I think we should judge people ' form opinion about people may be the correct ex-pression ' by the way they behave with strangers rather than with known people. A person may be nice to known people because of various considerations. So, it may not the real person in someone that we see as one known to him as a friend. You can see his real self as a human only when you see the way he treats an unknown fellow human. I know a person who is very nice to every friend of his, including me. But, on a few occasions, I was astonished by his behaviour with stangers.
Once when we were on a visit to a pilgrim town, he went to a PCO to make a call. After finishing the call, he paid the bill which was some rupees and 75 paise. By then, 25 ps coins were almost out of circulation. So the booth attendant returned him the balance in whole rupees but couldn't pay 25 ps. He took it for granted that my friend knew the problem and would not insist on 25 ps. But my friend entered into a lengthy argument with him for 25ps. Seeing it, I went near. By then, they had finished. I heard my friend say, "treat that 25 ps as my alms to a beggar and keep it with you like a begger”. He said, "mind your business and get lost". After the temple visit, I was returning with absolute peace of mind. I was surprised at the behaviour of my friend. Was it worth quarrelling with a stranger for the sake of just 25 ps.
On the second occasion, we were going for breakfast. My shoe lace was needing replacement. Two small boys aged about 13 were vending shoe laces with their shoe-polish kit. I asked one of them to polish my shoes and change the laces. He demanded Rs.10 for both the jobs. (i.e. Rs.5 for shoe laces and Rs.5 for polishing). I agreed and the boy started the work. My friend who joined me shortly, asked the other boy to polish his shoes and change the laces. (In fact, his shoe laces didn't need change. They had only become old). Since, I had already settled the rates with the first boy, the second boy assumed that my friend will also pay the same amount and started the work. After finishing the work, I paid him Rs.10/- Seeing this, my friend asked the boy how he could charge Rs.10/- and said that we should pay only Rs.8/- because the price of one pair of shoe laces is only Rs.3/- and not Rs.5/-. It was around 800 AM in the morning and I couldn't sight any vendor on the footpath for changing my shoe laces. I was desperate because I could not wear the shoes without replacing the laces. Besides, I pitied the boys. They were supposed to be in school at their age. It was their misfortune that they had to work at that tender age. So, I didn't mind paying a rupee or two more for them. So I told my friend that it is better to pay Rs.10/- each to the boys and close the matter. But my friend was adamant. He threatened the boy that he would call the police and hand them over. A few passers-by also intervened in support of my friend. (It is my experience that unlike in Chennai, in
On the third occasion, I was browsing the internet in his office chamber. He had some public visitors on that day. They were waiting outside his room. One of them came in and asked whether he can have a glass of water. My friend was attending a phone call. So I was about to say, "Okay. Please have". To my surprise, my friend closed the phone receiver with one hand and shouted, "Water is kept here for my use. If you want water, go out and have it some where but not here." The disappointed visitor left the room murmuring, "Sorry, Sir". My friend’s rudeness to that stranger was unnecessary.
I feel very uncomfortable with people who are rude to fellow humans without any provocation, even if they be my friends.
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