Market and Money

I am not a person who goes out for window shopping in the market, especially in an old market occupied by ancient buildings and small crowded shops.

It suffocates me, I don't recall any visit to the market when I didn't feel short of breath and a thin cover of black mist appeared in front of my eyes.

It happens when I am in Anarkali to purchase side details for my dresses. I don't know how girls manage to shop there.

Visiting these markets is a matter of courage(I like them from a distance) and you have to be a street-smart person.

This market gives Pure old school and classic vibes. I being an old school always romanticize the old things and markets like: old Lahore for Usman ki bethak, gali sarjeet Singh, and haveli(though I never visited it).

I want to teleport there or I wish I had a time travel machine to see how these places would look hundreds of years ago.

Anyhow, this market in my city had a new boy cut recently, our CM gave it personally, it has become spacious now,
don't know if it was advantageous for people or not.

But one thing is for sure, you will get sunlight to the fullest and so will the tan. Forget about going there in the summer.

The story is not about how comfortable the markets have become to walk for customers.

The point is about how beggars still don't manage to keep an ideal distance from you.
You still have to be conscious of them not touching you, what is the point of spacious markets if people have no manners?

Anyhow, we were on M.A. Jinnah Road, which is 5 minutes away from the main market.

The weather was pleasant, the sky was covered with grey clouds ready to pour anytime. We thought we could walk, it was only a silly thought with shopping bags in our hands.

Above all, we were without any personal ride.
In the meanwhile a chinchi rikshaw approached us, blky a couple of them approached us, each of them fighting to get us.

It was such a proud moment to see them fighting for us, no one ever fought to get us like that Shafique.

We sat on one of them and negotiated the price, it was reasonable, and there was no point arguing over that.

Before we could move forward, one woman came in, having the same destination.

Five minutes passed and we honored the Anarkali bazaar.

We were giving him the money he had to earn hard for when the other lady gave him only 20. He said it is not the due amount, give me more.

She said no I wouldn't and walked away in the most arrogant manner and didn't let him finish his statement.

The rikshaw driver was so anguished that he threw away those 20rs on the road saying:
Take this as well.

But that lady didn't turn back to look at her money resting on the road.

The rikshaw driver was dealing with us with due respect. He also dared not to glance his money at his rizk on the road.

I was so numbed and kept looking at those 20rps. The wind carried it forward, a few footsteps ahead.

Then I saw a vehicle passing on it, the note was now motionless or dead, who knows?

Then I saw a couple going towards the sight of the murder. They weren't looking down and I was worried of them stepping on the note with their dirty shoes, what would Quaid think, how disrespectful it would be?

They didn't though. I sighed with relief.
Then I was thinking why no one was looking at the note, why no one was picking it up (as happens in prank videos).

Is it not worth it?

The note must be shocked at its humiliation in the country where children are out of school due to the lack of facilities and are forced to work on the roads to earn.

But don't worry our money is also thrown on the roads.

It is thrown at weddings when people are so high in the pride of their wealth.

We always have money to feed beggars but not to pay someone who is earning to make a living instead of making hidden mansions.

We walked inside the shop and also didn't look back to catch a last glimpse of the note, to not become a statue of salt.

The vision of CM to ensure spacious roads is not ensuring spacious hearts and sane minds.

P.S: I am still thinking about that money. Pta ni kisi ne uthai hogi ya ni, kuch leke khaa hi leta koi, par 20rs ka ata hi kya h yr @mehwish-almas kuch kaho.