OF MONEYPLANTS AND PIGGYBANKS

When I was little, Dad told me, "Money doesn't grow on trees". Secretly, though, I thought he was lying, because Ma had a moneyplant in her garden. I would dig the mud a little to see if any money would stick out. But being the sensible kid that I was, this habit died a natural death. Ma throwing a fit one day after I had pulled the plant out completely, root and all, was also a turning point.

Always encouraged to save a rupee if I was given two, I remember how I played with my piggybank, shaking it often to see how much money I had collected. The funny part was when I actually opened it after it was full (it burped), I didn't know what to do with the money! And my loot totalled a magnificent seventy two rupees and thirty paise.

Age has mellowed me down, and I have matured like wine over the years. I no longer poke at moneyplants or shake stupid piggybanks. I depend on reliable ways to earn money. Like lottery tickets and Google Adsense. I wonder why people work.

I believe I will be rich someday. I also believe that the peacock feather that I have carefully preserved between the pages of my tenth standard record notebook will lay a "little feather" beside it someday.

Damn it.. Out of orange juice again..