A vegetarian's strength
After we went through security and immigration, there was a long line of passengers boarding the plane. I said, “Let me just relax and be the last person.”After everybody else had entered the plane, I was about to give my boarding pass to the lady when, O God, I see that fat man running towards me. He was the one who tells them when to close the gate after everybody has boarded the plane.
When he saw me, he said, “Can you give me a picture?” Luckily, I had a picture of my lifting the man who weighed 317 pounds, so I gave it to him.
I was the last person to enter the plane, but he was delaying me. He said, “Now tell me, are you a vegetarian? I have been a vegetarian for five years.”
I said, “I have been a vegetarian for 45 years.”
Then the lady collecting the boarding passes said to me, “Can you lift him?”
The fat man told her, “Easily, easily. I am not 317 pounds.”
Then she asked the fat man if he could lift me.
He said, “Not yet! I have to be a vegetarian for another 40 years. Then easily I will be able to lift him.”
— 20 January 1989
