There was once upon a time an old blind beggar and his guide dog who survived by begging in a railway station.

One fine day, the beggar was killed in an accident with a rail train and the dog trying to save its owner died under the rails with him. They appeared before the Archangel Gabriel at the Pearly Gates and was told that the quota for that day was met, there was only 1 vacancy left. So either the beggar or the dog could to Heaven while the other had to descend to Hell.

The blind beggar told Gabriel, look this dog does not know what is Heaven or Hell let me decide for him. Gabriel looked at the beggar with scorn thinking what the Hell, the poor dog was guiding you all your life and sacrificed his life for you and this is how you treat him. He told off the beggar harshly, saying in the eyes of God all beings are equal. There is only one way to decide, whoever entered the Pearly Gates first wins. But he told the blind beggar sarcastically, when you died, you are no longer blind and may not lose to your dog in a race.

Gabriel was incensed when the race began, instead of running, the beggar now no longer blind was walking slowly with his guide dog at his side step by step as if he was still blind. He guessed what was the beggar’s intention, to stop right at the Pearly Gate and then enter the gate himself. But due to protocol, he could not do anything but fumed. Gabriel was right when just before the Pearly Gate, the beggar commanded his dog “Stop and Sit”. The dog obeyed and Gabriel could not bear to watch any longer.

Suddenly the beggar turned back to face Gabriel and said “I know what you are thinking. My dog accompanied me through thick and thin, guiding me along all the way, we hugged together for warmth during the nights of the cold winters. We starved together when there was no food. But no matter what he was always there for me. We walked slowly along the race, as I had never had the chance to see him with my own eyes until now. I see him every step of the way till here without a blink. With this I am more than satisfied”. He turned to his dog and commanded in a soft and gentle voice “Walk”. At the very instance the dog’s foot step beyond the Pearly Gates, the beggar descended in a flash to eternal damnation.

In life, whatever you do, whatever your intentions, you can never escape the prejudice against you. Be it Archangel or anyone, if you are deemed as bad you are forever bad in their eyes. This is a cruel but true fact of life. I always believe in the depiction of Justice, She is blindfolded…….Maybe it is a pervert ways of interpretation but I had been through a lot……..much more than most of my cohorts.