A 36 year old man named Ranjan Boro hailing from the village of Balabari at the confluence of River Puthimari under Baksa District of the State of Assam was returning to his rented room in the city of Guwahati the premier city of Assam State after the days work. Ranjan works under the health department as a multi tasking office assistant appointed on temporary basis but very efficient in his conduct and in fact contributes to the maximum share of the workload of the office at a meagre salary of Rs. 7500/- per month. From the outset he is just another casual employees who is enrolled on temporary basis who doesn't avail any facilities like other permanent government employees but in the day to day work life that doesn't account for some concession in his work load in fact all the other employees pass on their tasks that are strictly in the purview of their job responsibilities. It was just another regular working day when the Upper Division Clerk Mr. Hemanta Saikia who happens to be the in charge of the Office told Mr. Hari Ram Das an Office Assistant like Ranjan Boro but is a permanent Government employee and an inefficient one with lethargic approach towards work to scrutinize some files in accordance with labelled serial no. on it and keep it on the office shelf. But Hari conferred his task to Ranjan in an authoritative manner like his immediate boss but he accomplished the work in no time without compromising his own work. Later, the upper division clerk Mr. Saikia came and saw the shelf, it was all systematic and files were kept so neatly. Mr. Das who was originally given the task but didn't actually do a bit of it was praised by Mr. Saikia and in midst not even a single time Ranjan's name was pronounced who slaved all day for it. Now on the next day the upper division clerk Mr. Saikia told Ranjan to give letter to the Office of the Deputy Commissioner which is the administrative headquarter of the District taking an issue number from another Lower Division Assistant, Mr. Ananta Baruah. But later he found that Mr. Baruah was on a 3 Day leave and the issue work has been handed over to Mr. Hari Ram Das who was praised for his brilliance yesterday. So Ranjan went to Mr. Das to get the issue number but he was busy chatting with other employees outside the office on irrelevant idle subjects. It took 2 hours to finish the gossip session then Mr. Das the so called responsible person took the letter from Ranjan and gave an issue no. abruptly without a proper chronological order as per dates. But it took a substantial amount of time and Ranjan had to deliver the letter in time as The Deputy Commissioner was to leave for the State Headquarter in Guwahati for a meeting before 5:00 P. M. and it was already 4:30 P. M. and the distance was of about 45 minutes. So went as fast as he can but on reaching at about 5:05 P.M. he came to know that the Deputy Commissioner already left and letter couldn't be given to him through official channel although it was duly received. On returning Ranjan was scolded badly for his irresponsibility towards the task and was threatened to be penalized for a one day salary cut. But he couldn't say a single word about Mr. Das who was actually responsible for the scenario as he was the more influential and recognized who cannot be executed for a punishment easily.

Now the measure of responsibility how it can be quantified or justified. This world works on first sight or first information analysis because deep analysis involves time and judgemental skills which very few possess in modern times. Hari Ram Das and Ranjan Boro are the two individuals representing the set up where former is the concrete wall standing strong because of the latter which is the strong foundation laid beneath the ground which no one can see.

#foolishman #shortstory #amateurwriter #measure of responsibility