| An old country PUROHIT had a teenage son, and it was getting high time the boy gave some thought to choosing a profession. Like many young men his age, the boy didn't really know what he wanted to do, and he didn't seem too concerned about it. One day, while the boy was away at school, his father decided to try an experiment. He went into the boy's room and placed on his study table four objects: 1. A RAMAYANA, 2. A silver coin, 3. A bottle of whiskey, 4. And a Playboy magazine. "I'll just hide behind the door," the old preacher said to himself, "and when he comes home from school, I'll see which object he picks up. If it's the Ramayana, he's going to be a purohit like me, and what a blessing that would be! If he picks up the coin, he's going to be a businessman, and that would be okay, too. But if he picks up the bottle, he's going to be a no-good drunken bum, and Lord Shiva, what a shame that would be. And worst of all, if he picks up that magazine, he's going to be a skirt-chasing womanizer." The old man waited anxiously and soon heard his son's footsteps as he entered the house whistling and headed for his room. The boy tossed his books on the bed, and as he turned to leave the room, he spotted the objects on the table. He walked over to inspect them, looking at each for several minutes. Finally, he picked up the Ramayana and placed it under his arm. He picked up the silver coin and dropped into his pocket. He uncorked the bottle and took a big drink, while he admired this month's centerfold. "Lord Shiva have mercy!" the old purohit prayed. "He's going to be 'AASHARAM BAPU!'" |