Guest Column | Of peep, look and a stare

After the technical phases that covered aspects of a tank as a war machine, we were now in our final leg of tactical phase to learn the nuances of a tank battle

Recently, the chairman of a flourishing corporate house sparked a controversy regarding work life balance by advocating 90-hour work weeks. In a video that went viral on social media, he rooted for work on Sundays too. Interestingly, he went on to remark as to what all one does sitting at home except staring at your wife or the other way around? I got reminded of our nascent days in the army. It was 1981 and we were undergoing young officers (YO) course at our alma mater at Ahmednagar. This course is a mandatory course for all commissioned officers. It imparts training on nuances of an officer’s basic bread and butter, and shapes professional outlook of a youngster, a foundation to an edifice, as they say. After the technical phases that covered aspects of a tank as a war machine, we were now in our final leg of tactical phase to learn the nuances of a tank battle.

After the technical phases that covered aspects of a tank as a war machine, we were now in our final leg of tactical phase to learn the nuances of a tank battle. (AFP)

It was the opening day into the phase when flamboyant cavalier Captain X, our instructor, was teaching us “observation techniques” in battlefield. His opening question in order to steer the subject was, “Gentlemen, what do you understand by observation?” Second lieutenant Rajeev, always quick on the draw, raised his hand and replied, “Sir, to scan the area around.” More answers followed, like looking for the enemy, finding good firing positions for tanks, terrain characteristics during a reconnaissance, and so on. Captain X continued thus, “Guys, there are three aspects to the observation techniques. A peep, which is discreet in nature and carried out in oblique and secretive fashion to get to know the position, strength and possible intent of the enemy. A look is more broad based and involves use of multiple surveillance means to plan our tactics in the wake of information gathered after a peep. And finally, there is the stare which places us at a position of dominance vis a vis the enemy and this battle winning condition is achieved after an effective peep and a look.” The lesson and many more taught in a novel way stuck with us for life.

As luck would have it, just the other day, we had a chance meeting with the raconteur instructor, now a smart veteran and an accomplished golfer. Sitting with him at the golf club gazebo over coffee, I asked him his views on the recent “stare gate”. He was candid as ever, “Avnish, as you progress in life, the first to experience is a peep when love is in its primacy of discreet looks and eyes meet eyes, slowly it matures into looks when you are dating and courting but alas this stage is quite short lived before it assumes the shape of a stare in which you and me spend a quantum of our lives and are prime victims. Thus, the honourable originator of the ‘stare gate’ is right. However, he could have limited this activity of staring as not one-way only, since the husbands are not brave enough to indulge in it. I am sure his better half would have given him a taste of this misdemeanour on his part.”

avnishrms59@gmail.com

(The writer is a Chandigarh-based freelance contributor)