| |
I had no buttons. I participated in the debate, I won the competition; now the trophy is there. If you cannot stand in my place because everybody will recognize that you are the principal, then just hang your coat with the buttons by the side of it. I have no interest in it. But if I am going to stand, I am going to stand the way I am. Even with the buttons I am not the same person."
He was shocked but he agreed that it was true. Even with buttons it would not be the same person. The personality consists of very small things; just a slight change.... I said, "Just think" -- he had a good mustache -- "if we shave your mustache and tell you, 'Please pose for us because your photo is going to be printed,' would you be willing?"
He said, "But that would not be like me."
I said, "Exactly. With buttons it would not be me."
It went on -- I never missed a single opportunity to sharpen my intelligence. I turned every possible opportunity to sharpening my intelligence, individuality. You can understand now, looking at the whole picture, but in fragments.... The people who had come in contact with me of course were unable to understand what kind of man I am -- crazy, nuts -- but I was going very methodically.
Each fragment may not give you the idea because it is out of context, but if you put it in the whole context.... I was being expelled from one college, another college, but I was enjoying it -- and that's what was shocking to them.
When I was expelled from one college, my first college, it was this same principal who had to expel me. He felt very sorry, because it was not right to expel me; and by and by he had come to have a certain liking for me, for my absolute determination to be myself whatsoever the cost. He had grown, by and by, a certain respect: "This man can sacrifice anything even for buttons, just for the cap."
He tried to persuade me, "If you wear the cap I guarantee you that you will get the first class first in the intermediate examination, because it is in my hands."
I said, "I would prefer to be failed now, but the cap I am not going to use. I am ready for the consequences: it is in your hands; fail
|
|
|