Pesci Strikes Again...

...and not even women are safe.

Today I went down to the Indian version of those sidewalk stands in NY- often run by Indians- that sell gum and magazines. I bought 2 things of yogurt and was charged 10 rupees (25 cents). The package has a fixed price for all of India clearly printed on it- 4 rupees. I pointed this out to her, calmly, and asked for my extra 2 rupees change. She flat out said no, it's 5. I flat out lost my calm. I slammed down the yogurt and the change she had given me on the wooden plank counter and asked for my money back. She was baffled by this crazy white man going nuts over 5 cents. It ain't about the money anymore. Almost everyday, I have one very unpleasant experience directly and undoubtedly related to me being a foreigner.

In the end, she gave me the 2 rupees, but the guy standing next to me, who seemed loosely sympathetic to my cause shrugged and said "foreigner charge". I've been pondering this question. Is the Indian (or any other country with floating prices I've been to) vs. foreigner charge about taking us because we don't know the reasonable price? Or is it because we have more money and in some way they think since we can pay more we ought to or owe them in some way? People always tell me it's cause we don't know the correct price. But when this price was written on the damn carton I began to believe the "we're rich, we owe them" theory has a little more weight to it.

I am reading Gandhi's autobiography and he was a great man obviously. After I explode, I always scold myself and say that next time I'm going to handle it firmly but stoically. But when Gandhi was abused for riding on trains in South Africa or walking on the street after curfew, he would write letters to the proper authority. I don't know. If you post me a comment, tell me if I'm an asshole, have a valid point, am too sensitive, or whatever. peace out...