I have a reservation ......

"Sir", my friend protested, "But I don't understand....What do you find wrong in me ? I haven't puffed a cigarette in all my life. I don't do drugs or alcohol. I haven't ever had any illicit association with any member of the opposite sex. I am a well-educated and qualified man, earning a good six-figure salary and a stable job. I am pious and follow traditions. I have a good lifestyle and nurture the same values as you'll. Why can't I have your daughter's hand in marriage - when we love one another ?"

I was there.

I was listening to this desperate outburst ...

I couldn't understand it either.

The man never puffed - he was right - he only took it in (passively). He refrained from alcohol and drugs (he didn't need them - he didn't have control over himself anyways - no question of wanting to loose it). He didn't ever have any serious relationship (until now) with any female (well, that this was the first girl who said yes to him is a different topic altogether). He was earning and had a job (hmm - an IT job - not really stable, but I discount that)!

What was it with the old snob then?

After ages of silence, he replied - "You are not a Kannadiga".

God knows - and so do the neighbours - I prevented a cold-blooded murder then.

Funny, you might say. It is, sadly.

So - isn't the outburst/anxiety/anger justified - when we come across reservations in the various speheres of life ? These reservations are nothing but the personal biases of elected individuals. These collective, common and mutual biases are passed in the form of a Bill in our House of Representatives - and are then enacted as Laws a citizen of the country has to abide by! Now when the SC has adjudged that 27% reservation be held for OBCs (myteriously not applicable to the 'creamy' layer - creamy layer of and only of the OBCs - someone please explain why not that of the SC/STs/MBcs) what's the brouhaha about ? Why the hue and cry ?

Each one of us, at some point in time or the other, in one way or the other, holds some reservation. That which we seek from others in one form, we deny to someone else in another!
Life is unfair - not because of circumstances we are in, but those we create - accept it and move on!

Oh and to conclude the above happening ...

thanks to my friend's sermon and his reactions to the old man's wisdom - the girl was married off in a month to an elderly Kannadiga gentleman (10 years elder to her) !

Its true - Wisdom has no takers!