36. Ba: "But why are you so nervous?"

One day Ba and Bapu were out for their usual walk. Suddenly Bapu hurt one of the toes of his feet and some blood oozed out. Whereupon Bapu asked Ba to tie up the wounded toe with a bandage quickly. He looked a little nervous. So Ba said, "You say, you are not afraid even of death. And yet, this little bleeding has made you so nervous!"

Bapu answered, "You see, this body belongs to the people. So if I am indifferent and the wound becomes septic I may be disabled for a few days, and then my work will be intercepted. To do so would be to betray the people's faith in me."