- I Paid A Bribe
- 13 years ago
- 284 views
Did I really make my mother proud?
I decided at the last minute to go to Pune to surprise my mother on Mother's Day. Couldn't book an online ticket, as the IRCTC site shuts down at around 8pm. Thinking that I'd have luck getting on a Sunday morning train, I went straight to the station at 6 am, and, finding a long line at the reservation counter, I decided to jump onto the Intercity in the a/c sitting compartment.
I went straight up to the TC and, before the train had departed, let him know that I hadn't purchased a ticket and was willing to pay whatever fine there was to be able to travel. He told me there were no seats available on the train. When I asked if I should jump off and try the Deccan Express, which left 15 minutes later, he told me that both trains were full but that he would try to fit me in and told me to remain in the loading area. I asked what the ticket with fine would amount to and offered to pay the amount immediately, but was told to wait.
This is when I should have let my intuition and moral sense prevail. And this is perhaps the slip that most people logging on to this confessional commit. I was desperate to make the journey, had woken up early to get here, felt a sense of entitlement and satisfaction at having volunteered to take the righteous path, still believed I might acquit myself, and whatever the eventuality, I felt I wouldn't be breaking a major law -- and I let all of these factors lull me into a compromising situation.
As the journey progressed, it became apparent that the TC was biding his time to solicit a bribe. He shadily deflected all my requests for a seat and offers to pay. All the while, he displayed the unctuous attitude of taking me into his confidence and made noises to the effect that he was doing me a favour.
Sure enough, half an hour short of Pune, ten minutes after he had seated me, he discreetly beckoned me back out and asked what we needed to do.
I told him that I needed to pay him.
He said that there was a law against ticketless travel, and that his only recourse would be to hand me over to the authorities at Pune Station.
I needed to get off at the station prior, as I wanted to get to my mother quickly. Despite the amoral logic, I offered again to pay the fine mentioned at the beginning of the journey. Once again, he mumbled things about the rules.
When he knew he had me, he asked for 50% of the original price.
At this point, I should have argued, cried blue murder, recorded the conversation, quoted from some law - but I didn't. My station had arrived and I needed to get off. In hindsight, I would have been better off jumping off the train without putting money into this man's pocket, but I meekly paid him, ignored his oily thank yous, and got off the train feeling very bad.
I was very happy to see my mother -- and she, me but I did not share the story of my journey with her. It would have shamed her. I know that she would have been proud to hear that I had stuck to principle, handed myself over to the authorities at Pune Station, gotten the TC into trouble and showed up at her doorstep late but having fought the good fight -- and having won.
This is exactly where we ahve lost our way as a nation. We have no room for moral ambiguity in the face of all the evil that exists here.
I paid a bribe.
And I let my country, my mother and myself down.