Where is my Money?

The other day our good-old maid got a little dizzy and complained of an excessive head-ache.

As a precautionary act, my mom summoned the neighborhood doctor and unsurprisingly, he prescribed a few medicines that would help her get relief from her dizziness. The medicines had to be bought from the medicos and being the elder son, I was expected to do casual works like going out to buy medicines as my mom thinks I am a grown man. In fact, I am a grown man but don’t like going out. Now, in the medical shop after the bill was printed out, the amount was totaled to be 118.36 bucks. As, such a number is obviously not available in solid notes of the exact amount, I gave the cashier Rs 120 in cash. The cashier asked, “Would you want a toffee?” To which I nodded a yes. On any day, who wouldn’t want a toffee? I love toffees. Yeah, I just love them. I took the toffee, removed the wrapper and stashed it in my mouth. Remember the difference between 120 and 118.36 which was equaled to 1.64 bucks the cashier owed me? I was still waiting for it, like a complete loser. The cashier starred at me as if I had just expressed my love towards him due to the toffee he offered. Then, the realization came within. The one rupee he owed me was repaid in the form of that fateful toffee and I thought I was a lucky customer. But the remaining 64 paise! What about it? Had I asked for it, I would have landed straight into a mental asylum. But wouldn’t I have been justified in enquiring about the remaining money? Or does the so-called economic system deny a customer’s Right to Information?

Having faith in the Right to Information and gathering some courage, I decided to put it to use. The next time my mom had some important items to buy, I decided to take the matter upon myself. My mom apparently swelled in joy as my offer to go out made me look like a grown man. Phew, this life! Now, as I had finished enlisting the items, the total this time amounted to 593 bucks. I took out 600 bucks in cash and paid the cashier. Incidentally, the cashier repaid me 5 rupees and asked “Would you like to take toffees?” The insane similarity in these cashiers did surprise me! Everybody had toffees but not the small denomination in real money to pay me back! This time I nodded a clear ‘no’ to indicate I wasn’t interested in his toffees. He politely told me he didn’t have the change. Even more politely I said I wanted only money, not toffees nor or any other priceless item. As it was a super-market, the people who were queuing up behind me for their turn to pay for their shopping began to behave as if they were getting late for their respective important meetings. They were acting as if I was negotiating with the cashier about looting the whole super-market. After a messed up negotiation, I managed to walk out with two priceless toffees in my hand!

Now, I just have a question. While buying the medicines, why did I pay an extra sum of 64 paise unintentionally? Am I supposed to lose such sums of money every time I buy medicines? Or why did I have to pay extra 2 bucks (for the two toffees) just because the cashier in the shop didn’t have a small change? Where is my money? Imagine the amount of such money you lose every time you go out shopping! Imagine the total amount of such money people lose out on a daily basis in the whole country! Do you have any answer for this money flow from us? Does the Government have any answer? If yes, do get back to me. I am still waiting for my answer!