Part 2 The collector

Khushi was stunned to see the same man as a collector. She was delighted by his quick action. If he took action in the dark street, he must be a sincere collector. It seemed their district got a good lead. She didn't know what to do...! Being a social worker, she wanted to celebrate his arrival grandly.

She saw Shashi entering with a face full of smiles. Khushi rushed to him and hugged him.

"Babuji... the dark street became a bright street..." she shouted joyfully.

"Yes... it's because of our new collector. No one knows how he got to know about the dark street..."

Khushi got stuck. She didn't know if she should tell Shashi about their meeting.

"Do you know what he did?" Shashi asked.

She shook her head from left to right.

"After joining duty, he went to the SP (superintendent of police) office directly. As per the custom, it must be SP who should meet the collector but keeping the custom aside, he (stressing) went to the SP office and made it shiver. He stayed there for just five minutes... everything came under his control" Shashi said proudly.

Khushi smiled inwardly. She liked the new collector so much.

"His way of handling problems is amazing... do you know, he fixed a VC with VAOs tomorrow morning"

"With VAOs? But why? Many superior officers are working under him. They will carry out his orders... I have not heard a collector having a meeting with grassroots officials..." Garima said wondering.

"That's it... he knows the knack...! If any problem should be rooted out, we should know its root cause. Only grassroots officials like VAOs could do that. If they made a mistake, all the other officers would follow that"

"Well done," Garima said.

"But, I sensed a kind of disappointment in his speech"

"About what?"

"He was expecting to be posted in a well-developed district, it seems. He didn't like this backward district I suppose"

"Did he say that?" Asked Khushi.

"He didn't say that directly but I could sense it. He was a batch topper after all. So, it's obvious if he expected his posting in a front-line district. Our district is a small one with just four TALUK. Of course, he can rule a big district. I suppose"

Khushi became thoughtful. Job satisfaction is an important factor in anyone's life. Any job should be done with satisfaction... just like, she was planting trees in her district. The collector was a nice man, no doubt in that but he was dissatisfied. What could wipe it out?

"How is he moving with others?" Garima asked.

"Nicely but strictly..."

Garima frowned.

"He said he would be nice if we completed the given task. Or else, he would be an arrogant man and we should not feel bad if he shouted at us" Shashi chuckled.

"Will he shout?" Garima asked unbelievably.

"Yeah, he declared it openly..."

"That means, many of your colleagues are going to be scolded" Khushi laughed.

"No doubt. You know, as no one expected, he asked about pending petitions. It was only me who had no pending petitions"

"That means, you got a place in his good book..." Khushi asked excitedly.

"I think so... he smiled at me" There was pride on Shashi's face.

"It seems he is an angry man... how would he look like?"

"Didn't you see the photo I sent in our group?"

"Did you? I have not seen it"

Taking her phone, Garima checked it. That was when she noticed, she didn't turn the DATA on.

Khushi showed her phone to Garima. She smiled seeing the young man.

"Is not he looking so handsome?"

"Yeah... he looks handsome and speaks English stylishly. Our staffs are scratching their heads..." Shashi laughed.

"Mmm... he must have come from a rich family..."

"Yes, his father is a retired police officer"

"Oh..."

"I believe from here on, our district will develop," Shashi said hopefully.

"Let's see..." Garima said.

They had dinner. Shashi was talking about Arnav while eating. He was so excited. After all, he was a sincere government employee...! He liked Arnav's straightforward character.

Khushi came to her room. She wanted to appreciate Arnav for his fast action. At the same time, she felt bad knowing that Arnav didn't like to be a collector of a backward district. She wanted to change his view of their district because she wanted him to continue his work with interest and satisfaction. So that, their district would develop.

How could she appreciate him? Of course, she could go to the collector's office and do that but there were a lot of Narrow-minded people in the collector's office. They might create stories if she went to meet him. She could call him... no... the collector sir would not know about these people. What if he leaked it in the open innocently? What about EMAIL? Oh, no... the collector would get every Email through his PC (Personal Clerk) only, if the PC didn't like to show it to him, then he wouldn't. She knew the collector PC would not show the mail to him because she knew the PC would not like the new collector. After all, he was a wholesale dealer of corruption... Shyam Manohar Jha.

Shyam had a very big contact in the district. There were no people in the district Shyam didn't know. He had a minimum five thousand rupees in his pocket anytime. Khushi named him Corruption Crocodile. Once he was Shashi's neighbor. Shyam's wife Anjali was a nice woman. She had a good bond with Khushi and Garima. Whenever Khushi went to their area, she used to visit Anjali.

Khushi bit her nails nervously thinking about Shyam. Her eyes sparkled. She got an idea. Shyam would not show her mail to Arnav. So, she decided to send a mail to Arnav's PERSONAL ID. She knew very few authorized persons would have collector's personal ID and Shyam was one among them. After all, he was his PC. She planned how to get it.

Camp Office (Collector's Bungalow)

Arnav's car entered the Camp Office at 11 o'clock. He saw two men waiting for him with a file. He got out of the car and sent the driver off. He looked at the men and asked,

"Tell me"

"Sir, I'm Inspector Dev. We are here to get your signature on the GUNDAS case file"

"What case?" Arnav asked.

"Child harassment"

"Did you check the proof?"

"Yes, sir"

"Come and get it in the morning"

"Thank you, sir" The inspector felt relieved.

Taking the file, Arnav walked in. He was tired. Yet, he had to sign the file. He knew the file needed his one hundred fifty-plus signature. After all, it was a GUNDAS case...! He understood the urgency of the policemen. Tomorrow was Friday. If he had not signed the file, the police could not submit it in court the next morning. Using the chance, the accused might get anticipatory bail and would walk freely. So, signing it was a must. Such a criminal would not be left freely. Taking a bath, he started signing the file.

That was when he got a call. He smiled seeing MOM flashing. He attended it while continuing to sign.

"Hi, Mom"

"How was your first day?"

"Awesome..."

"Do you like the district?"

"So much..."

"You are a son of Arvind Singh Raizada... you should make people say, Arvind Singh Raizada is the father of Arnav Singh Raizada..."

Arnav smiled.

"Chotte, don't be fooled by her words... it's easy to sit at home and speak heroic dialogs... only the beaten knows the pain" he teased.

Arnav laughed out louder.

"Are you satisfied Chotte?" Arvind asked.

"Yes, Dad..."

"That's important... we are happy about it"

"Why are you still up?"

"To talk to you. You would be busy, having no time to talk to us..."

"Nothing is like that... I will call you when I'm free"

"Free and you? Don't be in a dream... take care"

"Sure Dad"

Arnav disconnected the call. It was an utter lie that he was satisfied with the posting. He was not...! That was his first posting. He expected he would get a district up to HIS standard. He didn't like this district. It seemed there were no sincere workers in this district. No road facilities, no street lights, no water facilities... he didn't know from where to start... how to start...!

More than anything, he didn't like his PC Shyam Manohar Jha. There was no politeness in his behavior. He had not seen such a PC with a lot of attitude. Arnav was highly disappointed. He didn't know WHO to trust...!

To be continued...