The document describes an encounter between a young punk and an old man on a train. The young punk has colorful spiked hair, tattoos, and pierced jewelry. He yells abusive language at the old man for staring at him. The old man calmly replies that when he was young in the Navy, he once got drunk and had sex with a parrot, implying that the punk could be his son. The reflection notes that many young people today lack moral education and manners, and it is a challenge to teach them life lessons.

1. Wisdom
From A
Laugh 83
The Young Punk
A young punk was in a train sitting on a seat directly facing
an old man. The young punk had spiked, multi-coloured,
green, purple, and orange hair. His clothing was a tattered
mix of leather rags. His legs were tattooed and he wore
only one pair of shoes. His face was pierced with jewelry
and his earrings were red, yellow and green feathers.
The old man stared at the young punk for a long time as the
train traveled across the city.
Finally, the punk looked across at the old man and yelled at
him with abuses and vulgar words,
“What are you looking at, you-good-for nothing old man?
Didn’t you do anything wild and immoral when you were
young?”
Without hesitation, the old man replied, “Sure I did. When I
was young and in the Navy, once I got really drunk and had
sex with a parrot. I was wondering if you might be my son.”
Reflection
Many a youngster today lacks civic and moral
education. Many have not learnt courtesy,
politeness and manners. Some go astray in
behavior and conduct. It is indeed a challenge to
educate the young in
'life lessons'.

2. Wisdom
From A
LAugh 84
The Shopkeepers
Two shopkeepers were very bitter rivals. They had
stores directly facing each other across the road
and everyday they would monitor the other’s
business. If one had a customer, the other would
be filled with great jealousy.
One night a genii appeared to one of the
shopkeepers in a dream and said, “I will give you
anything you wish for but remember that whatever
you ask for, your rival opposite your shop will
receive twice as much. You can be very rich but
he will be twice as rich as you. Do you want to be
famous? Well, he will be twice as famous.
The shopkeeper frowned and thought for a while.
Then he said, “Make me blind in one eye and deaf
in one ear.”
Reflections
There are cruel and vicious people who would go
to extremes to get even with their enemies. A
mind that is filled with anger, ill- will, jealousy and
hatred can propel a person to horrifying acts of
evil ... this of course generates very bad kamma
that will bring untold suffering to the evil doer.
One has to learn to develop thoughts of
understanding, loving- kindness, compassion and
forgiveness. Only then will one truly attain
happiness, peace and freedom.