A police officer and a couple of constables ‘marched’ into a reputed shop. Was it a raid or just a visit for shopping? I wondered. It was immaterial but I followed them to have a close look at the officer. My intention was to verify whether they were actually from the neighboring state [A  casual glance from a distance gave me the impression that they were from a neighboring state]. Yes, they were indeed from the neighboring state, as was evident from their badges. I left it at that and went to a nearby restaurant before proceeding to my house but even as I was moving forward rather mechanically, my mind was trying to recollect my college days and gradually it narrowed down to the ‘preachings’ of our English lecturer. “Make it a point to work hard to get a job to your liking… and don’t succumb to temptations”. His advice was mainly aimed at literature students. He wanted them to become poets, novelists or journalists. He was a junior lecturer and his literary articles and poems were published in top journals. Soon I came to the conclusion that the police officer whom I saw at that shop was none other than the above said lecturer. I must meet him before he leaves, I thought and returned to that shop. I was right on time. The officer was about to get into a car parked in front of that shop but stepped back when he saw me.

After exchanging pleasantaries, he took leave of me. Yes, I was right; he was the very same lecturer but seemed to have washed his hands clean off his pet views when opportunities knocked at his door—soon he was to become the I.G of police.