An officer & a gentleman

One day when I was in my teens, our doorbell rang late in the night just as we were preparing for bed. We opened the door to a very frightened young lady. She was a young IRS officer from the West Bengal cadre who lived alone in a flat within our colony. She  was in tears as my parents ushered her in. In between her broken sobs we could make out that she was A) Suffering a mild viral fever B) Missing her parents & C) Feeling lonely and frightened.  Without a fuss, we kids gave up our tiny room for her, Mom made her some hot milk and whipped up some home remedies which helped her ease into  sleep. By the end of the next day she had suitably recovered and was a very different cheerful person when she joined us for dinner. She said something at the dinner table that left a lasting impression in my mind.  "As I lay alone & terrified in my bed thousands of KM from home, I wondered who to turn to for help. Immediately your father came to mind. Having worked with him and seeing him conduct himself, I knew him to be a thorough gentleman and I knew I would be safe and cared for. I didn't hesitate to search him out and knock on his door however late the hour." I turned to  my sisters. They were looking at father with adoration in their eyes. 

#gentleman #womenatwork #realmen #respect