MIND MUSINGS

Once we two boarded a bus, which was full to its brim. I took a change of two one-rupee coins to buy ticket for myself as he had bus pass. Usually for our destination from this stop, it costs two rupees. Some bus conductors used to accept just one rupee without tearing any ticket. Some of the commuters used to take the advantage of this and give the conductor one-rupee before he could ask for buying tickets. We never encouraged this and always irked those conductors, asking for tickets, giving them the stipulated charge – two rupees.

I was jumbling on to get hold of something to stand firmly, and in the meantime trying to keep these coins in hand until the conductor came. He asked me if he could help me with one two-rupee coin. I said no. Because, I said, if I give these two one-rupee coins to conductor, there was no need for me to say anything to get a ticket. He asked how. I explained him, I am giving him two one-rupee coins, and he would understand that I need a ticket. How, he wanted me to elaborate. I explained: If I gave the conductor one two-rupee coin, he has the choice of tearing a ticket, or with an understanding, giving me back one-rupee change without tearing the ticket. Therefore, by giving two one-rupee coins, I am explicitly asking him to tear me a ticket (though I had the choice, and change, to pay him only one rupee). He, with a smile, asked what if, even now the conductor gave me back a one-rupee coin. I said, “Then I will explicitly ask for a ticket, giving back the coin.”

Conductor came along. I handed him over two one-rupee coins. He simply took those coins and tore me a ticket of two rupees.