Mumbai - An Addiction
Saturday, April 25, 2009
50 paise lesson
Very recently, they increased the price of a Goldflake Lights cigarette from four Rupees to Four Rupees Fifty Paise. An incremental value of Fifty Paise. And we were up at arms about it. Ok, maybe I am exaggerating a bit. But we didn’t like the price going up. And the tapri-wala our office folks buy cigarettes from is in some ways notorious for not treating his customers right. And we ranted the usual hassled customers rant of the price being Four Rupees everywhere else and all that. And then the tapri-wala said that we earn so much and what is fifty paise. It is going to increase today or tomorrow. And that… rankled us no end.
Even Bangalore auto-wallas are under the misconception that IT guys, irrespective of what level they work at, earn in millions of dollars, and use that as a justification for charging extra. “Tum IT wala itna kamaataa hai… dus rupye mein kya hoga?” And that one line used to infuriate me. And I had to count to about 100 to control myself from giving a straight-left on the auto driver’s nose.
Money is a very precious object for most of us. And we might be spendthrifts indulging in the weirdest of fancies and things which are of no possible use or entertainment to us, but it’s ok as long as we are ‘spending’ it. Charity is fine too. But someone demanding money from us just because we have it doesn’t go well with our sensibilities. Is it because we liken that to begging? Or stealing perhaps? But then the righteous side of us comes bubbling up, screaming that this is our hard earned money, a side that will not flinch when we buy a 100 Rs. Popcorn at a multiplex.
I don’t know the right answer. But I think it’s a primary instinct to protect our right of choice. When that gets infringed we jump about like cat on hot coals. And that’s exactly what the tapri-wala and the auto-wallas wanted to achieve. I have voluntarily given auto-drivers ten bucks extra over and above the legitimate fare when they have agreed to give me a ride late in the night when I am not getting any other auto. But that is my choice. As long as that is protected I won’t seethe.
And now, maybe having understood the reasons of the anger, I might not get angry when someone tries to touch me for extra money, even if it is fifty paise. I still won’t hand it out ofcourse. But knowing that I am choosing to not give the money, I will probably maintain my calm.
Even Bangalore auto-wallas are under the misconception that IT guys, irrespective of what level they work at, earn in millions of dollars, and use that as a justification for charging extra. “Tum IT wala itna kamaataa hai… dus rupye mein kya hoga?” And that one line used to infuriate me. And I had to count to about 100 to control myself from giving a straight-left on the auto driver’s nose.
Money is a very precious object for most of us. And we might be spendthrifts indulging in the weirdest of fancies and things which are of no possible use or entertainment to us, but it’s ok as long as we are ‘spending’ it. Charity is fine too. But someone demanding money from us just because we have it doesn’t go well with our sensibilities. Is it because we liken that to begging? Or stealing perhaps? But then the righteous side of us comes bubbling up, screaming that this is our hard earned money, a side that will not flinch when we buy a 100 Rs. Popcorn at a multiplex.
I don’t know the right answer. But I think it’s a primary instinct to protect our right of choice. When that gets infringed we jump about like cat on hot coals. And that’s exactly what the tapri-wala and the auto-wallas wanted to achieve. I have voluntarily given auto-drivers ten bucks extra over and above the legitimate fare when they have agreed to give me a ride late in the night when I am not getting any other auto. But that is my choice. As long as that is protected I won’t seethe.
And now, maybe having understood the reasons of the anger, I might not get angry when someone tries to touch me for extra money, even if it is fifty paise. I still won’t hand it out ofcourse. But knowing that I am choosing to not give the money, I will probably maintain my calm.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Bad Habits - Whose Fault
So… I am at this “tapri”, having my smoke, with a bottle of Maaza. (It’s a delightful combination by the way) when this happy little family, complete with a toddler who was half-walking, half-swinging holding on tightly to his dad on his left and his mom on his right.
As they passed me, I couldn’t help smiling at the playful antics the kid was up to. He looked up at me and smiled back. That’s the great things about kids. They always smile back when you smile at them. There are no reservations or apprehensions that the other person is a stranger. These things set in once the cruelty of the world is drilled into their system.
Anyways, so this toddler smiled, and then he was obviously attracted by the faintly burning ember between my fingers, after all it is quite artistic, a stick glowing at the periphery at one end, with mystical smoke emanating from it… yes, I could understand why the kid found it appealing. So he let go of his mother’s hand and pointed out to the cigarette. His mom turned around, and was aghast to see that the little child was showing interest, so early in his career, in something so baleful. She scowled at her husband. Muttering under her breath, but yet loud enough, “It’s all your fault. You better stop smoking at home. Else Mihir is going to be a chain smoker by he is six.” The scowl persisted even though the scolding stopped at that. The father gave me a helpless look. It said, “Dude… you had to be here right now? Ok, I guess it’s not your fault. You carry on. I need a smoke too.”
It made me wonder about the fundas of parenting. Obviously I can’t comment from my own experience, but the general trend seems to be that if a child picks up, shall I say tangible, bad habits, like swearing, smoking, drinking, etc. the blame goes to the father. And for the more intangible bad habits, like being rude to elders, or being atheist, etc, are blamed on the mother. Now I guess I can be labeled as atheist. And I do smoke. My mom is very religious, and my dad doesn’t smoke. So whose fault is it? Ok… ok… I take the entire blame for that.
As they passed me, I couldn’t help smiling at the playful antics the kid was up to. He looked up at me and smiled back. That’s the great things about kids. They always smile back when you smile at them. There are no reservations or apprehensions that the other person is a stranger. These things set in once the cruelty of the world is drilled into their system.
Anyways, so this toddler smiled, and then he was obviously attracted by the faintly burning ember between my fingers, after all it is quite artistic, a stick glowing at the periphery at one end, with mystical smoke emanating from it… yes, I could understand why the kid found it appealing. So he let go of his mother’s hand and pointed out to the cigarette. His mom turned around, and was aghast to see that the little child was showing interest, so early in his career, in something so baleful. She scowled at her husband. Muttering under her breath, but yet loud enough, “It’s all your fault. You better stop smoking at home. Else Mihir is going to be a chain smoker by he is six.” The scowl persisted even though the scolding stopped at that. The father gave me a helpless look. It said, “Dude… you had to be here right now? Ok, I guess it’s not your fault. You carry on. I need a smoke too.”
It made me wonder about the fundas of parenting. Obviously I can’t comment from my own experience, but the general trend seems to be that if a child picks up, shall I say tangible, bad habits, like swearing, smoking, drinking, etc. the blame goes to the father. And for the more intangible bad habits, like being rude to elders, or being atheist, etc, are blamed on the mother. Now I guess I can be labeled as atheist. And I do smoke. My mom is very religious, and my dad doesn’t smoke. So whose fault is it? Ok… ok… I take the entire blame for that.
