Nip the evil in the bud

Mohan was fascinated by the coloured chalks used by his kindergarten teacher to draw on the black board. Every afternoon he would slip 2 or 3 pieces into his pocket and take them home. One day he stole his friend’s new sharpener. The other day he pocketed a pencil from another’s stationary box. His mother noticed it all, but chose to ignore it.

One day he pinched a chocolate from the confectioner. When Mohan grew bigger, he started stealing money from his friend’s pockets. Mother just laughed it off. When he was eighteen, she saw him wearing a gold wristwatch. She asked, “Where did you get that from, Mohan?” He grinned and said, “I know just one way to get what I want …” And they had a hearty laugh.

Call it fate or destiny. Mohan became a mastermind at burglaries. He broke into houses in the night and stole whatever he could lay his hands on. When he brought his booty home, his mother would say, “Well done, son!” After burglary, he learnt how to kill for money. Mohan became a dreaded criminal. Once he shot at three men in cold blood, for their gold and money. The gunshots alerted the security guards nearby. A huge commotion ensued and ended in a bloody scene due to exchange of fire from both sides.

Mohan and his aides were overpowered and arrested. At the end of the police investigation and the court proceedings, Mohan was given death sentence for murder. Just before he was to be executed, the executioner asked Mohan if he had any last wish. Mohan asked for permission to hug and kiss his mother. Mohan’s mother came near him with tears streaming down her cheeks. Mohan hugged her and put his lips to her cheek, as if to kiss her one last time. But instead, he bit her hard on the ear. She cried out in pain, as her ear bled. “If you had slapped me when I stole my first chalk; if you had nipped the evil in the bud, I would not have grown into a thief. If I had not become a thief, you and I would not have had to go through this today. But now it’s too late for you to start and it’s too late for me to stop. Good bye mother.”