Life has a curious way of reminding us that knowledge and wisdom are not always the same thing.Some years ago, a friend of mine purchased a piece of land for ₹20 lakhs. Before the formal documents could be executed, he paid ₹15 lakhs towards the sale consideration. Unfortunately, when the time came to complete the transaction, it emerged that the title of the property was defective.Naturally disturbed, my friend approached me for advice and assistance. Together we met the broker through whom the transaction had been arranged. To his credit, the broker did not deny having received the money. On the contrary, he candidly admitted it and assured us that he would return the amount. There was, however, a small difficulty. The money had already been spent.

The broker then proposed an alternative solution. He offered another parcel of land, which according to him was free from all defects. The only complication was that the new plot was larger and carried a price tag of ₹20 lakhs.My friend had already exhausted his resources.

After some discussion, I agreed to contribute the remaining ₹5 lakhs on the understanding that one-fourth of the land would be transferred in my name and........

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