Nose for News

(Times of India, 30 January 1982)

Our journalism teacher suggested that in order to develop a nose for news we should keep our eyes and ears open. This, he said, would also put us in the way of clues to solve bank robberies, murders, kidnapping, and the like. As a budding journalist I could not wait.

I found myself in a bus. A young man and a young girl were seated in front of me. I kept my eyes and ears wide open. Their togetherness was a feast to my eyes but I could not hear their conversation. I leaned forward. It worked.

I rushed to a telephone booth, still in possession of vital information which, if used properly, would attract a cash reward. I also worked out a disbursement plan for the money. Ten per cent would straightaway to a mandir. I would then clear the washerman's account (of late he has been recovering his dues in kind, then those of the provision-store and milk vendor. With the remainder, I would buy my wife a necklace.

I rang up the number which had become available to me during the bus conversation. The person who answered the phone was a colonel. This created some starting trouble but I recovered myself and began. 'Excuse me, Colonel, I hold some very important information about your daughter. I am sure you will appreciate my timely warning as I divulge it. If you feel really grateful, you could call me to some convenient place for any reward you may wish to give.'

The colonel became impatient. 'Tell me what is the matter, you will you?' he asked in an orderly tone - i.e., a tone generally used to address an orderly, but the prospect of a cash reward made me ignore all side-issues. I took a breather, rearranged my vocal chords and moving closer to the mouthpiece, said: "your daughter is getting married to a chap tomorrow in a civil court."

"Is that all?" he shot back.

"Isn't that enough?" I asked. His reply stunned me. "It was I who worked out the plan to the minutest detail. Saves dowry. And stop poking your bloody nose into this. If you don't, I will have you flogged in public."

That was sufficient incentive for me to rest the receiver instantly.

A nose for news might be okay in journalism but it is not much use in police cases.