To note
“A penny saved is a penny waiting to become a dollar. I am certain, someone before me had already said that. But, I am yet to run into him or his writings.”- Anonymous

Of MBAs and Cancer Researchers

I have two friends; both are intelligent, hard-working and devoted to their own lines of work. Harry is a researcher. He does cancer research. Richard, on the other hand, is an MBA, works for some multinational corporation. We are good friends. And,when we get together, we make fun of what each one of us does for a living. This, in a weird way, has not affected our friendship, rather strengthens our relationship. Among three of us, we could speak out our mind to one another without worrying about offending. One evening, we decided to get together for some food and beer in a neighborhood pub. It was like any another evening with usual bantering and boss-bashing ramblings. Richard, during the whole evening, looked somewhat ill at ease. Noticing that, I asked him if things were fine. He said, “No” and turned towards Harry and asked him pointedly, “So, when are you guys going to cure cancer? You guys have been wasting tax dollar on fancy research projects with no potential for pharmaceutical applications. Tell me, what progress have you guys made so far? Or, are you guys just a bunch of no good Morons?”
Both Harry and I were a little taken aback by that subdued-outburst. Generally, Richard is more absorbed with his plan of accumulating money for himself and his as yet unborn children. But, not today. This evening, he was not quite himself. Something was troubling him. As it turned out, something more serious was troubling him. His father was diagnosed with and dying of terminal glandular cancer. We certainly empathized with him. When faced with such news, most tend to lose balance. Despite the bad news, however, Richard was calm. Well, almost! I would have been rattled. Harry explained that cancer is a complex disease. “It is not like malaria. With malaria, you complete a course of chloroquine, stay warm in bed to ride out the gripping fever, and in a week or two, you are up and about. Cancer, on the other hand, is not just one type of disease. True, some types of cancers when detected early can be cured, but, as of today, most still remain untamable. If we could control even only a few of them in a decade or two, I would think that we made good on the promise.” With a twinkle in his eyes, Harry added, “Alright, you are an MBA, right? So, when all the MBAs, economists, businessmen, traders and bankers of the world work together and eradicate the world poverty, that day, that day I will single-handedly cure all types of cancers. I promise you that.” Richard looked up not quite believing what he just heard and said, “Ain’t no time for joke, but is it that impossible?” “That impossible, Harry?” Harry looked away without answering.
But, I thought his reply was brilliant. And the field of cancer research definitely needs people like Harry to reach milestones. But then, it is my humble opinion only.