Business vs Kindness

When I was young, my grandmother used to buy vegetables for the household, from a lady vendor who came to our doorstep every day. On a particular Sunday, the vendor brought bundles of spinach. Her quote was, I think, one rupee per bundle.

My grandmother's counter-bid was exactly half that figure: however, she promised that she will buy four bundles at that price. For a while, both were harping on one's own figure. The vendor politely declared that she doesn't even recover her cost at that price, loaded the basket on her head and walked away. After taking four steps ahead, the vendor turned back and shouted, Make it 75 paise a bundle, and I will give it to you. My grandmother shook her head and stuck to her original 50 paise, reiterating the theory of quantity discount. The vendor walked on. The two of them precisely knew each other's strategies. The vendor turned around, came back to our house, while my grandmother was waiting at the doorstep. The deal was clinched at my grandmother's bid. The vendor was sitting there as if she was in a trance. My grandmother took her time checking each bundle by gently tossing it with her right hand and examining each with a critical eye for quantitative and qualitative compliance.

From an initial short-listing of the bundles, she finally selected four bundles to her satisfaction, making that point clear to the fatigued vendor. She took the commodity and took her time and came out with the payment in a collection of coins of small denominations.

The vendor took the money without even counting. As she got up, she swayed due to apparent dizziness. My grandmother held her hands & asked whether she hadn't had any food in the morning. The vendor said, "No Ma. With today's earnings only, I've to buy some rice, go home and make some." My grandmother asked her to sit down, hurried inside and came back swiftly with a few chapattis & vegetables and offered them to the vendor. She gave a bottle of water and started making some tea for the vendor.

The vendor hungrily and gratefully ate the food, drank the water and finished the tea. Thanking my grandmother profusely placed her basket on her head and went on to continue with her business. I was puzzled. I told my grandmother, u were ruthless in bargaining for two Rs.2/- stuff but were generous in offering food of a much higher price to that vendor. My grandmother smiled & said, "My dear Anju, there is no kindness in business & there shall never be any business in kindness

Reflection by Dr Anjana?

Reflect in life how often we do exactly the same. When it comes to relationships don't say no money in a relationship.

Remember like you don't mix bad words with a bad mood don’t mix business with relationships you will have the opportunity to change your mood but not to change your words just like you will have the opportunity to start a business again but the scar on a relationship will always remain.

Let’s not get confused with having a career is having a life because Oil and Water never mix similarly relationship and business too should be kept separate. Let’s go ahead in life and not build a business founded on friendship but a friendship founded on business