Tit for Tat

In a small town in Northern India, there was this Mithaiwala- a seller of sweetmeats. His name was Sonu bhai but he was called Lalchibhai by the people of the town as he was a very very greedy person.. His sweets were extremely tasty and made with good ingredients but Lalchibhai was more and more greedy for money. He started charging higher and higher for his sweets. The height of his greed was that he started charging even for enquiries if one did not buy anything. His shop was the only one in town and so the people were really annoyed at his attitude.

One day a simple looking but smart fellow by name Sanka from the neighbouring town came to this town to visit his uncle. In the evening, while returning to his town, he wanted to get some sweets. He asked his uncle, who told him of Lalchibhai’s greed and told him it is better not to buy anything at all than to go to Lalchibhai’s shop. This made Sanka all the more determined to teach Lalchibhai a lesson. So he went to the shop . Before he could open his mouth Lalchi announced “Ahem.. I think you are new here. Even if you enquire the price and not buy you have to pay. So do not waste my time OK??” Sanka was a bit shocked at this attitude but quietly he began to smell the aroma muttering to himself, “Wah Wah!! What nice scent of Gulab!! The aroma of honey is lifting me up Wah Wah”. He went near each plate of sweets, smelling the aroma and commenting nice words. Lalchi was hopeful that after all the smelling the customer would buy kilos of his sweets, but hey what was this? Sanka was preparing to leave!!

“Hello, Hello… Hey you Stop!” yelled Lalchi. Sanka turned and looked around and asked very innocently, “Arre Saab you called me??” “Yes YOU. What do you think you are doing hmmm? Where is the money ha? Are you trying to cheat me?” yelled Lalchi.

“Money?? What money? I did not buy anything nor did I enquire with you any price. So what money are you talking about?” said Sanka.

Lalchi got all the more angry and said “YOU SMELT THE AROMA OF MY SWEETS AND THAT IS EQUAL TO EATING THEM. NOW PAY THE MONEY AND LEAVE”
Sanka looked around coolly and took out a bag of coins from his pocket. Lalchi was happy. Here was going to be a windfall. Ha. But to his dismay, Sanka took the bag and shook it. Jingle Jingle Jingle…..Tinkle tinkle. Jingle tinkle…”Enough” he asked. Lalchi said “Give me the bag You!!”
Sanka coolly put the bag back into his pocket and said “If smelling the sweet is equal to eating, then listening to the jingle of coins is equal to receiving them. Bubbye. See you!” and walked away.

That insult was enough for Lalchi to become a wiser fellow.