PAROTTA AND THE MASTER-AT-ARMS The road side open restaurant (THATTUKKADA in Malayalam)opposite the Cochin Harbour terminus Police station was a favourite joint for apprentices. We used to call it the Seafood restaurant. It was a small roadside shop with two or three tables. The Kerala Parottas served there were famous. Accompanied by the spicy Chilly chicken, chilly prawns and other delicious seafood side dishes, the parottas were a treat to our tongues. At Rs.20/-, those days it was a great dinner for us. Often, after the night muster we used to go there for dinner. One such day in my “G” term, I alongwith 3 other classmates went there and ordered our favourite Parotta and Chilly Chicken. As soon as we started having the food, we could hear the sound of an Enfield Motorcycle. It was around 10.30 pm already and the Cochin Harbour Terminus Road behind the Naval Base wore a deserted look. There was nobody on the road and the White Enfield Motorcycle with the rider in white dress on the deserted road made us realize that it was the Duty Provost RPO. We Looked at each other and decided to continue tasting the Parotta instead of running and escaping. The Enfield Motorcycle slowly came and stood in front of the THATTUKKADA. The RPO dismounted from the Enfield, Parked it and walked towards us. It was RPO Xavier, who was from Garuda Regulating Office. He instantly recognized us. We didn’t bother to look at him as we were busy chewing the Parotta and chilly chicken. Irritated, he demanded to produce our I-cards. Hesitant, we looked at each other for a minute . But our haircut and dress clearly showed that we are undertrainees and we had no other go other than showing our I-cards. He quickly noted down our particulars and went away asking us to report to NATS Barracks Guard Room. We ordered two more set of Parottas and Chilly Prawns to overcome our grief and to trigger our minds into finding a solution to the soup that we just landed. Undertrainees were not allowed out of the Naval Base after 10 pm and Apprentices were not allowed to go out for normal liberty in civil rig . Here we had committed two HEINOUS CRIMES and were busy enjoying the Parottas. After pushing the delicious Parottas and the side dishes down our throat, we started slowly walking towards the NATS Barracks Guard Room deeply engrossed in discussions planning the different set of excuses to make in front of the Duty MCPO. The Duty MCPO was an Artificer Partner. He had been promoted to MCEAA-II two days back and it was his first duty as Duty MCPO NATS Barracks Guard room. On seeing us he told in his typical Style: AAYIYE USTAAD LOGON….So you heroes are the latest victims of that RPO. He then informed us that he is helpless as the Duty Provost RPO had written the incident in the Observation Book which will be put up to the Officer-in-Charge NATS the next day. He then showed us the Observation Book. It was written in capital letters: FOUR APPRENTICES FROM NATS CAUGHT IN CIVIL DRESS AFTER 10PM. MATTER INFORMED TO DUTY MCPO. We realized that we were heading for Tough Times. The Master-At-Arms at NATS who LOVED Apprentices was waiting for a chance and he grabbed this opportunity and put us on defaulters. The following Saturday we were lined up for O I/C defaulters. All the four of us were called in front of Captain Shenoy, the then O I/C NATS. After the TOPI -UTHAAAR formality, the Master-At-Arms read out the charges: “Caught in civil dress after 10pm, thereby committing an offence under NAVY ACT 1957……..blah…..blah….blah.” The Captain was shaking his head all the while with his eyes closed when the Master-At-arms was reading the lengthy charge sheet. The four of us were standing in SAAVDHAAN and looking alternately at the Captain and the Master-At-Arms. At one point of time we thought that the captain will fall asleep. We looked at each other smiling taking care not to laugh out aloud. The Captain opened his eyes when the Master-at-Arms stopped reading the lengthy chargesheet. He then looked at us with a smile and asked,”WHAT HAPPENED GUYS? WHERE WERE YOU CAUGHT IN CIVIL RIG?” I suddenly realized that the place where we were caught in civil dress has not been mentioned in the charge sheet. I seized the opportunity and told him: SIR, ALL FOUR OF US WERE CAUGHT IN FRONT OF THE DIVING SCHOOL BARRACKS. Captain: BUT WHY YOU WENT THERE IN CIVIL DRESS? I replied: SIR, IT WAS NOT CIVIL DRESS. IT WAS OUR SLEEPING RIG. SHIRT AND PYJAMA. WE WENT THERE FOR FETCHING SOME WATER AS THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO DRINKING WATER IN OUR BARRACKS. The Captain then looked at my 3 other classmates who were standing beside me with caps removed, their faces radiating innocence. I looked at them and was pleasantly surprised at their faces. I never knew my classmates could bring out such sympathy attracting expressions on their faces. Their eyes and chins drooped, they looked like innocent kinder garten kids. The captain who was a bit serious till then, suddenly changed his face expression.He looked at the four of us sympathetically and curiously asked: DON’T YOU HAVE DRINKING WATER IN BARRACKS? All four of us replied in Chorus: NO SIR….. He then looked at the Master-At-Arms with anger on his face and said: THESE POOR BOYS ARE NOT HAVING WATER TO DRINK IN THEIR BARRACKS, INSTEAD OF HELPING THEM YOU ARE BRINGING THEM ON DEFAULTER TABLE?” The Master-at-arms who was now confused with the sudden turn of events fumbled,” SIR, BAATH AISA HAI KI….” The Captain interrupted and shot back,” KOYI AISA WAISA NAHIN……….CASE DISMISSED” He then hurriedly started writing something on the beautiful chargesheet submitted by the Master-At-Arms. The Master-At-Arms then loudly read out what the Captain had written,”CASE DISMISSED. CARRY ON APPRENTICES” We did an about turn and ran away never to look back. That evening we again went to have our favourite Parotta. This time we ordered a CHILLY CRAB to celebrate our Victory over the Master-At-Arms. CHEEEERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
santosh V Santosh Kumar
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PAROTTA AND THE MASTER-AT-ARMS...Narration by Santosh

