Boy atop the burning deck

V Pattabhi Ram

This happened three years ago. It happened in a bookstore in Chennai. And I was a personal witness to it. I have narrated this story now 5 times at different cities to different audience and wish to share it with you all.

I was at Chennai’s Landmark, standing in a queue waiting to pay for my books purchase. The invoicing system had failed and the Billing Officer (BO) was making out manual invoices and collecting payment. Ahead of me was a little boy; must be max 9 or 10 years old and looked younger still.

He had on his hand an army of books; I helped him place it on the counter. The BO made out the bill and handed it over to the boy. The boy took one glance at it (I thought this guy will grow to be a CA), mentally audited and said, “Uncle, you have billed me one book less. I bought 11; you have billed me only 10. Harry Potter has not been billed.”

The Officer took the invoice, double checked, found that he had made a mistake and redid the invoice and gave it back to the boy. The boy again took a look at it and minus a calculator said, “Uncle, you have billed me Rs 2,370 instead of Rs 2,730. There is a totalling mistake.” (I was now certain that this tot will become a CA). The Officer was stumped. He took the invoice back, used the calculator once, used it a second time and then corrected the invoice to Rs 2,730. He was now perspiring.

The boy handed over six Rs 500 notes. The Officer took it and returned Rs 370/-. The boy counted the notes and said, “Uncle you have given me Rs 370/-. You need to give me only 270/- and returned the extra Rs 100/-. The Officer took the money back.

And then something remarkable happened. The Officer dipped his hand into a corner of his desk, picked 5 yummy chocolates and gave it to the boy. “This is for you” he said. “But why, Uncle” asked the boy. “Your reward” said the BO. “But have I done something outstanding that no one does that I should be given a reward?” asked the little one in all innocence.

A tiny drop of water dropped from my eye-lid.

This is reflective at a time when many are swarming the streets on an anti-corruption campaign.