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Continuing Woes

Does anyone really care ?? After water woes my bathroom cistern started leaking and to make matters worse my lower back was aching like my rotten molars !! Haru was nowhere to be seen. I decided to hunt for a new plumber.In my mind(to keep myself happy) I recited ::

Plumber ,plumber, where are you

Come  home and I'll pay you true

The fact is that all the plumbers in my locality avoid doing my plumbing work on some plea or the other.According to them the money I pay is much less than what others pay. As you know I'm an old man with several ailments with a pacemaker and two steel angles in my two elbows. My gait is almost like a robot because of rheumatoid arthritis. Maybe I also have spondilytis,ischemia,artery block,mild bronchitis, abpnoea.high uric acid and name it and I have it.I avoid going outdoors after dusk because I can't see properly. My optician said a few days back that my left eye was developing a cataract.Despite this I enjoy a puff now and then which gives me strength of the mind.No.. not the narcotic one.. simple plain tobacco.Doctor says that my slimy nose and whooping breath is because of smoking.I hate doctors because they'll say everything to scare you without giving any written guarantee of your well being in case you listen to him like gospel.

When I sit in the loo my backside becomes wet because of the leaking cistern.It's awfully uncomfortable in winter with the temperature touching 14 deg C.So I went to the nearest pump house and made enquiries on how to get a plumber.A middle aged man named Vashishta agreed to come and do the job. "How much will you charge?" He replied "Babu.. if any parts are needed their cost and my labour charges" I am very good in Mental Maths and I thought that the cost would be around Rs.60/- or so.Vashishta came and carried out a thorough inspection smoking a beedi for over ten full minutes. "A rubber washer has to be bought" "How much?" I asked... "Give me Rs.30/-" I grudgingly gave him the cash and he returned after one full hour with a tiny rubber washer which in my opinion wouldn't cost more than Rs.5/-But I kept my dirty mouth shut. For full one hour he sat in the semi-dark loo changing the washer.

He gave a smile and went to sit in my drawing room and demanded a cup of tea."How much ?" asked I."Rs.100/-" My head began spinning.."Rs.100/- for one hour !!".... "Babu... our rate is Rs.400/- a day.. so...OK pay me Rs.10/- less.." After fifteen minutes of haggling the money was settled for Rs.80/-That was that ...