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PAROTTA AND THE MASTER-AT-ARMS

The road side open restaurant (THATTUKKADA in Malayalam)opposite the Cochin Harbour terminus Police station was a favourite joint for apprentices. We used to call it the Seafood restaurant. It was a small roadside shop with two or three tables. The Kerala Parottas served there were famous.

Accompanied by the spicy Chilly chicken, chilly prawns and other delicious seafood side dishes, the parottas were a treat to our tongues. At Rs.20/-, those days it was a great dinner for us.

Often, after the night muster we used to go there for dinner.

One such day in my “G” term, I alongwith 3 other classmates went there and ordered our favourite Parotta and Chilly Chicken. As soon as we started having the food, we could hear the sound of an Enfield Motorcycle.

It was around 10.30 pm already and the Cochin Harbour Terminus Road behind the Naval Base wore a deserted look. There was nobody on the road and the White Enfield Motorcycle with the rider in white dress on the deserted road made us realize that it was the Duty Provost RPO.

We Looked at each other and decided to continue tasting the Parotta instead of running and escaping. The Enfield Motorcycle slowly came and stood in front of the THATTUKKADA.

The RPO dismounted from the Enfield, Parked it and walked towards us. It was RPO Xavier, who was from Garuda Regulating Office. He instantly recognized us. We didn’t bother to look at him as we were busy chewing the Parotta and chilly chicken.

Irritated, he demanded to produce our I-cards. Hesitant, we looked at each other for a minute . But our haircut and dress clearly showed that we are undertrainees and we had no other go other than showing our I-cards. He quickly noted down our particulars and went away asking us to report to NATS Barracks Guard Room.

We ordered two more set of Parottas and Chilly Prawns to overcome our grief and to trigger our minds into finding a solution to the soup that we just landed.

Undertrainees were not allowed out of the Naval Base after 10 pm and Apprentices were not allowed to go out for normal liberty in civil rig . Here we had committed two HEINOUS CRIMES and were busy
enjoying the Parottas.

