Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Not a penny more...but what about a penny less?

I felt really bad today. In fact quite angry with myself! As usual i was getting kind of late for work and i couldnt find an auto-rick(as usual again). So, today i decided to take a pedal-rick but only till i found an auto.

Like how they always do, the rick driver charged me extra and i pointed this out to him. Now, what i had not expected was that he would blow his top off and start yelling. I told him i am ready to pay a little extra but not what he asked for. The man had so much ego that for Rs.3 he refused to take money from me and told me to leave, which i did.

After i was half-way to work i realised, if i was not ready to pay three rupees extra why should he be ready to take Rs. 3 less? After all doesn't he need it more than i do? I told myself that the only reason i stuck to my point was because i was right, which i was. Its all about right and wrong isn't it? If he had asked me for a fair amount i would have willingly paid it to him. Money is never an issue with me. 'Give it to the ones who need it more than you do...' But he was wrong...!! Wasn't he, i asked myself. Even if he was being unfair, i could have been the bigger person? But i didnt even try. The same extra money i readily pay to autos because 'hell they always charge extra, dont they! There meters never work!!' but what about this man who was pedaling with weight on his back in the sweltering heat of Delhi?

Complicated is worth more, a lot more than simple these days. Electrical power is worth more than muscular power. How is it that we pay more to a man who just sits there while a lot less to a person who sweats and works extremely hard (not taking technology into consideration here!). Of course, a labourer earns peanuts as compared to a manager.

Well, these questions are probably just B.S. These are the questions i was asking myself earlier today so just decided to scribble them down here. All day i couldn't stop thinking about it. Why didn't I just pay him! Even though its probably a small thing, i shall always regret it. Sighhh....