt"


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