Around the winter season…that year….Rock Star…..the horse… fell sick for whatever reason. Bruce got worried. He thought about it and instead of visiting a Vet Clinic decided to consult his friend…Richard Lewis..who was also fond of horses and owned many…..and to seek his advice about the matter.

Somewhere at the back of his mind…..he recollected that Richard had similar issue with one of HIS horses sometime ago.

He called Richard and informed him about the sickness of Rock Star. Bruce then went on to discuss with him about the medicine that Richard had used for HIS horse. Richard told him the name.

Bruce, then, immediately, went to the market to buy the medicine…..since he did not want to delay the treatment any longer. He brought home the drug mentioned by Richard and administered it to the horse.

Rock Star died a few hours later.

Bruce did not know what had gone wrong…….he was sad, depressed and baffled. He called Richard’s business place…..that is where he expected to find him at that hour……and after Richard came on the line…..Bruce began to express his astonishment…..”Look Richard…..do you remember…in the morning I told you about Rock Star….that he was sick….I asked you about the medicine….you gave me the name of the medicine….i bought that medicine…..gave it to the horse…..and, you know what……..he died”

And…Richard replied…”Oh yeah?…….well, mine had died too!”

We have got to learn to ask our questions well……and holistically……agreed! But…what about the person who is trusted for providing the answer!

Top of Form

When I reached his office…..that evening…for the job interview….I had second thoughts if I really wanted that job. While at the office, I was ushered into the Board Room after a short wait…..where the delegation was waiting to do their job. There were five of them…..and they appeared to be Egyptian by Nationality. I learnt later on… that only 2 of them, actually, were.

After hand-shakes and the exchange of greetings….I was offered to take a seat….and, we got down to the real business. They considered me to be a suitable candidate……after they had tested me on the scale of their questionnaire.

The terms of employment were discussed and agreed..And, when I thought it was time now to say bye……one of them asked me a question…..”BTW, are you a Half-White?” I am not sure if it was my appearance or what….that prompted this question from the Gentleman!

I was not expecting that question…but went on to respond…”No… why do you ask?”. Mr. Jaffer….that was his name… said with a smile……probably, as broad as Howrah Bridge….. “Well…Mr. Sadana….if you had said “Yes”…..we would….for sure….have increased you salary by another 50%. Honestly…..I did not think much of this comment at that time….took it as something like an Egyptian sense of humour….took leave of the delegation and of Sunil… and returned home.

Six months later… I was in Bahrain…..and in the thick of things. I had settled down well with the new work environment……..new work culture and had started to feel at home with my work responsibilities.

We used to have Managers’ meeting every morning… to discuss the day ahead and to review how to coordinate the overall effort. During one such meeting…….I came up with a suggestion to resolve a nagging issue that found unanimous favour with the participants. So much so… that the Purchase Manager….Nizaar…….could not resist himself and conceded…..” Excellent, Rajan…….you have the brain of a real White Man!”

It is, then, that I realized that Mr. Jaffer had. actually, meant it… when he had talked of the prospect of a higher salary to a White Man….. during my job interview.

I went on to learn later….during my stay over there…..that to them….. only people from a certain part of the World were supposed to be endowed with intelligence and sharp brains…..and, that anything good had…only to be from that part of the World

What was this…..I keep wondering!

The hawker is selling toys and pleads with the man to buy a toy. The man reacts with the argument that since he has outgrown the age of playing with toys and since he has no children at home… he will not find a use for the toy.

The hawker insists with an emotional request suggesting that he has not found any buyer for the entire day. The man asks…”Okay, how much is the toy for?” and on learning the price pays five bucks to the hawker but refuses to take the toy in lieu of the money paid.

This, now, becomes the practice for everyday! The man would pay five bucks to the hawker every evening without taking a toy in return.

Until, one evening, when the man pulled out his wallet and extended his hand to pay five bucks……the hawker looked at the man and told him in a matter-of-fact tone..”What is this, Sir? The price of the toy has gone up to eight bucks!

Now, let us liken the above to the following!

When I was employed in my first job….I reached office on a Wednesday morning only to learn that one of our lady colleagues in the office had lost her Mother the night before.

We all decided to pay her a visit. After having offered our due condolences we thought it fit to sit there for a while to console her and to give comfort to the lady. The lady…understandably…..was in a flood of tears.

After a while, she turned to me and asked in a complaining way…” Why did this have to happen? Why this injustice? Why did God have to snatch away MY MOTHER?”

And, I asked her in a nice way….”Who was it who decided who her Mother would be? Did she ever have a right to choose HER MOTHER? Did she decide at any stage to take birth to the Mother she had just lost?…..When we get some blessings in life…these are a result of nature’s will……no way, do we acquire the ownership rights on these blessings!

I am not being insensitive here……but just making a point that how we start to claim our right over things that are not ours in the first place and are allowed in our lives by a wider scheme of things….no ownership rights come attached with the blessings!

We must not lose our sense of gratitude! We must not claim to be the owners of our blessings! No one can be!