Clerk and Bearer
There were yet two days for the Congress session to begin. I had made up my mind to offer my services to the Congress office in order to gain some experience. So as soon as I had finished the daily ablutions on arrival at Calcutta, I proceeded to the Congress office.
Babu Bhupendranath Basu and Sjt. Ghosal were the secretaries. I went to Bhupenbabu and offered my services. He looked at me, and said: “I have no work, but possibly Ghosalbabu might have something to give you. Please go to him.”
So I went to him. He scanned me and said with a smile: “I can give you only clerical work. Will you do it?”
“Certainly,” said I. “I am here to do anything that is not beyond my capacity.”
“That is the right spirit, young man,” he said. Addressing the volunteers who surrounded him, he added, “Do you hear what this young man says?”
Then turning to me he proceeded: “Well then, here is a heap of letters for disposal. Take that chair and begin. As you see, hundreds of people come to see me. What am I to do? Am I to meet them, or am I to answer these busybodies inundating me with letters? I have no clerks to whom I can entrust this work. Most of these letters have nothing in them, but you will please look them through. Acknowledge those that are worth it, and refer to me those that need a considered reply.”
I was delighted at the confidence reposed in me.