It's a donkey's life...Part 2

They were now walking on the relatively deserted part of the way to home. There were few other animals or vehicles on the road.

"So dude! Tell me your problems. I may not be able to solve them, but definitely it will help you put your thoughts in perspective", Jamkatki said.

"Well, I am not so sure about the exact reason for my depression. All my life, I was raised with the ideal that if I study well and work hard, then I will do extremely well! ...and this is exactly what I did too. I joined the Indian Institute of Dhobi Apprentices (IIDA) and you do know that they are among the finest technical schools in the country, and arguably in the world. I even did a diploma in Trends in the laundry business after my IIDA degree. I joined one of the best paying washermen in the ghats a couple of years ago. To be honest, he does treat me well and I have no complaints against him." Dhondu paused at this point.

Jamkatki had been unusually silent during the entire discourse. "Go on...Dont hesitate..pour it out!" He prodded Dhondu on.

"OK...so last week, I bumped into an old classmate from my school. Now, his principles have always been different from mine. If mine was to ensure that I went to the best college and worked the hardest to remain at the top, his goal was to take life as it comes, enjoy and have fun. I always expected him to have a mediocre career and a so-so quality of life. In fact, I had all but forgotten about him, till I met him again last week." Dhondu went on.

"Hmmm...continue please", Jamkatki responded.

"Well..errr..the thing is..you see...this guy has done remarkably well and in fact, My master is in fact a new franchisee of the General Dhobi Works - the company owned by him. So, in a convoluted way... I work for him"

"Hehehe...and you are upset about it?" asked Jamkatki.

"Hey no! Don't get me wrong! I am sure he deserved his success very much." Dhondu was now on the defensive. "I was just thinking - that we have... on one hand, a guy who has slogged his way to get admitted into IIDA, worked hard throughout the 2 years in that school going through numerous exams and nerve-wracking training sessions, took the initiative to take up a diploma in Advanced laundry, and joined one of the most reputable washermen in the city."

He continued, "On the other hand, we have this chap here, who dropped out of school, went on a backpacking trip across the towns, flirted with all the female donkeys he met, and has not ever touched a washload with a barge pole in his life"

"...and now, after all this, the irony is that, I, among the top 0.5% of donkeys in this town, in terms of educational qualifications, am now working for HIM!" Dhondu's voice had reached a high pitch by now and he had stopped walking. "So, now I am wondering... Was whatever I was told from childhood that education will result in success wrong? Why did I waste the best part of my childhood, slogging though IIDA? What does HE have that I don't have, that makes him so successful, while I am a pathetic donkey working for some washerman?"

Dhondu was clearly getting frustrated by now. He had stopped walking and had moved onto the side of the road. Jamkatki could feel the nervous shiver running through Dhondu's body.

"Cool it, buddy!" Jamkatki sympathized. "Don't worry! I understand your frustrations. And if you please, I can offer some suggestions too"

"Hmmpppffff...What advice can a crow offer me? You don't know anything about me!" Dhondu replied in a scornful tone.

"...and therein lies your problem, mate! You are way too conceited, ignorant and stupidly arrogant!" Jamkatki was now on the offensive. "You believe that only donkeys from IIDA are entitled to intelligence and every other creature are lower forms of existence than you. Tell me something, why is IIDA so famous?"

"Oh! You don't know? The entrance exams are among the most difficult in the world. Also, the IIDA alumni are among the leaders in various industries across the world. Now, do you realize how great I am?" Dhondu replied with a gleam in his eyes.

"Man! You ARE stupid, aren't you?" Jamkatki replied. "How does having the most difficult entrance exam and the fact that you cracked it, make you the most intelligent fellow on earth? It only means that you managed to answer all the questions in THAT particular test correctly. However, that is besides the point. I am prepared to give you credit for the fact that you must be a person with a reasonable aptitude for whatever-it-is-that-is-asked-in-these-tests, because of which you did well in the entrance test. However, that does not automatically qualify you as INTELLIGENT, or at least more intelligent than other people. Also, just how does the fact that the IIDA alumni are doing well, make YOU great?"

Dhondu was struck dumb by this sudden display of aggression.

Jamkatki continued, "You know what your problem is? Excessive self-pity! Everything needs to be given to you on a platter. And why? Just because you graduated from the prestigious IIDA! Heck, you should learn to pick out opportunities and act on them. You should also learn to NEVER underestimate ANYONE. My guess is that your friend and those successful IIDA alumni all had a great deal of these qualities."

"Learn to take risks. You know how the old saying goes no pain, no gain! Your friend took the risk of doing what he loved most. Also, he looked around for possible opportunities and ACTED upon them! But you have been too caught up in your own smug world of self-satisfaction. You don't look around, you don't consider anyone as good as you. Dude, the moment you get satisfied with what you have, you STOP growing!"

Dhondu was looking at Jamkatki, as if he had been given a stinging slap across his face. He was speechless.

There was silence for a few seconds.

Jamkatki said, "Buddy, I might have been a bit harsh on you, but I found your self-pitying very tiresome. It is time you stopped thinking about yourself and your "greatness" and start looking around and being aware of your environment. But this is the only way to survive and progress!"

Silence again. Dhondu cleared his throat, slightly embarrassed to speak up now after the harangue from Jamkatki. "Err...hmm...you may probably have a point!"

"I do have a point, dammit! And that is this! Stop feeling sorry for yourself, start looking around for an opportunity and then take the plunge and go do it!!!! and while you are at it, have respect for eveyone and treat people the way you want them to treat you..."

"...and now, if you will excuse me... I have to leave now." With a swish, Jamkatki took off from Dhondu's back and landed on the overhead branch of a nearby tree. "I am going to keep an eye on you! I do hope to see some improvement in you! I am confident you can! After all - you are an IIDA alumni, aren't you?" Jamkatki winked at him.

Dhondu didn't know whether Jamkatki was being sarcastic or serious. But he didn't care. He had got the message. "Hmmm...He does have a point! Let me see... I think I should develop on that idea of buying a set of washing machines and using it to wash a bigger load...or rather I should consider getting into the dyeing business..."

His walk was much more hurried and his mood was clearly more effervescent as he walked back the rest of the way home!

"Another day, another good deed for Jamkatki the consultant!", Jamkatki said softly from the tree branch.