It was 8 am and Rikita hurriedly stepped out of her house with grocery bags and she met on the road her friend Lisha who was also carrying some bags. This was a planned meeting where they planned their visit to the supermarket.
They walked quite happily discussing the list of things they intended to buy. Both of them were quite excited about it and had in fact taken a day off from their work. Did they have an obsession with shopping or believed in having a balance of work and rest in life? None of them.
They stepped into the crowded supermarket. Many were already there before them and let’s say for the sake of a humorous expression they leaped into the crowd to get their hands on what they wanted and a few more they could get their hands on.
Most items in the supermarket, especially perishable goods, were heavily discounted. Yes, the discounts were at the expense of the owner’s profit who didn’t want to be woken up from sleep that day before 12.
The supermarket was closing down as some of you might have guessed or not. It was a small city and a supermarket was considered a great development. However, most people there did not go to the supermarket because they had the convenience of going to the local grocery shop, buying things and paying at the end of the month. The local grocery shops had adjusted themselves to this routine since most people preferred it.
Hence the supermarkets eventually closed, but what people did discover was that just before one closed, there were these great discounts and there was no end to people’s ambitions and thus several times a year someone ambitious would come and open a supermarket there at the same spot. Why at that spot? Because the road in front went to the town’s only railway station and it is presumed that most people pass through there when in fact the more convenient bus service on a different route had greatly changed that reality.
So, yes, the discount situation caused a change which did not benefit the supermarket owners at all. Now, the people of this town intentionally waited for the supermarkets to close and accordingly they planned their purchase when one opened.
I have been to the town several times, one of my relatives lives there and I wondered if the town will see much progress at this rate and most importantly mentality. But surprisingly it did progress although at a slow pace but it did as better income opportunities presented themselves.
Written by Anuran Chatterji
Early Morning Memories 