An essay on an irritating guest
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According to our age-old tradition a guest is to be welcomed and treated like a revered deity. He deserves a red- carpet welcome whether he comes during the day or at night. Time or convenience is immaterial.
Times have, however, now changed a lot and guests are no longer accorded a hearty treatment. On the other hand, they are often cold-shouldered and treated with contempt.
This drastic change in attitude is not without its justified reasons. The main reason is the busy schedule of all of us, forcing all the members of almost each and every family to remain away from home during the day-time
With husband and wife in their respective offices and children at school, the house remains locked. How can, therefore, a guest be welcomed, if he comes at a time when all are ready to leave?
Again, there are guests who talk a lot. Quite often their talk is self-centered. They never tire of boasting of their own achievements or of their own good nature which, according to them, is appreciated by all. They often refer to the clothes; they may have given in charity, or the financial help they may have rendered someone.
Then there are others whose conversation is confined to the brilliance of their children in every field of activity. The worst kind of conversation, and which makes him unwelcome to my mind, at least, is when a guest starts speaking ill of others. The motive of the criticism, of course, is to point out how good and pious a person he himself is in contrast to the wicked people in the rest of the world!