Match Fixing

Mr Gupta just retired as the Chief Engineer from State Electricity Board after a service of 36 years.
His son Utsav has just completed his engineering and has a job offer with him...it is with the same organisation that his father served(HPSEB).
Everyone in the family is so happy for the son as life seems well settled for him.

Following is one trivial  dialogue between them .
Mr Gupta and Utsav are having dinner.

Son "Papa most of my friends are joining the Private companies..some are becoming full time painters,musicians. i also like dancing but i am not sure of the future. How far will i go? I have a fear of the unknown. what do you suggest? "

Father "Beta there is no comparison of Govt jobs with all these manias..or whatever you call them...Here you have your future secured..even after retirement you will be enjoying pension. You need not worry about your house..car,servants anything. after all you have to live a life that is free of tension."

Son "...but papa.."

Father "Listen ...you have got to make a choice..
you have entered as a SDO,
in 3 years you'll be promoted to Executive engineer(X.en)...
in another 5 years you will be Senior executive engineer...
and by the time you'll retire you'll be secretary To CM for electricity Board...
at worst you will be chief engineer."

During this conversation ..news channel started with a news alleging some senior cricket player of Match fixing.
Being a serious cricket enthusiast Mr Gupta was flabbergasted at this match fixing thing.

Mr Gupta "This is really sad how these cricketers do injustice to so many genuine cricket followers across the country.This is a crime. What fun is it to see a cricket match where you know the outcome already. To enjoy a cricket match the outcome should be unknown..it should be full of excitement and suspense.I think these cricketers don't believe there abilities and fix matches just to have a safe and settled life. They are commiting a sin to themselves and to the nation. Cricket will lose all it's craze if it is played this way."


Utsav was sad at the fixing thing but a stunning analogy dawned on him.
Match fixing was considered bad but there was something very similar he was about to do with his life.
He didn't contradict his father but he got his answer.

What fun it would be to live a life where at 23 you know what you would be doing at 58.

He understood that the
"Fear of the Unknown"
is a just an imposter and can easily be replaced by
"The Thrill of the Unexplored".

That day and this conversation...Utsav has not looked back.
He has danced..sang...travelled..painted...wrote poems...

moreover he has "lived".

He has lived a life that was not fixed.