From Al's Diary..... My royal royal days!

Well, one has to begin somewhere, I suppose! I thought long and hard about something serious, momentous or even ponderous to write about. But all that one can get in abundance from newspapers and TV. And they are so boring!Instead let me recall my brief brush with royalty and the hilarious way it finally came about.
In 1987,when I was still doing my bit for "comfortable shoes at affordable prices" with Bata India Ltd, I was selected to accompany our supremo Thomas J Bata as his ADC during his annual visit to India. The whole "team" was housed in the Taj Mahal hotel in N.Delhi. One day, Mr. Bata left the hotel after breakfast to visit our retail stores. I was to stay back to supervise the arrangements for a press conference which Mr. Bata was to address later in the day in one of the hotel's banquet rooms.Mrs. Bata was also to remain in the hotel as she was to host her old friend Gayatri Devi in the Bata suite.
My joy at being left alone was short-lived as I discovered that our Deputy Managing Director, a bean-pole of a Canadian,was also to hang around in the hotel.Our DMD, bless him, was known more for his inability to take any deision than any other thing.Moreover, he was one of those men who was constantly badgering others about their work instead of leaving them to it.Therefore, not surprisigly, I had to assure him repeatedly about all arrangemets till I was practically ready to jump out of the window!
As though the "mentoring" presence of the venerable DMD was not inconvenient enough, all of a sudden I was informed of a change in plans! It was felt that Mr. Bata was running late and would therefore prefer to host a working lunch for the press in his suite.This meant that Mrs.Bata's meet with Gayatri Devi would have to be shifted elsewhere. Immediately on learning this our DMD flew into a tizzy....for what reason I did not know because,in any case I was going to organize the changes, definitely not he!
The alternate arrangements were duly made....no credit to me as the staff members of the hotel were magnificent in their co-operation.The suite in which the Batas were residing was in one end of a long corridor. As their ADC, I was billetted in an adjacent room.We were allotted a lovely room at the extreme opposite end of the corridor on the same floor.I explained the changes to Mrs. Bata, who was, as usual, very sweet and understanding of the situation.
But not so our DMD! He was by then the proverbial cat on a hot tin roof!He was sure there would be a major goof up with the maharani's arrival and reception.I told him very patiently for the umpteenth time that the moment Gayatri Devi's car reached the porch she woud be received by two hand-picked officials of the hotel. That at the main lobby she woud be personally welcomed by the GM of the hotel who would accompany her in the lift.That,on behalf of the Batas, I would receive her at the lift lobby on our floor. That I would then escort her to Mrs.Bata's suite.That immediately after the two ladies had met and exchanged pleasantries I would usher them to their meeting venue and introduce the butler to Mrs. Bata. That, at the end of the meeting, on being advised by the butler I would escort the Maharani from the room to her car and duly see her off with every courtesy.
As we were waiting for the events to unfurl the uncertainty proved too much for our DMD. He took to pacing the corridor as though the maharani would emerge from any room at any moment! I let him be as this afforded me a little time off from the badgering so that I could concentrate on the various other things on the "to do" list for the day. The respite was too good to last! As the time for Gayatri Devi's arrival neared, the blow fell!
The housekeeping staff requested me to check out the arrangements of the new venue for Mrs. Bata's tryst with the maharani. I had no alternative but to request the DMD to be in my room in case of any calls from the lobby.I went to the new room. I looked around,okayed the arrangements, discussed all the necessary details with the butler and left.
As I emerged from the room I heard the telltale "ping" of the lift bell. A lady with a stately bearing got out and started walking towards the Bata suite, away from me.At the same time, much like the hourly cuckoo clock, our DMD's head popped out from my room at the end of the corridor.In a trice I realised what was about to happen.I sprinted down the corridor and reached just in time to hear the DMD, right hand extended and with the suggestion of a stiff bow, saying "welcome Mrs. Devi,(of course he proounced the name as Mrs.Devvy!) it is an honour to have you with us. I am........" I managed to interrupt him enough to introduce him to the smiling Chief Housekeeper of the Taj mahal hotel! She had come to ask me if allthe arrangements in the suite were alright. Our DMD had, of course, retreated to the safety of my room by then!
Well, the famous maharani did arrive eventually. The reception and welcome arrangements went smoothly like a well oiled machine.I had my moment in the sun as I escorted the tremendously dignified lady to a reunion with her old friend Sonja Bata.
Thus I got my brush with royalty as I exchanged a few formal and polite words with a gracious lady, a beautiful woman, a queen!