The Samosa Vendor - White Collar Vs. Blue Collar
A short, but, a real story!
Today in India its unbelievable ....... The numbers are a little difficult to swallow, ...... But interesting nevertheless.
It was my regular train journey home from work. I boarded the 18:50pm train at from Paranur. When the train was about
to leave Guduvanchery, a samosa vendor with an empty basket got on and took the seat next to me. As the compartment was sparsely occupied and my destination was still far away, I got into a conversation with him.
Me: "Seems like you've sold all your samosas today."
Vendor (smiling): "Yes. By God's grace, full sales today."
Me: "I really feel sorry for you people. Don't you get tired doing this tiresome job the whole day?"
Vendor: "What to do, sir? Only by selling samosas like this every day do we get a commission of 75 paise for each samosa that we sell."
Me: "Oh, is that so ? How many samosas do do sell on an average each day?"
Vendor: "On peak days, we sell 3,000 to 3,500 samosas per person. On dull days, we can't even move 1,000 samosas a day. On an average, we sell about 2,000 samosas a day."
I was speechless.....for a few seconds.
The guy says he sells 2,000 samosas a day; at .75 paise each, he makes about 1,500 rupees daily, or 45,000 rupees a month. That's Rs. 45,000 a month. OMG. I intensified my questioning and this time it was not for time pass.
Me: "Do you make the samosas yourself?"
Vendor: "No Sir. Our proprietor gets the samosas through a samosa manufacturer and we just sell them. After selling we give him the money and gives us 75 paise for each samosa that we sell."
I was unable to speak a single word more but the vendor continued... but one thing... most of our earnings are spent on living expenses. Only with the remaining money are we able to take care of other business.
Me: "Other business? What is that?"
Vendor: "It is a land business. In 2007 I bought 1.5 acres in Urupakkam for 3 lakh rupees and I sold it a few months back for 15 lakhs. Now I have bought land in Uthiramerur for 5 lakh rupees."
Me: "What did you do with the remaining amount?'
Vendor: "Of the remaining amount, I have set aside 6 lakhs for my daughter's wedding. I have deposited the other 4 lakhs in the bank."
Me: "How much schooling have you had?"
Vendor: "I studied up to third standard; I stopped my studies when I was in the 4th standard. But I know how to read and write. Sir, there are many people like yourself, who dress well, wear a tie, wear shoes, speak English fluently and work in air-conditioned rooms. But I don't think you guys earn as much as we do wearing dirty clothes and selling samosas."
At this point, what could I reply. After all, I was talking to a millionaire! The train chugged into Chromepet station and the samosa vendor got up from his seat.
Vendor: "Sir, this is my station...have a good day."
Me: "Take care."
What more is there to say...!
Courtesy :C D Bharadwaj
From India, Coimbatore
733A short, but, a real story!
Today in India its unbelievable ....... The numbers are a little difficult to swallow, ...... But interesting nevertheless.
It was my regular train journey home from work. I boarded the 18:50pm train at from Paranur. When the train was about
to leave Guduvanchery, a samosa vendor with an empty basket got on and took the seat next to me. As the compartment was sparsely occupied and my destination was still far away, I got into a conversation with him.
Me: "Seems like you've sold all your samosas today."
Vendor (smiling): "Yes. By God's grace, full sales today."
Me: "I really feel sorry for you people. Don't you get tired doing this tiresome job the whole day?"
Vendor: "What to do, sir? Only by selling samosas like this every day do we get a commission of 75 paise for each samosa that we sell."
Me: "Oh, is that so ? How many samosas do do sell on an average each day?"
Vendor: "On peak days, we sell 3,000 to 3,500 samosas per person. On dull days, we can't even move 1,000 samosas a day. On an average, we sell about 2,000 samosas a day."
I was speechless.....for a few seconds.
The guy says he sells 2,000 samosas a day; at .75 paise each, he makes about 1,500 rupees daily, or 45,000 rupees a month. That's Rs. 45,000 a month. OMG. I intensified my questioning and this time it was not for time pass.
Me: "Do you make the samosas yourself?"
Vendor: "No Sir. Our proprietor gets the samosas through a samosa manufacturer and we just sell them. After selling we give him the money and gives us 75 paise for each samosa that we sell."
I was unable to speak a single word more but the vendor continued... but one thing... most of our earnings are spent on living expenses. Only with the remaining money are we able to take care of other business.
Me: "Other business? What is that?"
Vendor: "It is a land business. In 2007 I bought 1.5 acres in Urupakkam for 3 lakh rupees and I sold it a few months back for 15 lakhs. Now I have bought land in Uthiramerur for 5 lakh rupees."
Me: "What did you do with the remaining amount?'
Vendor: "Of the remaining amount, I have set aside 6 lakhs for my daughter's wedding. I have deposited the other 4 lakhs in the bank."
Me: "How much schooling have you had?"
Vendor: "I studied up to third standard; I stopped my studies when I was in the 4th standard. But I know how to read and write. Sir, there are many people like yourself, who dress well, wear a tie, wear shoes, speak English fluently and work in air-conditioned rooms. But I don't think you guys earn as much as we do wearing dirty clothes and selling samosas."
At this point, what could I reply. After all, I was talking to a millionaire! The train chugged into Chromepet station and the samosa vendor got up from his seat.
Vendor: "Sir, this is my station...have a good day."
Me: "Take care."
What more is there to say...!
Courtesy :C D Bharadwaj
From India, Coimbatore
really, is that true?
Sometimes i really wonder what we people earn at the end of the day, having so much of our energy drained out, with so much of stress and finally getting on to the pillow with lot of worries about future ..............
Big lessons to learn..
Keep sharing
From India, Asansol
Sometimes i really wonder what we people earn at the end of the day, having so much of our energy drained out, with so much of stress and finally getting on to the pillow with lot of worries about future ..............
Big lessons to learn..
Keep sharing
From India, Asansol
Very surprising & shocking to hear that...!!
If its a fact.. there's a lot to learn out of it..
It says,
1) You must always respect & love the job you do (No matter whatever it is)
2) Hard work always gives ripe & juicy fruits
3) Its not that only air conditioned rooms will give you more salaries
4) Its not that only educated people can earn & save more for the future
5) Its not that people with dirty clothes will have only worries & tensions & think a lot about future
Regards,
Bharghavi
From India, Bangalore
If its a fact.. there's a lot to learn out of it..
It says,
1) You must always respect & love the job you do (No matter whatever it is)
2) Hard work always gives ripe & juicy fruits
3) Its not that only air conditioned rooms will give you more salaries
4) Its not that only educated people can earn & save more for the future
5) Its not that people with dirty clothes will have only worries & tensions & think a lot about future
Regards,
Bharghavi
From India, Bangalore
Dear Sir,
Great.
I know many examples who are not educated but they are millonaire.
If we follow the lesson from the famous movie 3 Ediots "Dont follow success follow Excellence" will make a difference.
Whichever field we are in we should follow excellence, with full commitment, discipline, passion. The success shall automatically follow.
However thanks for the motivating post.
Regards,
Sudhir
From India, Nasik
Great.
I know many examples who are not educated but they are millonaire.
If we follow the lesson from the famous movie 3 Ediots "Dont follow success follow Excellence" will make a difference.
Whichever field we are in we should follow excellence, with full commitment, discipline, passion. The success shall automatically follow.
However thanks for the motivating post.
Regards,
Sudhir
From India, Nasik
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