Inflation touches a new high of close to 11%. Inflation rate inching towards the 12% mark. Price rise sparks of a dramatic debate in the Parliament. The Government in a fix over rising prices and that in an election year. I wondered, “What the hell?? It’s only a 12% rise after all. Why is there so much chaos, so much being said about a 12% inflation rate?? Petrol, Diesel and LPG prices have certainly gone up quite a bit but that is mostly due to the sky rocketing prices of crude oil the world over. Then why should I or anybody else be concerned about what seems to be a trivial(12%) rate of inflation. India is a developing economy, isn’t it? Prices are bound to rise.
And then one fine morning I dragged my lazy backside to a store after 6 months of doing what only Chocolate(my dog) does better than me. The Modus Operandi – Buy 1 litre of milk. Good old milk. Sold in a packet, white in colour, blah blah blah. I think you know what I am talking about.
That’s when it hit me. And it hit me hard. The store keeper announced with an evil grin on his face, “Rs. 26 saab”. WTF!! Rs 26 for a litre of milk. I used to get it for not a penny more than 14 bucks the last time I went looking for it(Flashback – 6 months).
It made me wonder again, if milk was so expensive now, then what about the other utilities or rice or wheat for instance?? I can only imagine for I never bothered to go looking for either. But I sure as hell do know the story won’t be that different from my milking experience. :P
Now I know why the Government in is overdrive trying to control prices, now I know why the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister are on TV every other week assuring people that the government is doing its best to control inflation, now I know why the extensive debate and blame game in the parliament, and now I can understand what the common man has to deal with every time he steps into a grocery store or for that matter any store.
Is the government doing something?? They claim to!! And I certainly choose to believe or rather hope that they are doing something about it.
These are difficult times. Wonder if it can get any worse!!
Friday, August 8, 2008
Monday, July 14, 2008
Courage Under Fire
I was at Adlabs cinema in the building that houses Big Bazaar at Ameerpet. I had gone there to watch a movie "Wanted" starring Angelina Jolie. A decent movie to watch at a not so impressive theatre. It was a perfectly harmless evening until after the movie got over. When I got out I found, to my amazement that my bike was towed away by the traffic police from the Big Bazaar Building premises. Why and how?? Here's the story..
When I drove in I was not allowed to go to the Parking in the cellar of the building. The reason, I was told was, the parking was full. I had to watch the movie and I had to park the bike somewhere to watch the movie. So I asked the Security Gaurds there and they directed me to a corner on a lane adjoining the Building which was very much inside the building premises. I must have asked atleast 5 different guys if it was safe to park the bike there? They all noded in conformation. And so with a lot of doubt in my mind I parked the bike there. It so happened that the place where I and a few other people had parked their bikes was in a corner close to the main road. The reason the cops gave me for towing away my bike and the reason why I was so apprehensive before finally deciding on parking my bike there.
I had to pay a fine of Rs. 200 for getting my bike back. I was obviously angered by the whole thing. I mean how can my bike be towed away from inside the premises of the shopping mall. Why was I directed there, if they knew that this problem would arise. Why was there no board to say that it was a NO Parking area. What were the security guards doing when my bike along with 6 or 7 others parked in the same place were being towed away? Mind you there a were atleast 50 other bikes parked in that same place.
I confronted the Operations Manager who happened to be at that very place the entire evening. I made it rather easy for him to understand my displeasure. I simply went up to him and said - "Why the fuck did my bike get towed away from your building premises? I had to pay 200 fucking rupees to get my bike back". A heated argument followed, words were exchanged. All this in the presence of a Traffice Police Inspector and a Havildar. After calling each other names and exchanging profanities for 20 odd minutes right at the entrance to the mall, I finally decided there was no point talking to some lame asshole who will never admit that he was at fault. I was just about to get on to my bike when Bang!! That fucking idiot caught me unawares and boxed me on my face. Boxed me in front of a crowd of 50 people, a Havildar and a Traffice Police Inspector. It din't sink in until a few seconds later that I was bleeding from my nose and I was bleeding quite a bit.
I was simply overwhelemed by the whole incident. All I did was walk off from there. I just walked off. There were people urging me to file a complaint. There was my brother asking me why the fuck did I not him back? And I simply walked off.. Why did I not hit him back.. Why did I walk away, atleast at that time, without filing a complaint. What was I thinking. Was it just cowardice on my part? May be? What would you have done? Would you have got yourself in that situation in the first place?
