Professional146;s dilemma

There are many instances of how a serious professional would go to great lengths to make sure there8217;s no compromise on ethics. Military...

There are many instances of how a serious professional would go to great lengths to make sure there8217;s no compromise on ethics. Military personnel laying down lives to guard the country8217;s frontiers. Doctors and nurses putting duty before family and personal comfort, teachers sacrificing holidays to see that weaker students get the needed coaching, intelligence officials keeping secrets even from the spouse, even lawyers and policemen going out of their way to be loyal to the brief or facing brickbats from an angry crowd gone out of control.

However, the story of the mechanic who, in the face of imminent death, stood true to his calling in life is perhaps unique. This is how it happened.

Our man had committed a heinous crime. He was convicted and awarded capital punishment. His head was to be chopped off under the guillotine. On the appointed day, the condemned prisoner was brought to the raised platform where the guillotine was set up. Several onlookers had gathered. The chopping device had been given the spit and polish. Every part had been cleaned and oiled. The gleaming apparatus lay there, in full public view, ready to ensure that the ends of justice were met.

Last wish fulfilled, poor chap8217;s shackles were removed; he was asked to knee down and put his neck on the semi-circular slot at the base of the machine. As the jailor gave the signal, one of the guys lifted a lever, which would bring down the heavy blade and sever the guy8217;s head from his body. Lo and behold, nothing happened! The blade didn8217;t move. A visibly annoyed and embarrassed jailor brought down his index finger once again. His flunky lifted the lever a second time. Nothing. No movement at all.

There was pandemonium. The jailor was livid. He was aware of the 8216;8216;third time8217;8217; rule. If the blade doesn8217;t come down a third time, the condemned man has to be pardoned. This would be catastrophic. He would face an inquiry. He wouldn8217;t be able to face the world. The scenario was horrifying. How could a simple guillotine not function. He was barking orders and the sepoys were frantically checking every part of the damned machine. Finally the prisoner was asked to put his head down a third time.

Just before the jailor was to lift his trembling finger a third time and bring it down for the fatal order, the mechanic in the condemned man couldn8217;t take it any longer. He knew the fault. He8217;d seen what was wrong. He was sure the blade wouldn8217;t come down even in 10 attempts. None of the sepoys had noticed what his keen eye had.

8216;8216;Sir, the blade will never fall unless the fifth bolt on the second column on the left is tightened,8217;8217; spoke the man facing death sentence.