The other day my wife, newspaper in hand, interrupted my happy commune with my cup of tea and asked, “what is this ‘recuse’ business? Why is this chap recusing himself from editorial duties?”
Glad to get in a word sideways in the house first thing in the morning, I pontificated as to how judges who perceived a conflict of interest in a case before them could excuse themselves from deciding that case; justice needed to be seen to be done, not just done. But Law being law, there was a fancy term for excusing yourself from duty. Hence, ‘recuse’.
“Why is this chap recusing himself? Should he not just resign?”
But he has no intention to resign, I explained. He will come back after six months after he has lacerated himself in penance sufficiently.
“He could have taken a leave of absence,” she persisted. ”
He has been in the business of judging everybody else for so long, perhaps he sees himself as a regular judge, I speculated.
“I see. So people in high positions recuse themselves when they don’t want to do a job?” she asked softly, a glint in her eye, adding, “I am recusing myself from cooking dinner today. So, you can book a table for two at 8!”
She has started recusing herself every other day now.
Damn you, Tejpal.
**
Umesh Sharraf is an itinerant who is presently a government servant. He has taken up writing recently after having been at the receiving end from other writers all his life.
Hahaha! She needn’t have recused herself. She should have exercised her executive privilege.