YOUR DOG CANNOT SWIM






Pic.: Sheela Krishnamony

Years ago, when I had decided to do something about my poor English, one of the things I did – and found it very useful – was telling a nice story in two tenses… Past and Present. Over the years, I have helped hundreds of people who were earnest to improve their English with the same method… Yes, write a nice story down in both the tenses… and tell it to someone.


I had first come across this story in Shiv Khera’s famous book: ‘You Can Win’.


Our eyes are slow when it comes to recognizing the good in others… But, when it comes to the ‘fault-finding’, oh yes, they are very quick!




YOUR DOG CANNOT SWIM



PAST:


A man had a dog with a special gift: The dog could ‘run’ over water!

Now, what a special gift that was, indeed! This man, obviously, felt proud about his gifted dog… and many people complimented him on it. He, undoubtedly, felt good about it.

Then, one day, this man happened to meet an old friend. He wanted to show this friend the special talent of his dog and took him along for hunting to the countryside. There, he proudly demonstrated to his friend the unique talent of his dog. Every time he shot down a bird from the sky, the gifted dog sped like a missile over the water, and fetched back the bird to his master. It happened repeatedly.

“Did you see, my friend?” the man asked with immense pride.

“Yes, I did?” replied the friend.

“What did you see?” the man wanted to be reassured.

“That, your dog can not swim!”


PRESENT:


A man has a dog with a special gift: The dog can ‘run’ over water!

Now, what a special gift that is, indeed! This man, obviously, feels proud about his gifted dog… and many people compliment him on it. He, undoubtedly, feels good about it.

Then, one day, this man happens to meet an old friend. He wants to show this friend the special talent of his dog and takes him along for hunting to the countryside. There, he proudly demonstrates to his friend the unique talent of his dog. Every time he shoots down a bird from the sky, the gifted dog speeds like a missile over the water, and fetches back the bird to his master. It happens repeatedly.

“Did you see, my friend?” the man asks with immense pride.

“Yes, I did?” replies the friend.

“What did you see?” the man wants to be reassured.

“That, your dog can not swim!”


GERALD D’CUNHA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

MUTHU KODI KAWARI HADA

Image
Pic.; Ashwin Mohta M y Hindi was always bad. It still is. One reason for this was, that they introduced Hindi for us only in 6 th standard. Or, was it in 8 th ? I don’t remember… I only remember struggling to write and read… leave alone speak! But, I loved Hindi movies, and, strangely, I could understand the dialogues and the lyrics of the songs… I used to sing those songs (of course when no one was around me!) as if I was the lyricist… One of the songs was a very funny one. ‘Muthu Kodi Kawari Hada’. It was from Mehmood’s super-hit comedy – ‘Do Phool’. I was a 15-year-old high-school boy when I had heard that song (not watched the movie). I could grasp the meaning of two words – ‘Muthu Kodi’… which meant ‘Give kiss’… But, what ‘Kawari Hada’ meant, I have no clue till date! It was just like ‘Why this kolaveri di’... Yes, why ask? Simply enjoy the beats… And, the beats are great… The rest... Who cares? Really! So, whatever bit of Hi
Read more

"HAPPILY EVER AFTER IS NOT A FAIRY-TALE... IT IS A CHOICE"

Image
“Love doesn’t just sit there, like a stone… It has to be made, like bread; remade all the time, made new.” – Ursula K. Le Guin,  The Lathe of Heaven T welve years ago, when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie got married, the world began to hail the couple as ‘Brangelina’. It became a fashion for couples around us to call themselves so… Norbert and Teresa renamed them as ‘Noresa’…  Amol and Vishaka baptized their relationship as ‘Amoshka’… and, Salman and Nargis became ‘Salgis’! I and my wife, too, got tempted to re-christian our matrimonial relationship as ‘Germa’... That is, Gerald and Anima, to be precise! B efore I proceed any further, let me make it very clear, here… that, I have no business to judge on the break-up of Brad Pitt and Angelina’ Jolie’s marriage. I have no inclination to go into why, how, what when etc behind it… The couple ‘chose’ to split. And, it’s their choice… Only they know how good or bad… how joyful or painful that
Read more

SELLING MIRRORS IN THE CITY OF THE BLIND

Image
“I laugh when I hear that the fish in the water is thirsty. I laugh when I hear that people go on pilgrimage to find God.” - Kabir T here is a universal human weakness – and it dates back to the days of fallen civilizations – and it is: to place people on pedestal and trying to be smothered by them, feel loved and protected in their company… worship them as mentors, heroes,  gurus, Mahagurus and Satgurus… Make these mortals larger-than-life cut-outs, worship them as flawless, pure and give one’s all… And, then, ‘take’ everything from them blindly as divine… Give everything to them blindly… Eventually, what happens is:  one more dangerous bondage… What was supposed to free you now becomes a new prison… It’s sad to see this happen! T his room, where I am writing this Post, has no image of any deity. I have no image of any Guru or Master around me… My question is: “Am I not able to feel close to Almighty God?  How does it matter
Read more
THE WILD, WAYSIDE FLOWERS
There is, always, something extra-ordinary in the wild, wayside flowers...