Gulab Jamun By Piece

SweetSpice is a chain of famous sweet shops in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. They are known for their delicious variety of sweet preparations.

I donate 250 gms of Gulab Jamuns on each Full Moon day to cows. So on one Friday I took a detour from my normal route from office to home and parked my car in front of SweetSpice outlet in Nerul, Navi Mumbai. Towards the end of the shop different variety of Gulab Jamuns of different sizes were on display in a glass cabinet. I asked the salesman to pack for me 250 grams of Gulab Jamuns. “Do not put any chaasni with the Gulab Jamuns,” I said. The salesman started dipping the spoon in the container containing small Gulab Jamuns. I stopped him and requested to give me from the container containing the big ones.

“That is by piece. Rs. 10 a piece and not be weight. If you want it by weight take these small ones.” He uttered.

“You can charge me by pieces but give me by weight,” I said.

“No I can’t do that. You tell me how many pieces do you want and I will give you those many.”

“Look, I need 250 grams of Gulab Jamuns. You weigh that much and if there are 3 pieces I will pay Rs. 30, Rs. 10 a piece, if there are four I will pay you for four,” I repeated.

He again did not seem to understand. I was soon loosing my patience. I explained, “Bhai, I need to donate 250 gms of these to someone, due to religious reasons. Why don’t you understand, they are Rs. 10 per piece from the point of payment. I will pay you as per that. You need to take the extra trouble of weighing them to determine the number of pieces which come in 250 grams. Why don’t you understand?”

Reluctantly, as if obliging me he weighed them and I paid him Rs. 30 for 3 pieces.

I walked out wondering, has this sweet shop also employs people who have become machines like those employed by many banks and other service providers of today.