College Short Story – Now I understand why they don’t do it
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Ranjitha was a good student and was always liked by her teachers. But she was not rich and that was the only thing that kept her unhappy. She did not have many dresses as most of her classmates had wished that even at university level there was a uniform. Owing to her poverty she could also not buy books that were essential for reference. The university library had a good collection of reference books but they were meant to be referred and thus were not issued to the students. The lending section of the library maintained only textbooks which were not very useful for the post graduate students. But the teaching faculty had an advantage over the students which they seldom utilized. the books in the reference section could be issued to the faculty as their stay in the university was more guaranteed ; quite obvious because the jobs for faculty were limited. Ranjitha spent most of her time in the library when her classmates were enjoying with their boyfriends.
The university was too far from her residence and staying back after the college hours taxed her with walking one kilometer after getting down from a bus as the connecting bus to her place left by the time she reached complex. On several occasions she wondered why the professors did not get the books issued on their name and helped the students. She promised to herself that when she became a teacher she would provide the students with all that she had missed as a student. And within no time the day came.
Soon after getting her master’s degree in Microbiology she joined an affiliated college of the University as a lecturer and quickly she won the hearts of all students. It was obvious as she was adept at explaining things vividly going down to the level of weakest student. she used to stay back after the class to help the students. There were too many students as is the case in every undergraduate course and it was difficult for Ranjitha to remember all of them by names or faces.
One day, two students came to her requesting her to get three books issued on her name and lend them as they were struggling with subject and the library closed at the same time as the college. Ranjitha was only waiting for this opportunity and happily helped the students by lending them “Molecular biology” by Robert Weaver,” Genetics” by Griffth and “Microbiology” by Prescott.
The entire academic year passed and Ranjitha almost forgot about the three books. the affiliated colleges terminate the services of faculty during summer for two months as there is no classwork. The management had a logic that the faculty should not be paid when there is no work but it never considers the extra work that is given to faculty apart form classwork.
One fine day the superintendent of the college called Ranjitha and said ” Madam you are yet to return three books to the library and we have instructions not to credit your salary unless the three books are returned”.
Ranjitha’s salary was three thousand five hundred rupees. She tried hard to recollect the students who had borrowed the books but her memory dd not support. Human brain is trained to remember things which are pleasure giving or things which are dangerous. Lending books was neither, so it was obvious to forget. But the students were all there on the campus as the exams had not yet started. So it was just a walk that she had to take to the classroom and inquire who borrowed the books. With her ever smiling face she rushed to the classroom and announced that she was to return the books to the library as early as possible.
But to her surprise none of the students opened their mouths. one or two students whom she suspected of having taken the books , she asked and they denied having taken any book form her. Ranjitha had only two options- loose the salary or borrow money and pay it in the library and then take the salary. the former she could not do as she could not reveal at home that she had been so generous or rather so careless. So boldly or sadly she borrowed four thousand eight hundred rupees form Joseph and received three thousand five hundred rupees- her hard earned money. Now she understood that helping someone beyond a certain limit will harm oneself is a lesson she learnt paying Rs 4800 as fee.
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