Incomes Change, People Don't.

The first instance is in a BEST bus, Mumbai, early in one morning. A passenger doesn't have the change for a hundred bucks and neither does the conductor, so the former decides she needn't buy the ticket. The conductor explains that by the time her destination arrives, others would have climbed on the bus and he'd be able to give her the change. He points out the rule painted above the seat which says “please tender exact change”. The woman turns nasty and finally he decides to stop the bus and let her get off. He turns and tells us: “If the tc gets on and finds her without a ticket, I get fined.” Sigh.

Second: A family in the 2^nd class AC compartment on the Mumbai-Goa night train requests the tc to allow them to stay even though they are unreserved and should be getting off. There's an emergency, they plead. So, he suggests, would they like to be wait-listed so at least they have a legitimate reason to stay where they are? Of course, they agree. I was witness to this conversation. They spent the night squatting near the sink. Come morning, tc comes back with the tickets and tell them they have to pay 'x' amount for the journey. No bribe, mind you, he's giving them the receipt. Their logic: What? We didn't use any berth, we didn't sleep, why should we pay? Because you traveled the distance, he tells them. Nah, they retort. Do what you want, we're not paying. Who loses? The government. You and I, too.

Third: A Cathay Pacific Dubai-Mumbai flight was delayed. No one knew why. The first class passengers sitting near us in the waiting area cribbed loud and clear so all of us knew they should have been segregated. The ground staff did their best to make them comfortable, gave them goodies us lesser mortals weren't entitled to, but no jee no, they were going to complain to the media, the consumer court, the President, God... unless they were given a refund right there, right then, ok? Does ground staff warn flying crew about troublemakers?

My lesson: human nature doesn't change with status or income.