chapter 1

Fighting for a ChangeSpoiling our happy moments for silly things - an eye opening story for all !Part - 1 (One side of the story)One Sunday Sushanth, an employee of a Multinational IT Company, along with his wife Sushmitha enjoyed his whole day in Forum Mall at Koramangala, Bangalore. Both of them, watched a  very good movie in a Multiplex and also had lunch in a very good  restaurant. After finishing their shopping,  they boarded an auto from Forum Mall to their house situated at BTM Layout. H enjoyed the Weekend and returning their home with a jolly mood.When they got down near their house, the  auto meter was showing Rs. 86 and the Engineer gave the auto driver  Rs l00 note and asked for the change. The auto driver requested politely "Sir, I have dropped you near your house, which is very far from the main road and it is very difficult to get any passengers, when I go back. So, I will keep the change, sir”.Sushanth got angry and shouted to the driver "give back the change and collect the fair as per the meter, otherwise I will give a complaint to the Police against you."Both started to argue and no one were ready to stop.Sushmitha was silently watching their conversation and finally she interfered and told the driver to keep the change and go back.  Sushanth without any alternative kept quiet!!! ...... ... But, after the Auto left, he started to shout at his wife and said "it’s because of people like you, that these auto drivers are harassing the passengers and they don't have ethics. They are robbing the public and we educated people should try to stop this."Sushmitha replied with cool "Yes, well educated people like you should change the Society. But, as I was observing since morning , people like you are the ones who encouraging these types of day light robbery, without understanding the value of money"."Then why did you stop me and allow him to escape?" he asked her.She answered with calm "today we visited Forum Mall for enjoying our Sunday. We came out from that Mall after watching a good movie by spending more than Rs. 1000 per ticket and in the interval we ate popcorn for which we paid Rs. 250 , but it's actual cost is not more than Rs. 50/- and for coffee we paid around Rs 200 each.  you did not question there. Then we had lunch at a luxury restaurant in the same mall and they charged more than the double, when we compare the price with similar restaurants outside. Did you know that how much they charged for water bottle priced at Rs. 20 as MRP? They charged Rs. 50 and 5% GST total costing to Rs. 52.5 and you did not bother to question them, as you want to maintain your status. When I was decided to question the same with the restaurant manager, you did not allow me and advised me to maintain some dignity in the public places. Finally, total restaurant bill was Rs. 870, you had kept two 500 notes totaling Rs. 1000 in the pouch and started to move out of the restaurant. When I reminded you, to collect the change of Rs. 130/-, you told me to leave it, as tips for the waiter”.Sushanth was stunned by her reply and could not answer.She continued “But you are not maintaining your status when you are dealing with these poor people like auto drivers and vegetable vendors.  He did not harass you and did not ask more than double  the fair like others. He had just requested to keep the change of Rs. 14 with him. You would have agreed, when he had politely requested. We had enjoyed our Sunday, by spending thousands of Rupees. But, now we are losing  all our happy moments of the whole day, by fighting with these small people. Is’nt it?”These type of incidents are happening in our daily life. When we are spending thousands of Rupees for our life style, no one will bother. But, when it comes to small people like our housemaid, autodrivers and vegitables vendors we are fighting with them for just 10 or 20 Rupees.Part - 2 ( other side of the story)I want to share my own experience, which I had with an Auto Driver, around one year back:One day, after getting down at M.G.Road, Metro Station, Bangalore, I was seaching for an Auto Stand near Brigade Raod, as I was supposed to visit Income Tax Office at BMTC Depot Koramangala. (As my office is adjuscent to Rajajinagar Metro Station, I had stopped to take out my car, as I can save more than 30 minutes time, if I travel by Metro and Auto/Uber) Finally, I saw three four autos standng in that Auto Stand. I had asked one of the auto drivers to drop me at Kormangala, BMTC Depot. He had demanded Rs. 200, as against the normal fair of  around Rs. 70/- and I got angry with him and told him to wait till night to get such passengers. In front of that auto, one more auto was standing and after listening to my conversation, that driver in the second Auto, politely asked me to give 20 Rupees extra over the meter and for that I had agreed.After boarding the auto,  I had asked with that driver "why these auto drivers are demanding more than double the fair.  If they request some extra 20 or 30 rupees like you, I would have agreed".  His reply was really a good message for all such auto drivers, He told "I don't know Sir, but one thing I had observed. Earlier I was also following the same and used to demand more than double the fair.  It may be power of that spot of Auto Stand.You may not be believing sir,  most of the day, I was not getting even a single passenger for more than two to three hours. But, still we were waiting there for getting such type of  passengers who are agreeing our charge, by wasting our time by chitchatting with each others, checking whatsapp messages,  reading  news papers or smoking cigerattes.  Now, I have changed my mind set and requesting the passengers to give some small amount extra over the meter and most of the passengers are agreeing.  Now I am earning more than earlier, as I used to get regular passengers all over the day and I am very happy about it"Not only auto drivers, most of the people in the society are not following their business or professional ethics in their day to day life.  If you maintain some ethics in your life, definitely it will protect you. Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitah !   Â