9. The job hunters

Sri Chinmoy: Three men were desperately looking for work, but they could not find jobs anywhere. Finally, one day they went to a place where the boss was very nice. He said, “I will give you all jobs. For the first three months I will pay you $500 per month and then, after three months, I will give you $700 per month.”

One man said, “Then I shall start work after three months, so that I can get $700 per month. Why start at $500 per month? I want to get $700 per month.”

The second man was afraid of what would happen after three months. He said to himself, “Who knows what will happen? I don’t trust anybody; I don’t even trust myself. I am such a lazy fellow. After three months this boss may fire me because I am very bad. Even if I work hard he may not like me. So I had better not wait. The best thing is for me to accept the job at $500 per month. After three months God knows what is going to happen.” Then he told the man that he would start right away.

The third man said to the boss, “I am a very good worker, believe me. I assure you that I will work at least six months, and you will definitely be pleased with me, because I know what a wonderful worker I am. Such being the case, can you give me a $1,200 loan? I am badly in need of money. Easily I will be able to pay you back when I work for you. You will give me $500 per month during the first three months, and then I will continue to work for another three months for $700 per month. But right now please give me a $1,200 loan. Then I will definitely please you.”

Which one would you like to be? Would you like to be the one who wants to start after three months, the one who wants to start right away, or the one who wants to take a loan and then start working?

M: The one who starts in three months.

Sri Chinmoy: So you want the $700!

[All the other children want to be the one who wants to start right away.]

Sri Chinmoy: Everybody wants to start right away except M. Do you think that if for three months you don’t work, the boss will then give you a job?