I eventually filed a complaint only to withdraw it 12 hours later. I did not have the energy to fight a legal battle. My self esteem was hurt and was hurt bad. I still can't digest the fact that I didn't do anything to retaliate. I did not do anything to make that sorry Son of Bitch understand that what he did was wrong. Its been 2 days now and I still can't get over it. I want to do something. I don't know what. My ego is hurt. This is playing on my mind way too much. I have to put an end to it. And the only I can do it is if I confront that guy.
What do I do?
All this said and done.. I learnt a very big leason from this unfortunate incident. I will probably never speak to anybody else in the way I spoke to that guy. I should get a grip on my self. I must control my temper. I understand now that the better way to make your displeasure felt is by talking calmly(as opposed to exchanging profanities).
But I will never again in my life let another soul dent my self esteem, the way I let the Big Bazaar manager do it. I will stand up for my self. And if I have to I will fight. This incident is the only regret I have in my life and this probably will be the last one.
This is a promise I make to myself, more than to all of you - I will get a grip on myself and control my rage if I ever get into this kind of a situation again. But if for whatever reasons another man lays his hands on me, i will not think twice before giving it back to him.
When I drove in I was not allowed to go to the Parking in the cellar of the building. The reason, I was told was, the parking was full. I had to watch the movie and I had to park the bike somewhere to watch the movie. So I asked the Security Gaurds there and they directed me to a corner on a lane adjoining the Building which was very much inside the building premises. I must have asked atleast 5 different guys if it was safe to park the bike there? They all noded in conformation. And so with a lot of doubt in my mind I parked the bike there. It so happened that the place where I and a few other people had parked their bikes was in a corner close to the main road. The reason the cops gave me for towing away my bike and the reason why I was so apprehensive before finally deciding on parking my bike there.
I had to pay a fine of Rs. 200 for getting my bike back. I was obviously angered by the whole thing. I mean how can my bike be towed away from inside the premises of the shopping mall. Why was I directed there, if they knew that this problem would arise. Why was there no board to say that it was a NO Parking area. What were the security guards doing when my bike along with 6 or 7 others parked in the same place were being towed away? Mind you there a were atleast 50 other bikes parked in that same place.
I confronted the Operations Manager who happened to be at that very place the entire evening. I made it rather easy for him to understand my displeasure. I simply went up to him and said - "Why the fuck did my bike get towed away from your building premises? I had to pay 200 fucking rupees to get my bike back". A heated argument followed, words were exchanged. All this in the presence of a Traffice Police Inspector and a Havildar. After calling each other names and exchanging profanities for 20 odd minutes right at the entrance to the mall, I finally decided there was no point talking to some lame asshole who will never admit that he was at fault. I was just about to get on to my bike when Bang!! That fucking idiot caught me unawares and boxed me on my face. Boxed me in front of a crowd of 50 people, a Havildar and a Traffice Police Inspector. It din't sink in until a few seconds later that I was bleeding from my nose and I was bleeding quite a bit.
I was simply overwhelemed by the whole incident. All I did was walk off from there. I just walked off. There were people urging me to file a complaint. There was my brother asking me why the fuck did I not him back? And I simply walked off.. Why did I not hit him back.. Why did I walk away, atleast at that time, without filing a complaint. What was I thinking. Was it just cowardice on my part? May be? What would you have done? Would you have got yourself in that situation in the first place?
I eventually filed a complaint only to withdraw it 12 hours later. I did not have the energy to fight a legal battle. My self esteem was hurt and was hurt bad. I still can't digest the fact that I didn't do anything to retaliate. I did not do anything to make that sorry Son of Bitch understand that what he did was wrong. Its been 2 days now and I still can't get over it. I want to do something. I don't know what. My ego is hurt. This is playing on my mind way too much. I have to put an end to it. And the only I can do it is if I confront that guy.
What do I do?
All this said and done.. I learnt a very big leason from this unfortunate incident. I will probably never speak to anybody else in the way I spoke to that guy. I should get a grip on my self. I must control my temper. I understand now that the better way to make your displeasure felt is by talking calmly(as opposed to exchanging profanities).
But I will never again in my life let another soul dent my self esteem, the way I let the Big Bazaar manager do it. I will stand up for my self. And if I have to I will fight. This incident is the only regret I have in my life and this probably will be the last one.
This is a promise I make to myself, more than to all of you - I will get a grip on myself and control my rage if I ever get into this kind of a situation again. But if for whatever reasons another man lays his hands on me, i will not think twice before giving it back to him.
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