Change ! Change ! Change !

 Change ! Change ! Change !

Where do you go for change ?

Now I have become a regular bus and metro traveler. Metro card is a useful a “change” avoider but no such luck in buses. Moe often than not , I am in a newly introduced  bus running through our colony but it has no number- it says STL in the place of three digit route number.

There is a provision for buying online bus ticket with DTC app with bus number. But the effort to pay Rs 15/Rs 20 through the app  is a herculean effort with the excellent service of Vodafone. I would value the labour involved at Rs 100 with the prospect of being branded a ticketless traveler if a checking squad boards the bus.

Conductors accept Rs 100 notes on occasions but be prepared for more cellophane tapes than currency notes with your Rs15/ Rs 20 tickets. A mild protest would make the conductor show you a partitioned space in his cash bag which will put to shame a museum of cellophane tapes hands down.

If you extend Rs 50, the conductor could become cooperative. He would part with crisper notes and Rs 10 coins from a different “hidden” partition of his cash bag.

Now where do I go for small change in this digital cashless era?

“Buy some large matchboxes.”

“Ok”.   

I convert “some” into six numbers at the shop. The shopkeeper tries to persuade me to taka eten match boxes costing Rs 100. I stick to six. He says please try Google pay. My response -I am not carrying my mobile ( it is on silent mode in my back pocket. On an earlier occasion when I was about to close a challenging transaction, the ‘absent’ mobile suddenly “came alive” embarrassing me . The lesson I learnt will be carried to my graveyard )

My major source of change is Monday subzi (+ miscellaneous ) market. I ask for three items. How much have I got to pay ? Rs 110.Oh. Remove the Rs 40 item. I extend a Rs 100 note and transaction is closed.

Skip two vendors or go to the opposite side and buy Rs 40 item. Transaction closed by another Rs 100 notes.

If I am buying costlier vegetables I try to “reach” Rs 140 and above mark to close the transaction with Rs 200 note. The vendors would be discussing  -“Here is an uncle without mobile pay apps !”

Yesterday I landed a lottery. A neighbour was about to hand over change totalling Rs 500 at the Mother Dairy counter. I grabbed his palms firmly before he could disgorge his offering on the counter. He parted with the change in my favour. I was not carrying my purse. I handed over  500 note this morning and he wringed his hands several times before accepting it and smiled !

Gathering Rs 100 and Rs 200 notes is easy. I know the Mother Dairy /Safal operator- an ex air force guy well. A Sunday morning call from me - he would be ready with a Rs 10000 bundle in the evening. With increasing trend in  electronic payment, I wait for a two day weekend bank holiday Sunday to place my request.