CASE OF A DUTIFUL CHAUFFEUR

Mr Nihar Ranjan Hota was a senior colleague. While he was at Sambalpur as the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), Northern Division , he had an unforgettable experience which he had narrated to me. Once he was travelling from Bhubaneswar to Sambalpur but had planned to break journey at Dhenkanal; spend the night and attend to official work there the next day. There used to be check-gate a little ahead of the point where National High Way(NH) 42 takes off NH 5. His Driver, known for his integrity and sense of duty, stopped the car at the check-gate and walked up to the staff to let the Commissioner’s vehicle to pass quickly. It was already dark. When the barrier was raised, he returned to the car and drove off. He drove up to the Circuit House at Dhenkanal, a good forty five kilometers away, stopped the car at the portico and opened the rear door to let his Boss come out. Officials were waiting to receive the Commissioner. The Boss did not get down. The good Driver’s response was unbelievably swift. Within minutes,he closed the door with a bang; took his seat and drove off without saying a word to the waiting officials. He drove back again to the check-gate and walked up to his harassed Boss, opened the door to let him to get into the car and drove back to the Circuit House. While the Driver was with the check-gate staff, Mr Hota had got down from the car and walked to a safe distance to ease himself in the dark. Before he could reach his car, it had gone!!