After pushing the delicious Parottas and the side dishes down our throat, we started slowly walking towards the NATS Barracks Guard Room deeply engrossed in discussions planning the different set of excuses to make in front of the Duty MCPO.

The Duty MCPO was an Artificer Partner. He had been promoted to MCEAA-II two days back and it was his first duty as Duty MCPO NATS Barracks Guard room.

On seeing us he told in his typical Style: AAYIYE USTAAD LOGON….So you heroes are the latest victims of that RPO.

He then informed us that he is helpless as the Duty Provost RPO had written the incident in the Observation Book which will be put up to the Officer-in-Charge NATS the next day.

He then showed us the Observation Book.

It was written in capital letters: FOUR
APPRENTICES FROM NATS CAUGHT IN CIVIL DRESS AFTER 10PM. MATTER INFORMED TO DUTY MCPO.

We realized that we were heading for Tough Times.

The Master-At-Arms at NATS who LOVED Apprentices was waiting for a chance and he grabbed this opportunity and put us on defaulters.

The following Saturday we were lined up for O I/C defaulters.

All the four of us were called in front of Captain Shenoy, the then O I/C NATS. After the TOPI -UTHAAAR formality, the Master-At-Arms read out the charges:

“Caught in civil dress after 10pm, thereby committing an offence under NAVY ACT
1957……..blah…..blah….blah.”

The Captain was shaking his head all the while with his eyes closed when the Master-At-arms was reading the lengthy charge sheet. The four of us were standing in SAAVDHAAN and looking alternately at the Captain and the Master-At-Arms.

At one point of time we thought that the captain will fall asleep. We looked at each other smiling taking care not to laugh out aloud.

The Captain opened his eyes when the Master-at-Arms stopped reading the lengthy chargesheet.

He then looked at us with a smile and asked,”WHAT HAPPENED GUYS? WHERE WERE YOU CAUGHT IN CIVIL RIG?”

I suddenly realized that the place where we were caught in civil dress has not been
mentioned in the charge sheet. I seized the opportunity and told him: SIR, ALL FOUR OF US WERE CAUGHT IN FRONT OF THE DIVING SCHOOL BARRACKS.

Captain: BUT WHY YOU WENT THERE IN CIVIL DRESS?

I replied: SIR, IT WAS NOT CIVIL DRESS. IT WAS OUR SLEEPING RIG. SHIRT AND PYJAMA. WE WENT THERE FOR FETCHING SOME WATER AS THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO DRINKING WATER
IN OUR BARRACKS.

The Captain then looked at my 3 other classmates who were standing beside me with caps removed, their faces radiating innocence.

I looked at them and was pleasantly surprised at their faces. I never knew my classmates could bring out such sympathy attracting expressions on their faces. Their eyes and chins drooped, they looked like innocent kinder garten kids.

The captain who was a bit serious till then, suddenly changed his face expression.He looked at the four of us sympathetically and curiously asked: DON’T YOU HAVE DRINKING WATER IN BARRACKS?

All four of us replied in Chorus: NO SIR…..

He then looked at the Master-At-Arms with anger on his face and said: THESE POOR BOYS ARE NOT HAVING WATER TO DRINK IN THEIR BARRACKS, INSTEAD OF HELPING THEM YOU ARE BRINGING THEM ON DEFAULTER TABLE?”

The Master-at-arms who was now confused with the sudden turn of events fumbled,” SIR, BAATH AISA HAI KI….”

The Captain interrupted and shot back,” KOYI AISA WAISA NAHIN……….CASE DISMISSED”

He then hurriedly started writing something on the beautiful chargesheet submitted by the Master-At-Arms.

The Master-At-Arms then loudly read out what the Captain had written,”CASE DISMISSED. CARRY ON APPRENTICES”

We did an about turn and ran away never to look back.

That evening we again went to have our favourite Parotta. This time we ordered a CHILLY CRAB to celebrate our Victory over the Master-At-Arms.

CHEEEERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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