Old man

I just took a ferry across the harbour and an old Indian sat beside me. Very curiously he looked at the cover of the novel I was reading. I showed him the cover of Angela's Ashes. He wanted to know what subject it was. I told him it was a novel, more of a biography. He seemed apalled by what I said and started saying something. I couldn't hear him clearly and pulled off my earphones. He looked even more appalled. He said yeh kya kar rahe ho, reading a novel and listening to music? You should get joy from within you, not from these.

With this hint at the start of a conversation I put my book & earphones away and asked him what he did in Hong Kong adn how long he's been here. He said he's been in HK for 41 years and that he was a jewellery merchant and also that he'd seen all of the world. He immediately jumped back to his earlier statement that all the material wealth and comforts were of no use and one needs to find joy within oneself. I pointed out that entertainment was also very important. He immediately agreed and said, "Yes entertainment is most important but it has to come from within you and not from outside". I asked him if his job gave him joy, he said he's been on the job for a long time and a lot of people bought jewels although they're of no use. He sounded like he despised them. And continued "A lot of women buy jewels to show off and lot of men buy to please their wives although nobody loves his wife". I asked him if even he didn't love his wife. He looked irritated and said "When I say nobody, it includes me" and then after a moment's afterthought he asked me if I loved my wife. I told him I'm not married. This overjoyed him and he showered me with blessings "You will get married very soon and you'll face a lot of troubles". I gave him an understanding smile. After another moment's reflection he said that he made millions and lost millions.

He asked me what I was doing in HK. I told him I work for ING insurance. He told me "All you insurance people are scary. You sell insurance saying we'll pay you this much if you lose one leg and this much if you lose both hands etc". I pointed out that much of selling insurance involved fear unlike jewellery where it was mostly glamour and little fear. He agreed that it made sense as long as it made money. He went on to describe his own work for a while and narrated an anecdote on why he was in this business. Once when a friend of his, a mine owner was asked how business was, the mine owner got very angry and replied "Look here Mr Dallas let this be the last time anybody ask me this question, I'll answer one final time: As long as there are women alive on this planet my business will be good" He did remember to mention that he never sold over price to Indians. Seeing that our 10 minute journey had come to an end he concluded by saying whatever happened the most important thing is education and good food and material wealth was to no avail.

I wished him a good bye and my heart didn't permit to tell him how much he entertained me those 10 minutes.