THE WAITING LOUNGE
“Do not save what is left after spending;
but, spend what is left after saving.”
Warren Buffet
Several
years ago, my wife and I had been to the old international-airport to receive my
brother-in-law who was to arrive around 2 a.m. from America. Those days, there was an
airconditioned waiting-lounge with comfortable seats to rest. It cost Rs. 50
per head. As my brother-in-law was arriving with his wife and their two-year-old
boys (twins), even the in-laws of my brother-in-law had come to the airport to receive them, especially their little grandchildren. They had brought along another elderly
couple, their close relatives. All four of them had reached the airport after
my wife and I had. The moment I saw them, instinctively, I headed to the ticket
counter and bought another four tickets paying Rs. 200… I proudly approached the elders
and said, “Let’s wait inside the lounge; it’s very comfortable there.”
I was proud and super-excited
about my ‘thoughtful gesture’. But, that night, the in-laws of my brother-in-law
taught me an important lesson on simplicity, prudency and patience. I was politely
told, “Thank you; but, we can wait in the outside waiting-area… It’s hardly any
waiting.”
Despite my best persuasion,
I wasn’t able to impress upon all four senior citizens. Ashamed, my wife and I,
both, came out and waited outside along with scores of others, including our
senior citizen relatives…
The lesson cost
me Rs. 300, that night. But, I must have recalled this lesson at three hundred
places, at al least!
Kin Hubbard
says, “The safe way to double your money is to fold it over once and put it in
your pocket.”
It took some time
for me to swallow my pride and save that wee-hours lesson… But, what a lesson
that was!
Yes,
I have never been a wise user of money… I earned a lot; I spent a lot. Maybe, I
did not spend on myself and my family as much I spent on my ‘social causes’. At
times, I must have sounded ‘penny-wise and pound-foolish'. At times, yes, yes,
reckless, too.
But, then, I
take pride in telling myself, that I haven’t blown my money on indulging in
parties and useless friends…
“To each his
own,” they say. I know so many who live as if there is no tomorrow – but, they
multiply money, too…
I haven’t learnt
that, Sir.
For
last few weeks, we have been seeing the advertisement of the upcoming stage
show ‘Life of Pie’ at the glittering Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre at BKC.
Many months ago, when my son had returned home after watching ‘The Sound of
Music’, he was telling us excitedly, “What an experience… You must go there, at
least once!”
So, this time,
when we saw the advertisement on social media, we got tempted. I asked my son
to check about the availability of the tickets (December!)… Son reverted, but,
insisted on watching it from ‘A’-row, middle seats…
“Price?”
“Only 4.5 k per head.”
“Too expensive,
son… Let’s settle for some economical seats.”
“But, dad, you
won’t get the ‘real experience’ of watching it.”
“I know, son… I
know… But, then, let me wait for my ships to return… for that real experience,”
Now, I knew,
that my son was excited to ‘sponsor’ this experience, just the way I was
excited to sponsor the ‘waiting experience' at the airport lounge, years ago…
Thus, I
remembered the lesson in the wee-hours - and my swallowed pride – and made my
son see value in a delayed gratification…
You
see, the Ambani wedding doesn’t seem to end at all…
GERALD D’CUNHA
Pic’s: Wallpaper Cave
Video: Kalyan Verma
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