Rs 1000

I went to breakfast at Niligiri's today, the one at Golden Enclave on airport road, my old office. I parked my car in the paid visitor's parking area in front of the building. I am usually one of the early birds to occupy a parking spot, not just a table at Nilgiri's. My visits of about once per week has made me a familiar face to the guy who collects the parking toll. Moreover, I am the one who usually gives him the first earnings of the day. This man will be in his late forties, a sunken face, deep socketed eyes, a lean structure, a cheerful disposition. Though his clothes were old, they were nonetheless clean and tidy.

On this particular day, the guy asked me something in Kannada. I replied in broken Kannada that I don't understand his lingo and asked him if he knows Hindi. He did not. Henceforth, our conversation was in words and phrases in English, mostly questions put on me. Example :

Q : Duty?
Ans : Aakade Diamond District, Analog Devices company.

Q: Govt?
A: Illa, Private.

Q: Nimge mane?
A: Calcutta
Man: Namge Hasaan

This continued for about 5 minutes. At the very end he asked how much do I get per month. I told him around twenty thousand in an effort not to startle him with the actual figures. My fibs were in vain when I realised that even twenty thousand raised his eyebrows two inches from where it usually rests. He tells me then 'I get one thousand in a month'. He says something like 'Bangalore one thousand aagilla', my interpretation being it's difficult in Bangalore to survive on one thousand. Then he out stretches his palm to show five with his fingers, meaning a minimum of five thousand is required. I was too spellbound to gather my wits and say anything at all. I guess he must have read it on my face to say 'ok sir! bye!' and walk away. I said bye, 'unparked' the scooter and dissolved in the traffic.