Today being Pongal, I was expecting a few knocks on my door with requests for tips.
There was a knock alright but it turned out to be the newspaper boy with December's bill for Rs.95/-. I gave him a hundred and as expected he started searching for Rs.5to return back, I merely said, 'Happy Pongal'. He flashed a million dollar smile in gratitude for the small tip which for him meant 'keep the change'.
Met up and chatted with guests who came to greet, took up all the time today.
We all ate sweet pongal and vadai. It's all about special food that is made during festivals.
Mahalakshmi.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
The Auto Driver And The Raddiwala.
These past three weeks, my sister and I have been hiring a known auto driver to take us around for our shopping sprees as autos can wind their way through the traffic more easily than a car.
The auto driver's name is Siva. He seems to be a decent and a well-mannered guy but comes a bit costlier than others. This is the first time that I am hiring him for many trips. For 5 to 6 hours of trips anywhere across the city, he charges us
Rs.600/-.
Glad I could cover most hotels like Sri Krishna Sweets, Mathsya, Sanjeevani, Suriya Sweets, Pizza Hut, but could not take her to Radisson Temple Bay due to time constraints.
I asked Siva to drop me off at the office today. Before I got down he quickly told me that he needed Rs.1000/- as a loan to buy clothes for his kids for Pongal tomorrow. I told him to come home late evening to see me about it.
I finished work early. There was a little more shopping to do around the Adyar area and the time was close to 8.30pm. I pushed away doubtful thoughts from my mind, just handed over the money to Siva, relieved him for the day and asked him to rush to get clothes for his kids before the shops closed for the night.
I have had bitter experience after lending to a known auto driver, a newspaper vendor and a maid servant. They never returned back the loan. Never came back after they took loans. Yet this time I had matured more. I know it may not come back as promised yet I am willing to give him the money just so that his kids can wear new clothes for the festival. He's watching us binge, spend money on so many things and must have thought Rs.1000 may not be a big amount for us.
Whatever may be the reason, I have parted with the money, least expecting him to return it back. If he returns it back as promised within a week, I will be happy. If for some reason he does not return back, I will be happy for I have given it with full knowledge that the money lent may never come back. This preparing of the mind for eventualities makes things so much easier.
But in my heart of hearts what I really fear is the habit of some people returning the loan amount but then soon after, ask for higher sums on a regular basis. I hope it does not happen this way.
On another occasion our raddi-wala (who barters plastic buckets for old newspaper and old zari sarees) was once crying that he had lost his son to snake bite in his village. Only a week had gone by and he came on his business as usual saying he had to earn something to do the rituals on a later day. I sympathized and gave him
Rs.500/-. This man comes back after performing the rituals, saying he had to spend Rs.3000/- due to pressure from his relatives. I told him at the cost of being a little rude that the relatives should not be consulted for such things and we should spend well within our means. Otherwise he may have had plans to extract the remaining Rs.2500/- also from me. Its been 8 years after that incident yet he appears at my doorstep every month, knocks on the door, demands that I give him the old newspapers and old sarees in exchange for his plastic buckets. At this rate I would be walking only on buckets at home. I try to scold him and send him away saying I will have to buy sarees and newspapers everyday to give him every month. These past few months, I just hide in a room and ask my husband to send him away with some reply as I don't want to unnecessarily get into conversation with him anytime. I can hear my husband being plied with questions about "where is amma? She had asked me to come today!"
Being kind does have its disadvantages with your have-nots.
Anyway two kids will be happy wearing clothes which their father may have hopefully bought at the nth hour for Pongal.
Happy Pongal and may happiness and prosperity brim over for all of us.
Mahalakshmi.
The auto driver's name is Siva. He seems to be a decent and a well-mannered guy but comes a bit costlier than others. This is the first time that I am hiring him for many trips. For 5 to 6 hours of trips anywhere across the city, he charges us
Rs.600/-.
Glad I could cover most hotels like Sri Krishna Sweets, Mathsya, Sanjeevani, Suriya Sweets, Pizza Hut, but could not take her to Radisson Temple Bay due to time constraints.
I asked Siva to drop me off at the office today. Before I got down he quickly told me that he needed Rs.1000/- as a loan to buy clothes for his kids for Pongal tomorrow. I told him to come home late evening to see me about it.
I finished work early. There was a little more shopping to do around the Adyar area and the time was close to 8.30pm. I pushed away doubtful thoughts from my mind, just handed over the money to Siva, relieved him for the day and asked him to rush to get clothes for his kids before the shops closed for the night.
I have had bitter experience after lending to a known auto driver, a newspaper vendor and a maid servant. They never returned back the loan. Never came back after they took loans. Yet this time I had matured more. I know it may not come back as promised yet I am willing to give him the money just so that his kids can wear new clothes for the festival. He's watching us binge, spend money on so many things and must have thought Rs.1000 may not be a big amount for us.
Whatever may be the reason, I have parted with the money, least expecting him to return it back. If he returns it back as promised within a week, I will be happy. If for some reason he does not return back, I will be happy for I have given it with full knowledge that the money lent may never come back. This preparing of the mind for eventualities makes things so much easier.
But in my heart of hearts what I really fear is the habit of some people returning the loan amount but then soon after, ask for higher sums on a regular basis. I hope it does not happen this way.
On another occasion our raddi-wala (who barters plastic buckets for old newspaper and old zari sarees) was once crying that he had lost his son to snake bite in his village. Only a week had gone by and he came on his business as usual saying he had to earn something to do the rituals on a later day. I sympathized and gave him
Rs.500/-. This man comes back after performing the rituals, saying he had to spend Rs.3000/- due to pressure from his relatives. I told him at the cost of being a little rude that the relatives should not be consulted for such things and we should spend well within our means. Otherwise he may have had plans to extract the remaining Rs.2500/- also from me. Its been 8 years after that incident yet he appears at my doorstep every month, knocks on the door, demands that I give him the old newspapers and old sarees in exchange for his plastic buckets. At this rate I would be walking only on buckets at home. I try to scold him and send him away saying I will have to buy sarees and newspapers everyday to give him every month. These past few months, I just hide in a room and ask my husband to send him away with some reply as I don't want to unnecessarily get into conversation with him anytime. I can hear my husband being plied with questions about "where is amma? She had asked me to come today!"
Being kind does have its disadvantages with your have-nots.
Anyway two kids will be happy wearing clothes which their father may have hopefully bought at the nth hour for Pongal.
Happy Pongal and may happiness and prosperity brim over for all of us.
Mahalakshmi.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
T.Nagar Shopping Spree
Its been a whirling past week with shopping and more shopping with my sister.
Asha, I am not a team leader. I freelance and take up projects from time to time. I shall upload my profile asap. I am still a student, studying and learning in the school called life hoping to pass exams as and when they come.
Went around shops buying up things big and small. Trying to pack in as much weight as is permissible.
So many thoughts rush through, my fingers ready to type but the mind is tired and I realize I need my beauty sleep for yet another busy day tomorrow.
Cheers.
Mahalakshmi
Asha, I am not a team leader. I freelance and take up projects from time to time. I shall upload my profile asap. I am still a student, studying and learning in the school called life hoping to pass exams as and when they come.
Went around shops buying up things big and small. Trying to pack in as much weight as is permissible.
So many thoughts rush through, my fingers ready to type but the mind is tired and I realize I need my beauty sleep for yet another busy day tomorrow.
Cheers.
Mahalakshmi
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