The Elevator Encounter

When Mr. Mehrotra came back from Cuba, our Consul General, S. K. Roy, was returning to India. Like Dhawan, he was another one who made all the workers tremble. In Dhawan's case, it was out of fear. In the Consul General's case, it was out of respect. We all had such reverential awe for S. K. Roy. He was very smart in his appearance. He did not know how to walk slowly. He always marched.

One day, I was about to enter the elevator. I was going to the accountant with the book from our section. I pressed the button, but when the elevator door opened, I saw the Consul General inside the elevator. As soon as I saw him, I got frightened and ran away.  He stopped the elevator and screamed, "Ghose, Ghose, come in!" He was waiting for me.

I came back and entered the elevator. Then he said, "Tell me, am I a tiger, am I a snake? I am not a tiger! I am not a snake!"

[Source: "The Elevator Encounter" in Sri Chinmoy, My Consulate Years, Agni Press, Jamaica, NY, 1996, p. 12.]