The student said, “I am so sad because I wrote to my parents to give me money so that I could buy a wristwatch. And what have they done? They have sent me a wristwatch.”
His friends were puzzled. They said, “What is the matter? You wanted money to buy a wristwatch, and your parents have sent you a nice wristwatch.”
The student said, “Oh no, no, no! That is not what I wanted at all. Each time I ask them for something, they usually send me money to buy that particular thing. Then I use the money in my own way. Last time I asked them to give me money to buy some books. Immediately they sent me money. They said they did not know which books I needed, so they gave me the necessary money. Of course, I spent the money in my own way.
“The previous time, I told them that I needed notebooks and a small tape recorder. They sent me money, and I used that money for some other purpose. At night I enjoy going to the movies or I buy other things with their money. Always I use the money for my own pleasure. But this time I cannot do that. They have given me the actual wristwatch, so what am I going to do? I am so miserable. It is not what I wanted at all. Now I have to think of something else which they will not be able to send, so that they will give me the money.
“I need money more than anything else. I am supposed to study for my examination, but many text-books I do not have because I used the money for other things. Who wants to study? But it is good to remain a student. As long as I am a student, I can ask them for money. Now I have to think of something else that they will not be able to send. I asked for a wristwatch, and they have given me a wristwatch. What I need from my parents is only money.”
This is how the young student deceived his parents.From:Sri Chinmoy,Life’s bleeding tears and flying smiles, part 5, Agni Press, 2001
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/lts_5