HAVING THE COURAGE TO ERR

Having the Courage to Err ~ 25 ~ HAVING THE COURAGE TO ERR Two friends, Ahmed and Iqbal, both lived in the same city. Ahmed was a graduate, while Iqbal’s education had not gone beyond the eighth standard. It happened once that Iqbal had to go to an office on business and was accompanied by his friend, Ahmed. When the business had been transacted, and they were both coming out of the office, Ahmed said to Iqbal, “You were speaking such horrible English! With such bad English, I would never have dared to open my mouth!” Iqbal was not the slightest bit disconcerted at being so roundly criticized. Exuding confidence, he said, “Speak wrong so that you can speak right!” Then he added, “Although you are a graduate and I have not got any degrees, you will soon find that I will start speaking in English and you will never be able to do so.” That was twenty years ago. Now Iqbal’s words have come true. Ahmed is still at the stage he was at twenty years ago, but Iqbal, astonishingly, has made great progress. He now speaks English quite