I was going home from work yesterday. TGIF in my mind, going over the infinite possible things not to do on the weekend while trying not to bump into any other vehicle.
Now, I try to follow the traffic rules, which I know, is unorthodox for a person living in Pune. (the city is full of notoriously traffic signal flouting maniacs). So during one such stop, a person came up behind me and kept blaring at his horn (no not the pointy one, the electronic one). I dashes him an annoyed look. “Beep, Beep, Beepbeep, beep”. Another annoyed look.
He: “Dude, come on, go. Are you an idiot. Give me way.”
Me: ” No, I am not an idiot, I am learned and educated.”
He: “Me too, I am an Engineer. But what has that got to do with anything ? Get out of my way”
Me : ” Well being an engineer just means that you were able to memorise a few pages for four years and satisfy the questions of a person looking for specefic answers. It is just a degree. That is not education and learning.”
He:”Dude, I work in IT. I make more mony than you”.
Me:” Still doesn’t prove you are educated. In fact proves the lack of education and learning.”
He:”You are an idiot.”
Me: ” Maybe. But definatly educated”.
The lights turned green. some more “beep beep, beepbeep” and HE whisked away.
So, is having a degree, called education and learning? or having traffic sense, comman sense, humility, wisdom, kindness and politness called education and learning ?
Shiv Khera’s experience in Singapore:
6 years ago in Singapore I gave a taxi driver a
business card to take me to a particular address.
At the last point he circled round the building.
His meter read 11$ but he took only 10. I said Henry, your meter reads 11$ how come you are taking only 10. He said Sir, I am a taxi driver, I am supposed to be bringing you straight to the destination. Since I did not know the last spot, I had to circle around the building. Had I brought you straight here, the meter would have read 10$. Why should you be paying for my ignorance ?
He said Sir, legally, I can claim 11$ but ethically I am entitled to only 10. He further added that Singapore is a tourist destination and many people come here for three or four days. After clearing the immigrations and customs, the first
experience is always with the taxi driver and if that is not good, the balance three to four days are not pleasant either. He said Sir I am not a taxi driver, I am the Ambassador of Singapore without a diplomatic passport. In my opinion he probably did not go to school beyond the 8th grade, but to me he was a professional. To me his behavior reflected pride in performance and character. That day I learnt that one needs more than professional qualification to be a
professional.
