558. Keep the Change!

After the taxi came out of the airport and entered the main road, Vivek asked the driver, "Before starting the car, you worshipped a picture by touching it and then touching your eyes. Is it the picture of Mahatma Gandhi?"

"Yes" replied, Senthil, the driver. "Did you see me touching it and paying obeisance to it?" 

"Yes, I did. But it appeared that you were doing it secretly, taking care to ensure that no one saw you doing it!" said Vivek, laughing.

"Yes. Some people, who had seen me doing this, made fun of me. That is why I do it, without giving a chance to others to see my doing it."

"I won't make fun of your act. I don't know why you pay obeisance to Gandhi, treating him as God. But I feel that at this point o time, we need a person like Gandhi, to salvage our country."

Senthil turned back and looked at the passenger with surprise.

"I worship Gandhi, praying that he should save this country. But, I am surprised that wealthy people like you also think that way!" said Senthil.

"A political party can come to power only by getting the votes of the poor, who constitute an overwhelming majority of the electorate. People who are now in power have come to the position, only because the poor people of this country have voted for them. But, if an industrialist like me finds fault with the government, people like you ask us, 'You belong to the affluent class. What problem could you have!'"

"Sir, don't mistake me. I don't know about you. But is it not true that the actions of this government have affected the poor people in a big way? The present rulers have hiked up the prices of all essential commodities. They have taken away the rights of the workers. They arrest the journalists who criticize the government and keep them in prison for months together. As a result, there is virtually no one to raise their voice for the poor. It is true that the rulers got the votes of the poor and won the elections. It doesn't mean that the poor are happy under this government" said Senthil.

"What you say is true. But not many people are aware of the difficulties faced by people like me - industrialists, traders, people engaged in small business, self-employed etc. Except for a couple of big industrialists, all businessmen have been facing severe problems, under the present government. The economic and taxation policy of this government favours only a handful of big corporate groups. It appears that the government is there, only to take care of the interests of these people. It appears that very soon, people like us will have to shut down our businesses and work as sub-contractors for these corporate groups. Already, many industrialists and businessmen have closed shop and come to the streets, unable to repay the loans taken by them. Nobody is even talking about these developments. When workers are affected, they will come out and protest. We can't do even that!"

"Sorry to hear that. I was thinking that only the poor suffered under this government. It appears that people whom I consider well-to-do have been suffering even more" said Senthil.

"Seeing you pay your respect to Gandhi, I had an impulse to open my mind and share my feelings with you. I have never shared my views about this government with anyone, except a couple of my close friends" said Vivek.

After that, neither of them said anything.

When the taxi reached the destination, Vivek looked at the taxi app on his mobile screen. It showed the fare as Rupees 550. Vivek handed two five hundred rupee notes to Senthil.

Without receiving the money, Senthil asked Vivek, "Don't you have a fifty rupee note?"

"I don't" said Vivek.

"In that case, pay me only five hundred rupees" said Senthil, and took one five hundred rupee note from Vivek.

"You are taking fifty rupees less. Will this not be a loss to you?" asked Vivek.

"It is okay, sir!" said Senthil.

It appeared to Vivek that Senthil might be thinking, 'You are worse off than me. Keep the change!'

Thirukkural

Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 56

Tyranny

Verse 558 (in Tamil):

inmaiyin innAdhu udaimai muRai seyyA
mannavan kOl kIzhp padin.

Meaning:

If one were to live under an unjust ruler.

being wealthy is worse than being poor,

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'Keep the change' by the same author.)

Verse 559 (Soon)
Verse 557