78-07-A6

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Women

Transcript In all this time of women's Lib and controversy over woman's place in the world, I happen to believe if it weren't for the ladies, we men would still be carrying clubs. I'll be right back. In spite of all the jokes men like to tell about women drivers, I think almost all men know in their hearts that women have been the single most civilizing influence in the world. Years ago I read of an incident that took place in India during the days of British Colonial rule. It's not a make-believe legend but an actual happening. I was reminded of it on our recent trip to Asia and thought you might like to hear it. The scene of this story is a dinner party in one of the palatial homes in India, a typical cosmopolitan gathering including a British colonel of the old school and a visiting American businessman. The rest were colonials, Indian notables and so forth. Somehow the conversation had gotten around to heroics, courage and what makes individuals perform noble deeds. The British colonel was holding forth in the idea that men have an extra bit of control which, in time of stress, makes them able to resist panic and with courage do the dangerous things that have to be done. Women on the other hand, according to the colonel, are not gifted with that measure of control and therefore grow hysterical, faint or stand helpless to act in the face of danger. As he was going on in that vein, the American happened to notice the hostess signaled to one of the servants who leaned over her chair. While she whispered something to him, the American thought nothing of this, till he saw the servant returning to the room carrying a saucer of milk. Passing the table he set the saucer on the floor just outside the glass doors which opened to the patio. Suddenly, the American remembered: in India, a saucer of milk is snake bait, cobra bait to be exact. He saw the servants standing against the dining room wall and it was obvious they were frightened and tense. Quickly he looked around the room. There was no furniture that could conceal a snake. He looked overhead, thinking possibly it could be on a beam but there were no beams. It was a tile vaulted ceiling. Then he realized there was only one possible place a snake could be, under the table. His first instinct was to push his chair back and run but he knew this could cause the snake to strike one of the other guests. The colonel was still holding forth, the American interrupted him and said, quote, "Colonel, let's have a test and see who has the most control. Let's see how many of us can remain absolutely silent and motionless for five minutes. I'll count to three hundred as the measure of time and no one must move or utter a sound." Unquote. Well everyone went along with the idea and the countdown started. It had reached 280 when a King Cobra slithered from beneath the table and through the patio doors to the saucer of milk. The servant slammed the doors with the snake in the outside. In the excitement that followed the colonel shouted, "That proves my point! This man could have saved himself but he thought of a plan to save the rest of us." The American said, "Just a minute, colonel." Turning to the hostess he asked, "How did you know there was a cobra under the table." She said, "It was on my foot." This is Ronald Reagan. Thanks for listening.		Details Batch Number 78-07-A6 Production Date 05/15/1978 Book/Page RPtV-295, SihoH-28 Audio Yes Youtube? No
		Added Notes "The Dinner Party" a short story by Mona Gardner