I remember the first time someone tapped me. It was in was in the spring of 2011, I was young and naive and someone wanted me to be a club president. At the time I was a bit over-whelmed, someone had more confidence in me than I did. However soon I too would learn the importance of the ‘tap’ and the ‘wink’.
In my time I have encountered many a fine activist, comrade and warm body all worthy of positions and power. Some however have been tapped on the shoulder to ensure they rose for the occasion. This happens at times as the person lacks the confidence or knowledge to nominate by themself. Allowing nominations to come about themselves in a faction or organisation can cause headaches in organisations that are democratic. Alliances, succession plans, legacies are thrown into wack when people fail to nominate.
Other times the tap on the shoulder is like a break up. ‘It’s the factions fault not yours’, ‘I don’t think this is working out’ and ‘I think it is for the better’ are all things I have heard before and said. This is most of the time done not out of spite or anger, but the cold logical reasoning that stupol somehow needs. This however has to be done with the upmost delicacies, as no one ever wants a bad break up and there is always the backslide to remember.
This is why the tap on the shoulder is important; it ensures that everything falls into place. To receive the tap and the wink means those in a smoky back room have favoured you. While missing out shows who and what your faction or organisation favour. So next time your in a restaurant, pub or smoky backroom planning just remember to tap that, and hopefully the all the dominoes should fall into place.
David Bailey-Mckay