A DANGEROUS PROFESSION

I visited my friend yesterday. He was sitting morose, with his head in his hands; as if all hell had broken loose. What are friends if not help and cheer up a soul in need. So, I asked him what was the matter. He said his 19 years old son had decided to join ‘A Dangerous Profession’.

I remember about forty years back when I wanted to join the Indian Navy what was the reaction of my father about my joining “fauji” (military man). So, I asked him knowingly:

[lineate]Me: Army?[/lineate][lineate]He: No.[/lineate][lineate]Me: Navy?[/lineate][lineate]He: No[/lineate][lineate]Me: Ah, I got it now; he wants to be a sky diver?[/lineate][lineate]He: No, it is more dangerous than that.[/lineate]

[lineate]Me (resuming fresh): I got it; he wants to be a professional bungee jumper?[/lineate][lineate]He: No, nothing as simple; it is more dangerous.[/lineate][lineate]Me: Perhaps he wants to be a worker at Sivakasi Fire-works factory?[/lineate][lineate]He: Even that is safer in comparison.[/lineate][lineate]Me: Maybe he wants to be a nuclear scientist working for Al Qaeda.[/lineate][lineate]He: No, no, no…[/lineate][lineate]Me: Perhaps a driver in Mumbai?[/lineate][lineate]He: That’s dangerous but we still survive on an everyday basis.[/lineate][lineate]Me (I knew this time I was close): He wants to go to Pakistan to teach democracy?[/lineate][lineate]He: No; it is frightfully more dangerous…[/lineate] [lineate]Faujis don’t give up so easily. So I tried again:[/lineate][lineate]Me: River rafting?[/lineate][lineate]He: No.[/lineate][lineate]Me: Deep-sea diving?[/lineate][lineate]He: No.[/lineate] [lineate]I tried for next fifteen minutes, and still the reply was no.[/lineate][lineate]Me (resignedly, finally): What then?[/lineate][lineate]He (with an expression that said, “You will never understand”): He wants to be a cartoonist.[/lineate][lineate]Me: That’s bad; but, at least he confided in you about that. I know nothing can be worse. (remembering friends are there to cheer up friends in difficulty) But, things are a-changing. Who knows, a few years from now, even this profession may just become safe?

[/lineate][lineate]All of us live on hope.[/lineate]

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Author: Sunbyanyname

I have done a long stint in the Indian Navy that lasted for nearly thirty seven years; I rose as far as my somewhat rebellious and irreverent nature allowed me to. On retirement, in Feb 2010, the first thing that occurred to me, and those around me, was that I Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (you will find an article with this title in this blog) and hadn't lost all my noodles and hence thought of a blog titled 'This 'n That'. I later realised that every third blog is called 'This 'n That' and changed the name to 'Sunbyanyname'. I detest treading the beaten track. This blog offers me to air 'another way' of looking at things. The idea is not just to entertain but also to bring about a change. Should you feel differently, you are free to leave your comments. You can leave comments even when you agree and want to share your own experience about the topic of the blog post. Impudent or otherwise, I have never been insousciant and I am always concerned about the betterment of community, nation and the world. I hope the visitors of this blog would be able to discern it. View all posts by Sunbyanyname