The 2-Faced Teacher

Doctor Singh was a one of the shortest ethnic Sikh I have ever seen in my life. But he was dignified in his mannerism and was dressed particularly well for his profession. That day I saw him, his imposing head was wrapped up in a purple turban which aptly matched his long-sleeved shirt of the same colour, his silver tie and his pair of black pants.

He was very kind to us. Mister KJ and I stood there, hunching our backs respectfully, as he went through and explained picture after picture of important medical conditions. He entertained every one of our questions with constant enthusiasm and was always hiding this slight curve of a smile under his bushy moustache.

We got a shock when his curtain-maker called. The curtain-maker said he couldn't deliver his curtains in the evening as they do not work at night. Though of a fairly dark complexion, I had noticed a sudden change of facial colour in my teacher. He shouted angrily into the lifeless phone set:

"Didn't I tell you I am working and I am only free in the evenings? Do you not understand english? If you do not want to deliver the curtains to me in the night, just keep the curtains and return my deposit!"

He slammed down the phone and, within a minute, was back to his usual jovial mood. He continued teaching us.

The chameleon was not satisfied.

Then another phone call came and, this time, his clinic assistant answered it.

"Doctor, the office said that the meeting at 10am tomorrow is cancelled."

"What? What meeting? I have no meeting tomorrow! Come give me the phone!"

He snatched the phone from the assistant with much force.

"What meeting do I have tomorrow? You are not sure? How can you inform me about somthing you are not sure about? Yeah.. "

Again, a loud slam and the phone laid there, confused and abused.

As you would have guessed it, he was still as courteous as before when he began teaching us again. By that time, we have accepted his minor tendency to split personalities and was very cautious about the things we said or did.

It is amazing how one person can tune his mood so abruptly to deal with different people within such a short period of time. It is an ability that doesn't seem very human but yet something that is advantageous in this world of man eat man. I would love to acquire it. Who more qualified to teach it than the teacher himself? I shall stay at his clinic more often.