QUEUE FOR ANYTHING ‘FREE’
In our society there are always some good well meaning
individuals or group of individuals. There are a few such groups in Chitrgupta
Park, where I go for my morning walks almost everyday. One distributes free
green tea and fresh watermelon juice. People can be seen queuing up for ‘free’
tea and juice. Another one distributes some fresh ingredients in form of sprouted
seeds with green leaves for treatment of sugar and high blood pressure. There
is a queue here also because it is ‘free’. One gentleman puts some eye drops
for ‘free’. There is a queue here also. This gentleman started ‘free’ sugar
check up and there was queue. Once he started charging Rs 20/- there are few
takers. Another one started ‘free’ blood pressure check up and there was queue.
He also started charging Rs 20/ and there are few takers.
As you might have already guessed most of the morning
walkers come from middle or upper middle income groups (the poor have no time
for such luxuries and the rich have their own gardens). They can afford tea or juice or whatever but
just because it is ‘free’ they do not mind waiting and standing in a queue. The
moment the service becomes ‘chargeable’ they simply stay away. (I am one of
them).
It seems we are a country of ‘freebie’ lovers-both rich and
poor. Barring a very few, not many have surrendered their quota of subsidized
cooking gas cylinders. Till yesterday, many did not install water meters
because their consumption was high and the rules said they will be charged the
minimum of 20KL. No sooner Government started the scheme of no charges up to
20KL, they have started installing meters.
It reminds me of real story. Someone kept his dead Fridge
outside hoping someone will pick it up. No one did. Next day he put a sticker,
saying -‘for sale 50$’. Following morning it was gone.
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