Come laugh at my poverty!!!

Extremely poor.
That’s what I feel right now. This is no mockery of poverty. It’s the bloody real thing.

It’s an irony that since I have started earning I have seen more poverty than ever before. Right now I have a 100 rupee note in my pocket and that’s all. Tomorrow I have to pay my home rent, the maid’s salary and of course money for food.

In my present status, only my dear roommate Mr. Rat gives me unfailing company. Much as I want to, I can’t get him anything i.e. the rat kill and spend a precious Rs. 38 on him. So, I let him feast in some corner of my room on some valuables with the constant terror of his squeaks.

It is so funny how even the dependable things in life also cheat you in a moment like this. Like the ATM machine. The last time I withdrew money I was quite surprised when my balance read Rs 300 something even after I had withdrawn Rs. 300. Because my original balance had been Rs 400. I went home thinking my memory has forgotten something sweet, I had more money than Rs. 400 and that I can actually spend a couple of more days without borrowing money.

Didn’t realize happiness would be so short lived. Yesterday when I went to the ATM, it wasn’t working. Thinking what the hell, I walked down to the next ATM. Punched Rs 300, it refused to come out and said insufficient balance. Completely zapped and a little suspicious, I punched Rs 200 the second time. The stubborn machine popped out a slip which said insufficient balance. Shocked curious and scared that my account might get blocked (ya even that has happened with me) I checked my balance. Surprise! It said Rs 128.

I was so mad, I didn’t realize that I simply stepped out of the ATM and started walking towards home, some 2 kms away. I didn’t have the heart to take a rickshaw with just 100 bucks in my pocket to keep me going till I don’t know when.

Sometimes I feel this is the bane of all my excesses. But come to think of it what excesses do I indulge in? I don’t drink anything apart from water, milk and cold drinks. I smoke but only when forced to passively. I go clubbing scarcely. Then where does the money go?

I am comforted by a common line on Tees seen long ago “My dad is an ATM”. I am not at all ashamed. But again it’s really a catch 22 situation. Money couldn’t come from home yesterday because the banks had half yearly closing. And that’s the reason they gave today also. Tomorrow is Gandhi Jayanti. So, I will have to wait till the day after.

I won’t say something similar has never happened before. I remember last diwali. I was alone in my flat. I had 500 bucks; you would say that was much better than the present scenario. Wait a minute. I took the same 500 bucks to the recharge shop and what do I find out? The note is fake.

That’s what my regular recharge guy tells me, this when I think he owes half his property to me. He advices me not to use it elsewhere and also warns me someone might call the police (bastard is really concerned about me). But I had no choice, I was alone at home. There was no one to lend me money. I went ahead and probably did one of the worst things of my life.

I bought some dia’s from a small road-side vendor. Like a mad woman scared to be caught, I then ran home and decorated my home with those lamps. To top it all I had the shamelessness of feeling relieved for not being caught. Perhaps I am paying for that.

Well I don’t know I can’t do much about it now. Will have to wait till the day after for the money to come and feed myself and Mr. Rat.

19 comments:

Sparkling said...

lol!

Honestly, I'm not laughing at your poverty but on the sarcastic humour that you've displayed in your writings. Forgive me, and I hope you don't mind :)
I know it's easier said than done but don't worry dear, you'll have your salary soon and money from your Dad too.

Will it make you feel better if I told you that when I was your age, I was as poor as you are, fortunately, today I'm not that poor (not rich but not that poor either)? :)Cheer up!

Hello, btw, what is this recharge thing?

Joy deep Majumder said...

The cash vending machineries may fail you n number of times......but the ATM which makes you see the funnier side of odd things will never fail you....you are among the richest and funniest of the gals i have known..

U really do not have to kill the rat when ur moneied ATM is flush enough to source the poison..remember it stayed put with you even when u had a cannot-even-feed-a-
rat-his -poison purse..:)

I had gone through a worse situation ..though for a period of 70+ hours...it was quite an adeventure...

Cheers gal....money seems to have lost its bearings for now..wd follow you sometimes soon ...let him learn that u cd also live without him....:)

D Writer said...

dear still,
of course i won't mind, afterall i am d one who is laughing d most.

i have some money in hand right now, all tnx to dad.
gud that u hav reached that stage in life where yu are financially comfortable.

i hav stopped worrying too much, have decided to murder my ego for once and take a loan frm my roomate...

recharge is a mobile top-up.
:))

D Writer said...

dear blue kite,


tnx u tnx u,

for calling me d funniest gal...

though rat is m=not my idea of a perfect pet...i am actually thinking of letting him live :))


do tell about your 70+golden hours...without money...believe me i am also having d time of my life:)

Nefariousoutlook said...

a very good use of sarcasm.. and yeah i have been in taht state so i can relate with you ...man the ATM sometimes really give you a reality check !!

Sparkling said...

You're independent gurl, that is what is important! :)
You're gonna be comfortable much more sooner than you think.

Mobile top-up, why the hell did I think money counterfeit? I'm crazy.

Arpit said...

i dnt know if i should really laugh...the situation is funny though. Being in college i have many frnds as well who rent a room and always fall in similar situations when they are left with no money or there are problems with the "ATM"...but what i have noticed is that no matter how low they are on cash, no matter how much problem they are in, they always seem to enjoy the most. hanging around, having fun with friends, going out...they do everything....and people like me (living with family) usually cant find an answer to the question "HOW..??" and maybe sometimes feel jealous... :D
but really KUDOS to their spirit...of having fun and enjoying life ...or atleast their "college life" to the max

Preeti Sharma said...

I suggest a few close friends who can take you out for meals in an emergency and an understanding maid, but for heaven's sake please spend the money to get rid of the RAT!!

Unknown said...

you always rock...you have great talent...mind blowing!

Chaggoholic.... said...

Tales of poverty.Welcome aboard.Ever since working i have had months where just 30 buscks a day was all i cud manage on the lunch rest was stocked at home but 7 days to go like that. Liked ur experience....

Solitaire said...

How's your pocket doing now?

D Writer said...

a very good use of sarcasm.. and yeah i have been in taht state so i can relate with you ...man the ATM sometimes really give you a reality check !!

D nefariousoutlook,


tnx for dropping by...i know many of you must have been in similar situations...glad that you can relate to it...ya and some body do something with the ATMs, they are bloody unreliable.

D Writer said...

dear still,


you are right whatever my monetary status i can still say with pride that i am independent...Still hoping to see my salary soon...

And one of the persons responsible for it is the rexcharge guy...

:)) will someone tell me why the salary comes in so late

D Writer said...

D arpit,

you seem to have reminded me of college, though most of my student life i was a home, during my diploma days i used to face severe money crunch...really those were the days....but compared to now one thing was good about student days...you could easily call back home and ask money without feeling guilty....now of course it is the other way round...

:))

D Writer said...

Dear Preeti,

the situation is lil better, i have recieved some money from home...though news of salary till now....as of the rat i hav kind of got used to it....:))

D Writer said...

hey swapnil tnx...


D Solitaire,

i am much better off now, have borrowed some money for the rent...lil from home too...lets c when d salary comes..

Arpit said...

did u graduate from JNU...??

D Writer said...

D Chaggoholic,

seems like you are a KINDRED soul...he he ;)

D Writer said...

nope not from JNU, but i graduated from its neighbour...IIMC