Pay full for them

Varaprasad is head of five members family inclusive of self, his mother, wife and his two children. He works as lead of a team in an IT company. Though he is very busy with his job duties, he takes care of everything that is needed to purchase for family including bringing vegetables from Rythu- Bazar. Sometimes his mother and wife advise him not to strain himself by involving much in household things.

Basically, he will not mind spending for family on whatever is required. He goes for outing once in a month or fortnight with his family to break monotony and he spends only on needful things and saves money.

Varaprasad hails from a village where his father was a farmer. His father was a hard worker. He was cultivating a small piece of land with low resources. Cultivation never gave him enough income.

His father died of ill health, very long back, and his mother took all pain to give her son good education by doing miscellaneous works. Therefore he wants to provide enough comfort to his mother to substantiate all her struggles. He got a right life partner who can adjust well with his mother and they are leading a happy life.

Varaprasad sometimes orders food online to reduce kitchen work for his wife and his children also demand some specials to get from food courts. He gives tips to the agents who deliver the food at door steps. He is known in his relatives circle, as a good husband and nice family person.

One Sunday he went to Rythu-Bazar to get vegetables for that week. It is morning time and the Bazar is crowdy. Rythu-Bazar is a place earmarked by the Government for farmers to sell their cultivated products directly in the market. Few sheds are constructed for farmers for seating and displaying their vegetable items for sale.

Farmers bring fresh vegetables, nuts, fruits, and other miscellaneous agricultural products. They start from villages early in the morning to reach townships where Rythu-Bazar is allocated. Customers choose their required items which are fresh, hygienic and cheaper when compared to the cost quoted by traders.

Varaprasad kept his two wheeler at parking place and walked into premises of Rythu Bazar with a cotton bag in his hand. People are roaming around the stalls in the sheds to choose their required items. Varaprasad once recollected list of items mentioned by his wife to bring, and started searching for fresh items. He also compared the rates of similar items at various stalls.

He chose a place to get vegetables and stood in front of a lady who has variety of fresh vegetables in her basket. He selected all tender and fresh items and started to bargain the rate. The lady is very stiff on the rates. The total sum of all vegetables that he purchased, is Rs.250/-.Varaprasad insisted on reducing the prices to Rs.230/-. She advised him to see the board displayed by the Market Manager which has the details of rates for various items. Varaprasad's Igo got hurt.

“You people cultivate by your own. Can’t you reduce price?”

“Our bones are powdered to yield the crops. We have to nurture the crops like our babies. Otherwise the whole money put in agriculture goes into ashes and our whole efforts go waste.”

“ See for reducing twenty rupees, you are telling a big story. Money will not come just like that for us. We also take pain working daily 10 hours.” Varaprasad tried to explain what he does.

Somebody from behind Varaprasad, with a louder voice, supporting Varaprasad, said,” Instead of arguing, you can reduce at least ten rupees. We all are waiting here.” Hearing that, the lady became bit ferocious.

“ I carry this big basket on my head from my village from 2 kms to this place starting early in the morning before the market starts. I spend 3 hours here. After doing all this, I fetch just Rs.400/.Again I have to go 2kms by walk. Your work and our work is not same. You work under fans.” She answered with disgusted moods.

“ You are reducing ten rupees or not? Otherwise I go to some other stall?” Varaprasad gave final call.

“ If you want to go to another stall throw them and go” She replied seriously.

A lady sitting in adjacent stall, pacified her by saying,” Boodavva! such customers come and bargain. We need to compromise.” She advised her to send him off by accepting his rate.

She got soothed with that and asked Varaprasad to pay Rs.240/-. Varaprasad with a winning face, put his hand in his pocket to take out purse to pay. For his surprise, he could not find the purse. He got annoyed and said, “ I lost my purse.” He looked around him if anybody was suspicious.

With a murmur, the lady asked him to keep the vegetables out of the bag and give way to others.

