Twin Brother Story

Twin Brother Story

In the state of Chicago, there was a student going for his final assignment in Journalism. Most graduates did interviews on celebrities or rich and successful people. This journalist however decided to interview people from the other end of the spectrum. 

At first, he wanted to interview terminally ill patients but instead decided to interview prisoners who were serving the death sentence. He wanted to hear about how criminals who knew they were about to die felt about their life.

When he finally received his grant to enter the prison, he was given a chance to interview a prisoner sentenced to die in a week. But when he met the prisoner, he was dumbfounded. The prisoner in front of him was in his early thirties and remarkably strong & healthy, someone who could easily find a decent job. However this prisoner chose to commit robberies, drug-trafficking and even murder for money.

The journalist felt it was a shame why someone would choose to live like that. As he was interviewing the prisoner, however, he felt frustrated with the prisoner’s mentality and behavior. The prisoner throughout the interview was very full of himself despite the sentence. Not a least bit of remorseful. 

When asked to share his last words, the prisoner proclaimed with confidence, “My dad is a gangster, a drunkard and a gambler. My mom is a prostitute. I grew up in an environment of drugs, stealing and violence. What do you expect? This is who I am! I had no choice!”

The journalist had never heard of anything like that before. He felt pitiful and sorry for the prisoner. As he was leaving, he found out from the warden that this prisoner had a younger brother. He decided to interview the younger brother as well, thinking that perhaps he would be just as pathetic.

On the day of the appointment, he found himself standing in front of a lavish building. He was pretty happy that the younger brother could find a decent job in such a grand company. Maybe the younger brother was a cleaner or a security guard. Approaching the receptionist at the ground floor, he showed her a picture of the younger brother and said, “I’m looking for this man.” Looking shocked, the receptionist turned to make a phone call to the younger brother. 

Minutes later, he was ushered to lift, and taking it, he noticed they were going to the highest storey of the building. This really surprised him. What was some security guard or junior staff doing in the highest storey?

When the lift door finally opened, the journalist was in total amazement and couldn’t believe his eyes. Right in front at the president’s desk sat a young gentleman who looked exactly the same as the prisoner!

The journalist stuttered “I can’t believe it, you’re the president of the bank? Do you know you have a brother?”
“You must have met my elder brother”, replied the president.
Stuttering again, the journalist said, “I heard about your family background and past. I don’t get it! Why are you the president of the bank?”

The president responded most humbly. “My dad is a gangster, a drunkard and a gambler. My mom is a prostitute. I grew up in an environment of drugs, stealing and violence. What do you expect? This is who I am! I had no choice!”

Saying exactly the same words, sharing the exact same sentiments but living a life that is different.
The bank president gave us a life example for us to follow.



In life, it is not about our background or past that matters!
What matters most is the decisions we make in life!
A decision to change!
A decision to succeed!
This decision is yours!



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CONVERSATION