I read that Chapter 21 introduces a story about a government officer. What was his background and how was his job described?

You are correct. Chapter 21 of the Sai Satcharitra begins the story of a man who was highly educated in English and held a B.A. degree. He had a successful career, slowly progressing to become a renowned officer, first obtaining the post of Mamlatdar and later rising to become a Collector. The chapter mentions that it was by his good fortune that he obtained the company of Sai Baba. The text offers an interesting perspective on his job as a Mamlatdar, comparing it to a hill that looks beautiful from afar but is surrounded by thorny bushes up close. This suggests that while the position was prestigious and looked good from the outside, the reality of the job was likely very difficult and fraught with challenges.