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Rats, democrats and JR’s sense of humour
Behind the impenetrable mask, almost legendary in contemporary politics, was a well-hidden imp - so it seems when you reflect on the personality of President J.R. Jayewardene. lf he were alive he would have celebrated his 97th birthday on September 17.

The first Executive President of Sri Lanka, enjoyed a little joke even on big issues as heartily as he took pleasure in volleying an innuendo at an opposition MP in Parliament. His sense of humour, besides being puckish, was also subtle.

He never allowed his humour to overrun accepted civil norm. No malice, no personal castigation. A seasoned parliamentarian, President Jayewardene was quick on the uptake; perhaps this talent, a rare one, involuntarily though sharpened his ability to crack and enjoy a joke.

When he was Opposition Leader in the early '70s - leading a dwarfed, disoriented UNP in Parliament - he was on his feet referring to the polls debacle of his party - "I am speaking at a time when it is difficult even to hunt and find an elephant (the symbol of the UNP).... some people loyal to the government predict that I will die, thrown in the gutter..." With amusement well registered on a puckered face." I don't know how I will die... it's not important.”

On another occasion Ronnie de Mel from the back-benches of the government ranks remarked that all the rats in the UNP ship were deserting. Like lightning JRJ rises even before Mr. de Mel could sit: "There are no rats here - only democ-rats".

Once JRJ was sitting in the VIP lounge of the Katunayake Airport with some friends, awaiting the arrival of a foreign visitor. They were looking at a Pakistani aircraft on the tarmac displaying the insignia: PIA. He asks somebody what the acronym denotes - and gets the answer Pakistani International Airlines. JRJ dead-pans that in Sinhala diction the letters could be pronounced to mean something obscene.

It is said that chief executives generally keep off the telephone unless they are connected through a secretary or some other close aide. Not JRJ.Throwing all VIP protocol to the winds he would dial a number and speak to a person directly. But often these calls ended in comic operas or bewildering confusion. Once at a top-level meeting he was chairing President Jayewardene suddenly wanted Dr. W.M.ilakaratne, Secretary to the Treasury, who had not been notified earlier, to attend the meeting. There were enough officials with him who were prepared to do his bidding.

But brushing them aside JRJ dialled the number; it rang but there was no answer. The time was 8 o'clock in the morning. Perhaps it was too early for the official to be in office; JRJ then dialled the second-in-command. No response again. Finally, leafing through the telephone directory himself, ignoring the outstretched hands of officials he read down the line of names according to seniority and discovered the name of the Office Assistant. He dialled again.

When the telephone was answered, JRJ said President Jayewardene was speaking; the man let out a guffaw and told him, "Go to hell - I have heard this before." JRJ hung up and laughed. He was not angry. When Dr. Tilakaratne finally made his appearance, JRJ told him: "I say, you have a gutty man there - he told me to go to hell."

Once I walked into a shop in Maradana and heard some people talking about JRJ's sudden death. He was in retirement at that time. It's all over, they said. Later I was with the retired President at his Ward Place residence when the phone rang. A journalist wanted to find out about Mr. Jayewardene's health. I said he was okay. JRJ then grabbed the phone from me and told the caller: "Say the old fox is still alive and going strong," laughing merrily as he put the receiver back.

He joked on the telephone about his death. But in hospital, days before his death on November 1, 1996 he called me and requested me to respond to every query about his health or death. "Find out the name and address of everyone and acknowledge with gratitude, the concern expressed." -Prematilaka Mapitigama

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