Being polite or being clear - what would you choose?

Being polite or being clear – what would you choose? – 8 Sep 14

Post author:Balendu
Post published:08/09/2014
Post category:Indian culture
Post comments:0 Comments

On Saturday, we did a trip to Delhi. There was some shopping to be done, we had some errands to run and most importantly we wanted to get one thing: a trampoline for Apra.

In Germany, we had been to several playgrounds where they had big trampolines. Apra had been very careful in the beginning but after just some minutes, she was wildly jumping and having lots of fun! Seeing this and knowing that this coordination and the game with the balance is great for the development of small children’s brains, we thought about getting one for Apra at the Ashram.

With this thought in mind, we did a quick search online and didn’t only find shops that sold trampolines. On OLX, an Indian website where people can sell their used items, we found a used trampoline being sold by a woman in Faridabad, a city at the border to Delhi. On the website, the price was set for 2000 rupees – a good deal for the 40-inch-diameter trampoline which, when new, would cost about 4000 rupees. So we decided to buy from this website for the first time.

I called the number indicated to ask whether it was already sold or whether we could buy it and where exactly. The lady answered, told me that the trampoline was still available and where they lived so that we could come and get it. As we are in India, where bargaining for nearly each and everything is normal, I asked whether there would be any discount, if she could give us the trampoline for less money. Her answer was that she was doing this for the first time now and that we should just give whatever we wanted to.

Well, we reached in midday at her home, Apra with us, and were welcomed to have a look at the trampoline first. Apra jumped a bit, the family explained that it was now just standing around, which is why they decided to try selling it online. We could see that it was in good condition and decided to take it.

We didn’t spend a lot of time there, as we had many things to do in Delhi. I asked her again, so, how much shall we give for this trampoline? And she replied again: ‘I told you, we wrote 2000 but it is the first time, you can just give whatever you want!’

Purnendu pulled out 1500 Rupees and handed them to her. Without looking or counting, she placed the money on the sofa next to her and we left. The family’s driver carried the trampoline down for us. When we were in the elevator of the building, phone rang. It was the woman who had just sold us the trampoline: ‘You only gave 1500 Rupees!’ I answered ‘Yes, you said we should give what we wanted to give! And why didn’t you count it and say that while we were in your flat?’ Her reply was: ‘You should at least have given 1800 Rupees! I didn’t want to count the money just in front of you…’

It was so funny! I told her however that I would give her driver 300 Rupees more and that’s what I did. I wouldn’t have minded her asking me straight away for 300 Rupees more. I wouldn’t have minded having to pay 2000 Rupees either! That’s how I asked her twice and very clearly how much she would like to have!

We had to laugh afterwards about it – why did she not tell us her expectations right away? Why did she not count the money just in front of us? Did she think I could read her mind? And if she wanted to be polite, what happened to this politeness when she called me to ask for 300 Rupees? In a way it is typically Indian – but actually it is really funny, isn’t it?