10:24 p.m. - 2003-07-14
Two brothers.
Tim and Jim were identical twins. Tim was the innocent one and Jim the sly one. Their mother had died when they were three years old. Since then, the boys had been living with their father and a few servants. Their father was a rich merchant and they lived in a big mansion. As the boys grew older, their father saw that Jim was way too sly and might try to snatch Tim's property after his death and Tim was way too foolish to realize anything or protest. But the father could not do anything because he was an old man and not very clever. He only knew about trade and could not come up with an idea to protect Tim and his property. All he could do was pray.
The father died soon. Tim, foolish old Tim, did not know how to take care of his business and so it was no wonder that when Jim came to him in a brotherly aid and suggested that they should work together being brothers, he agreed and invested his property with Jim's. They agreed that Jim would go on a business trip and they would share the profit. After that, it would be Tim's turn to go. So Jim set out and Tim stayed behind, considering himself very lucky to have such a kind and loyal brother.
Days passed and then weeks. Months passed and then years. Jim did not return from the 'business trip'. One by one, the servants left. Tim with the help of an old, loyal servant started making rope ladders. Whatever profit they got was more than enough for their needs and their business increased. They hired more people to work for them. Tim still thought that his brother was going to come back one day with a large profit. He wanted to give his brother a surprise when he came home and saw how rich Tim had become.
Meanwhile, Jim was spending his father's wealth carelessly. Soon he realized that the inheritance was almost over. In desperation, he joined a gang of robbers. A few years later, he heard that his brother Tim was a big businessman and had companies of rope, nylon and wooden ladders all over the country. Jim went to visit Tim and told him that he was sailing back with a large profit when the ship sank. However, he said, he had been able to save quite a large number of precious things which included diamonds rubies, sapphires and gold and silver jewellery etc. He said that he was tired and worn out and he wished that Tim would go and fetch the fortune. He gave Jim the robbers' address and Tim went but was caught by the police who took him for being Jim. Someone from Jim's gang had been arrested and given the description of Jim, so it was no wonder that the police who lay in wait for him took Jim to be Tim and arrested him too.
Tim cried out that he was completely innocent but it was no use. He was sentenced to three years in prison. And Jim became Tim and took charge over Tim's factory. When Tim came out of prison, three years later, he found all the factories had been sold and Jim had disappeared from the scene. Tim was no longer interested in his brother but he did not even want to start a business again in case Jim returned. So he started working as an apprentice in a bakery and lead a simple life. He was no longer a simple hearted person. He had faced miseries and now he had a heart filled with anger and hatred for a brother he loved very much and for a world that did no justice and punished him even though he was innocent.