Meanwhile, fortunately a friend of Varaprasad was there and he paid for vegetables.

Varaprasad with a nervous face moved from there collecting the vegetables bag. Somebody from the crowd who is witnessing the argument of Varaprasad with the vegetable vendor, said,” You are busy bargaining with the lady for a petty amount, meanwhile someone showed his talent to pick your purse. By the by, what is the amount in the purse?” he enquired.

“ May be five hundred rupees. But I have my Bank debit and credit cards.” Varaprasad answered in the air. He reached home with a gloomy face.

His mother Venkata Laxmi, sitting in the hall, observed his son’s face and thought he is not normal. She enquired if anything has gone wrong. He said,” Maa, while taking the vegetables, somebody picked my purse from my pocket. Luckily my friend paid for vegetables.

“ Why are you so careless?” She asked softly. “ No I was just bargaining with vendor for discount on price of vegetables and it happened from my back side.”

He kept vegetables bag in kitchen and came back to hall, sat in sofa beside his mother. Meanwhile his wife came there to hear what has happened. His children who are studying in drawing room, lifted their heads from books. Their half head is peeped into the hall from drawing room to hear the comedy episode of their father.

“ What happened” his mother asked with anxiety.

Varaprasad explained his experience at Rythu-Bazar with the vegetable vendor. “ Because of that lady, I lost my purse. More than money in the purse, I am worried about credit and debit cards. I have to block those cards immediately.”

“ Why do you fix blame on that lady? It is your carelessness.” Venkata Laxmi said with a firm tone.

Varaprasad will not argue with his mother. He likes her opinions because of her rich life experience.

“ But maa, products are from her own cultivations, can’t she reduce twenty rupees. She was very stubborn. Moreover you are not worried of my purse and you talk about my carelessness.”

“ Vara! You are very liberal when you spend for food, medicines, provisions and other purchases for house. Why are you so stingy to bargain with vegetable vendors?” She calls him as Vara and others call him as Prasad.

“ Maa, I don’t know that. It happened in flow, I thought she should reduce the price. I was bit harsh.”

“ They deserve to be stubborn, because they work hard and take pain to bring the products to market. Their earnings are meagre. They may spend for tea but they do not even eat tiffin in hotels. Their earning is less and their spending is less. Without a farmer there is no food for society. You give order for a special meal in a big hotel which is equal to your week days vegetables and half of it may be her single day profit.” Venkata Laxmi became little verbose.

“ I know maa. I always think of them. But some how that has happened. Even I feel sorry for that.”

“ Vara! Your mother is one among them. You are brought up from that life. Give always little more than what they ask. Never bargain with them.” Her voice became soft and wet.

“ Ok maa. I have that feel every time. It was my ego that made me mad.”

“By the way, how did you lose your purse. Did you not notice it?” Prasad’s wife Radhika interrupted to change the topic. Her tone has some sarcasm

“ That is gone. Now I have to block the cards. Please get my mobile. I have to call on the Bank’s number to inform the same.”

Venkata Laxmi gave a smile at Radhika . Radhika exchanged a mocking smile.

Meanwhile Varaprasad’s six years old daughter Niveda, with excitement brought a wallet from drawing room and asked him,” Dad, Is this your purse?”. His eyes glittered. “ Yes dear. It is mine. Huff! I forgot here only. Thank god!” He held his head in two hands with relief.

“ Mummy, asked us to hide it to make you annoyed and to make fun” Niveda said with glittering smile on her face. He kissed on her forehead in admiration and said,” You are my little angel.”

Radhika scolded her daughter,” You little devil, you flopped the entire show! Have I asked you to bring the purse”.

Two Children sitting beside their grandma, gave a big laugh and the house filled with joy.

Varaprasad said, “ If I had my purse with me, I could have really paid her full amount.”

“It’s ok my son. Make it noted for future” Venkat Laxmi solaced him.

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