427. The Country Girl

Aruna felt very happy, when her childhood friend Chandra, who had been living in her native village, came to live in the city in which Aruna had been living.

The two friends met quite often and spent time together, chatting, going out to shops, temples, theatres etc.

Aruna was excited to showcase the various landmarks of the city to Chandra, who had been mostly confined to the village all along.

Chandra was amazed at looking at the several landmarks of the city like shopping malls, high rise buildings etc, which appeared to be wonders to her.

Aruna went to a jewellery shop with Chandra. Aruna had subscribed to a jewellery savings scheme run by that shop.

After paying the installment for that month, Chandra showed various sections of the shop to Chandra.

After coming out of the shop, Aruna asked Chandra, "How is the shop?"

"Appears quite big. What do you gain by subscribing to a savings scheme of this shop?" asked Chandra.

Aruna listed the benefits that included the valuable gift given by the shop at the time a person joined the scheme, the bonus that would be added to the total amount saved at the end of the scheme, which would be more than the interest a bank would pay on the recurring deposit for the same period and the benefit of buying the jewellery for the matured amount, without any making charges etc, at a price lower than the market price.

"Oh, impressive! But how does the shop afford to give so many benefits to the subscribers?"

"They offer these benefits only because they can afford it. All the shops offer these kinds of benefits. But no other shop offers so many benefits as this shop does."

"That's what is surprising to me!" said Chandra.

"You can also subscribe to this scheme" suggested Aruna.

"I don't feel safe enrolling for this kind of a scheme. I think you have taken a risk in subscribing to this scheme!"

Aruna was somewhat irritated that Chandra thought it fit to comment about her decision. But she didn't say anything.

When Aruna went to that jewellery shop next month to pay the subscription, Chandra accompanied her, as she did the previous month.

After Aruna had paid the subscription amount, both of them came out.

"If someone discontinues the subscription before the maturity date, will the shop refund the amount paid till then or will it allow the person to buy jewellery for the amount accumulated in that person's account?" asked Chandra.

"It won't. But why are you asking this question?" asked Aruna, surprised.

"I feel that something is not right. I find that compared to last month, many trays are empty!"

"So, what? Jewels in those trays would have been sold. Does it not mean that the business has been good?"

"If the jewels have been sold, they should have replaced them with new stocks. Normally, shops don't keep trays empty" said Chandra.

Aruna did not reply.

After two months, that jewellery shop was closed, without any notice. All those including Aruna, who had subscribed to the jewellery savings scheme lost their money.

Aruna realized the bitter truth that while she, who considered herself a well-informed and intelligent person, had not been wise enough to perceive what had been happening, Chandra, whom she considered an ingenuous country girl, had been sharp in observing the changes in the shop, reading the clues and sensing that something was about to go wrong.

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 43
Wisdom

Verse 427 (in Tamil):

aRivudaiyAr Avadhu aRivAr aRivilAr
ahdhu aRigallAdhavar.

Meaning:

The wise will know what is coming ahead. The unwise won't.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'thOzhikkuth therindhadhu' by the same author.)

Verse 428
Verse 426