Sullenberger and Satyam

January 16,2009. Chesley B. Sullenberger landed (ditched) his Airbus A320 on the freezing Hudson River in New York City and saved the lives of 155 people in the plane. After the plane hit the water, the doors opened,the passengers clambered on to the wings and rescue boats of all kinds rescued them. Captain Sullenberger walked up and down the fuselage of the plane to make sure that everyone had been evacuated safely. That is real efficiency, something that we in India can never hope to achieve.
I was full of admiration for this extraordinary feat - a kind of miracle - and then my friend D.W. turned up. D.W. does not mean "Double Dubya", but he certainly belongs to the same category. I told him about this 'brave and brainy deed' of Sullenberger. He had not read about it. His interest lies in the "Religious" column of the newspaper and the deeds of Raju of Satyam fame. I knew that he had shares in Satyam, but he would not admit it. He did not show much enthusiasm in this extraordinary event.
He said, "It is all in the hands of God". I asked him if he would pay a little bit of tribute to the achievement of Sullenberger. He said that it was not the pilot who saved all these people, but it was the handiwork of God and nothing else.
Me: If God wanted to save the people, He could have prevented the poor geese from entering into the engines. Why did He not do that? I am sorry for the two geese who became mincemeat.
DW: The ways of God are mysterious. Perhaps an exceptionally good person was aboard the plane, he, or she might have prayed to God, and all the others were also saved.
Me: But God could have saved him or her alone, allowing all the 'bad' people to die.
DW: Sometimes the grace of God falls on others too who are in the company of a good person. Perhaps it is the destiny of the whole planeload of passengers.
Me: You mean destiny plays the most important part in the proceedings?
DW: It is said that even God cannot prevent 'Destiny' from its course of action.
Me: Do you really believe that every action is the direct result of destiny?
DW: I believe that everything from birth to death is controlled by one's destiny and also Karma.
Me: Great! Then do you believe "Satyam Raju" was also a victim of his destiny and karma? Is he not responsible for his actions?
DW: He could not have avoided what his stars had for him.
Me: Now you are introducing another subject, that of astrology. So, everything depends on one's destiny, karma and his horoscope.
DW: That is what the learned people say.
Me: Suppose I want to hit you with my shoes, as that fellow in Baghdad tried on George Bush, I cannot be held responsible for my action. It was your destiny to get hit by a shoe. Is it not?
DW was slowly moving away from me, as I was holding one shoe in my hand. Like the Airbus A320 he dived through the doorway and vanished. I doubt if he would ever come back.