An incident-many attitudes, points of view

Two weeks ago, I was on a holiday, when my wife and I were travelling on a Tuk-Tuk ("Auto Rickshaw" as how it is called in India) through a crowded lane busy with after work hours traffic in Pondicherry, this incident happened which I feel worth sharing as it has some good behavioral examples of people involved and how an incident and behaviors of people can vary from different point of view. Like the famous "Subway story" of Stephen Covey, I should have this "Tuk Tuk  story" , if I ever author a book!!

 

My "proactive" wife while pulling money out from her purse to pay for the ride before reaching the alighting point , accidently left a Rs.100 ( 100 Rupees) note which flew out of the vehicle before I could catch. She was tensed, perplexed, not knowing what to do,  waiting for my reaction. I remained calm, which was very unusual and said " leave it! it is a loss but will be a big scene to stop the vehicle in this traffic and chasing the flying money"- not convinced with my response, she was quiet and feeling guilty for her carelessness.

 

We reached our point which was roughly 500mts from where the incident happened and paying for the ride where 2 guys on a motorbike came to us asking if we lost any money, said they have seen a currency note flying and pointed a group of guys walking towards us that hey have picked the note which flew from this Tuk tuk. The guys approached us asking if I have left any money. I don't want to say "yes we lost 100 bucks" which it will be seen as if we are not only careless but will create an impression that we have more money and flying money out- who knows some one will follow us or land at our home to break in. I replied, "we have seen something flying  while taking out cash from purse and thought it was a paper or receipt -not sure it is money".

 

Now the twist in the story started, where the guys having the Rs100 after getting the message that I am not certain said, "we were also counting money while walking and not sure it is yours or ours or it is a 50 or 100"and reluctantly given me Rs.100.My "honest" Tuk Tuk driver was trying to take advantage of the scene and said ,"I think it is my  money which must have flew while I was driving". I said firmly "It is mine", walked off  thanking the guys on the motorbike for giving a lead.

 

I said my wife that "you must have noted me unusually calm for this incident b'cos I am sure I will get it back if not today ,some other day by some other means " and we were chatting the behaviours of the people- the group of guys who were forced by the situation to give us the money back as the guys on motorbike has seen them picking it, the tuk tuk driver who was trying to make use of the situation as my words  were not certain that it was mine.

 

In my opinion , I was behaving artificially to avoid chaos though I was feeling the loss, the guys on motorbike were good guys as they have helped me to get the money, the group of guys who picked the money was not honest to give the money which they know that it belongs to someone, the Tuk tuk driver was the most dishonest guy as he was trying to make use of the situation despite knowing it was not his money.

 

When we were at home, we said this incident to our daughter. My daughter Adhuba, who after listening, came out with another point of view- the guys on the motorbike were "jealous" as they have not got it ,they don't want others to get it and that's why came and told us.

 

One incident , many behaviors and attitudes, many points of views.....