Rs. 500

How much does five rupee mean to me?

Nothing. Nothing at all.

Yesterday, I was in the suburbs for a meeting and on the way home, we stopped a for a roadside tea. As my companion went off in the search of some cigarettes, I got down from the car without taking off my jacket and stood out like a sore thumb in the bustling evening scene of a residential suburb. Suddenly this urchin came over from my behind, with a child in his arms, and mumbled something about food etc. I did not have any change, so I changed a tenner for two five buck coins from the tea vendor and dropped one on his open palms. He was a bit surprised and so was the tea vendor. I did not take much note of that, then.

But later, as I was going home, cutting across some of the pristine nature on the northern outskirts of the city, that is stil untouched by the 21st century Indian Greed, I wondered what does it mean to me? five rupees? or even 500 rupees?

A modest evening out with my family would cost me not less than 1200 bucks. And 500 rs. is just the price of three movie tickets plus the popcorn.

But 500 rs. means 100 such surprised faces. 100 small bits of happinesses cost just 500 rs.!!

The road was dark but there was just a hint of light left in the air. not real light - just a hint. the woods, the hills, the dark valley, the creek full to the brim - all of it togteher was an ethereal sight in that light that was not there. something which is unreal, which is lost.

and I sat stunned in the car.