Hypocrisy

Mir Mahboob Ali

The lady from Oceania is a spouse of a chief executive of a foreign donor agency. Like many other whites, who come to work in this part of the world, she also thinks that she is an embodiment of virtues and almost angelic compared to the locals. Like a few of them, she also has a tendency to look down upon the Asians from their heavenly abode, because she is an incarnation of an angel. Natalie is her name, a blonde and an economist by profession, not particularly good looking.

Since, the Chief Executive of an International non-government Organization wants to broaden his influence in the expatriate community is looking for foreigners to employ in his organization. This is more urgent because of a pending fact finding mission from the centre. The country chief may find it hard to explain employment of professionals from his 'Fatherland' without consulting the centre, as he had already employed a person, ignoring many other better-qualified applicants, against the preference of the central authority, from his fatherland. Just to avoid charges of favouritism, he quickly moves to employ a French speaking North American lady, whom he bitterly dislikes, and Natalie, and a few others of different nationalities. Perfect globalisation! It was a very timely and shrewd move, which diffused the situation and contributed immensely in advancing his cause during and after the fact-finding mission.

So, comes in Natalie with her superb aura of virtuosity. She is above all sins- a perfect embodiment of virtues. Her attractive young boss sharpens her sense of perfection dexterously. Bernhard Freud, the boss is a successful Casanova, has almost irresistible charm and is aware of it. He never hesitates to use that charm to his benefit. After failing to warm his way through to a very powerful elderly lady, he was found murmuring, "Normally, I get through to the ladies easily but for this old…."

This Chameleon-Casanova disguises his dislikes very deftly. Though, he does not like many of the foreigners he employs, on short-term basis, he never shows it. Naturally, most of the expatriate employees are women with their husbands working with valid permits in non-government organizations or are diplomats, and they have come here as spouses without work permits. Therefore, the young Casanova has a perfect excuse for employing only ladies. Bernhard even used his weakness in English to his advantage. To extend further his influence, under the pretext of editing English of written materials produced in his organization, he employs American and British ladies. A perfect balance!

Innocent Natalie imbued with intense affection for the youthful exuberance of the Casanova falls in his trap. He uses her as he likes, as he does with all the others. He prodded one of his subordinate officers to apply for funds from the organization Natalie’s husband heads, and to seek help from Natalie. He lectures his poor junior colleague on why he himself should not request Natalie directly. Bernhard being Bernhard, setting up the stage goes to Natalie's room and with a warm embrace warms her up. While Natalie is still held in his embrace, he accentuates her already convoluted perception of righteousness, by telling her that how improper it would be to talk to her husband about financing a project of the very organization where she works. He does not hesitate to insinuate the jealousy factor if her husband thinks that she is doing it for Bernhard. Natalie is apprehensive, for she had previously used that dangerous ploy to arouse her slumbering husband. A second time may prove disastrous. And then she is not very sure about her response to warm advances from Bernhard. She is very unsure about her own emotional inclinations. A bit of confusion always haunts her these days. Natalie tells herself over and over again, "I love my husband and am not open to temptations." She loves her husband all right, but curiously feels jealous at Bernhard's warm response to other women. On countless occasions, she thought of leaving her job, but could not. An inexplicable attraction drives her, and she responds like a Zombie. Every morning at ten sharp, she finds herself at her room, in the office, waiting eagerly for a voice to be heard at the door, though she knows that will not happen, at least, before eleven o'clock.

It is very unlikely that Bernhard, a devilishly intelligent man, does not see through Natalie. He certainly has no qualms to use the emotional vulnerability of Natalie. The Casanova is very deft at that. Flirting is a virtue according to Bernhard. And to keep his brigade of Blondes and Brunettes happy, he had to develop special skills, and he applies those with extreme dexterity. Between talking to others, he keeps on flashing sexy smiles to his targets with immeasurable effect. With Natalie, not so beautiful and perhaps aging a bit, such attention works wonders.

Poor Natalie, therefore, is used superbly well and is convinced that the officer in question wants the fund in his own interest while in all probability that poor fellow is not to benefit from the fund. This is not his proposal but is a proposal from the organization. Prodded repeatedly, the subordinate gives in and calls Natalie from his room, knowing full well, the consequence. However, he was not prepared for Natalie's irrational reasoning. Natalie blissfully oblivious of her own illegitimate status advances a curious reason for not talking to her husband. When requested, she immediately without even allowing Mushfeek to finish says, in an extremely shrill voice, "Ethically I cannot request my husband to release funds to this organization. I would not do it for any reason. And we do not intervene to use influences in matters like this.” Her excitement betrays her and reveals her predetermination to say 'No'.

Mushfeek, the subordinate ponders over the matter, perhaps a bit philosophically, "A person tends to turn a cynic when every single person gives an impression of being a hypocrite. If I have understood the meaning of the word rightly, I have enough reason to become a doubter. I am fighting hard to keep faith in my fellow beings….” Some foreigners, particularly some of the Westerners, behave as if they are the epitome of integrity. Perhaps, they, after passing sometime in this part of the world, really start believing in their angelic dispositions.” So, it seemed to Mushfeek, when he found Natalie, while preaching virtues with almost prophet like grandeur, engaged improperly in a financially gratifying occupation in this country. Everything about the job is improper as she gets the job, because, she knows the chief executive of the organization, and she is employed without a valid work permit. The position she is employed in is superfluous and is created just to employ her to give the chief executive the attribution of an equal opportunity employer, and to extricate him from the accusation of his propensity to employ expatriate experts of a particular origin.

Natalie went to Bernhard, with unknown expectations, to tell him that her husband is transferred to a new station, far off. When told, Bernhard looks at her with bemused indifference. She could not discern even the faintest sign of twitching on his face. Natalie left with her husband to his new place of posting with a saddened pensive heart.

At the farewell party, during the ceremonial mention of the boss being kind, sympathetic, and understanding, and how she enjoyed working in the organization, particularly, in this beautiful country, her eyes moistened with tears. Flushes of reddish glow betrayed her calm voice. Audiences mistook her as a very emotional being, and a person intensely in love with Bangladesh and its people. She was deceived, but she deceived everybody.