I wonder what goes through the mind of a person who faces the prospect of a very long prison sentence. Like Abu Salem. He'll have plenty of time to think about what he's done - the mistakes; the errors in judgment; the foolishness. And surely he knew what the consequences of his actions would be, ultimately - so why'd he do it?

Was he mad ... or just misguided?

And how many of the decisions we make in our lives are the result of being misguided? Should we be put away too ... or are we excused because our mistakes didn't hurt anybody but ourselves?

***

They say that when a person is confined to a tiny cell, he tends to move around a lot more than he would have, had he been confined in a larger enclosure.

The same is also true of the mind, I guess. When there are fewer options, you start to get more innovative.

***

I got thinking about Victor today. I will never forget Victor. He is probably the only person I have been mean to in my entire life. And I remember it like it happened yesterday. We were both in Class 1 at the Holy Name High School, Wodehouse Road (Bombay). It was short recess and there was a long line at the canteen, and I wanted me a packet of those multi-colored badishap sweets. Not wanting to waste my time waiting in the queue, I spotted Victor hanging around. So I made him a deal. If he went to the canteen and got me those sweets, I'd share half of it with him. He was a poor boy, that Victor, and so the prospect of getting half a packet of those for free was too good to resist. So he goes to the canteen, stands in line, and after what seemed like ages comes back with the goods. And what do I do - I take the sweets from him and tell him to get lost. And he was smaller than me, so he couldn't start a fight.

It's been so many years since that day, but I still remember that look on his face. He trusted me ... and I cheated him.

The victims may forget, but never the perpetrators.

Peace, love, and a chance to say you're sorry.