Ganganagar bus stop gets converted into a temporary market on festive occasions.Last evening I had been there with my mom to buy flowers and fruits.It was a grey evening with looming dark clouds,the wind was blowing strong and cold.There was a slight drizzle and people were bustling all over to finish their shopping before the downpour.I stopped my bike near a cart selling huge garlands of yellow flowers while my mother went about her purchases.

The man behind the cart was young and happy.He kept looking up at the skies and then at his cart full of flowers.The drizzle only made the flowers look fresher and today was the day he hoped to sell all his flowers.He looked expectantly at the people passing by.I asked him for how long he had been standing there and he said since the afternoon.In the morning he had been to city market bought all those flowers and then set up his shop in the afternoon.

As I was waiting,I saw a man approach the cart.He looked at the young man,patted him twice on the shoulder and said in a very proud voice..."I am an inspector in XYZ police station".I was quite amused by this and was wondering why anyone had to state their profession just to buy flowers.They would look and cost the same to everyone.But that's where I was wrong.The next thing he does is selects couple of garlands for himself,asks the young man to pack it and then looks at him defiantly and repeats again "I am an inspector in XYZ police station".The young man mumbles something,looks very beaten and resigns to a sad smile.To cap this,the inspector's parting words before he walks away without paying for those flowers were "olle vyabara madi".

I just couldn't believe this happened right in front of me and I did nothing about it.It was daylight robbery in every true sense.I asked the young man why he wouldn't pay and he said "Inspectors never pay madam,if we don't give them what they want,they chase us from here and then where would we go?"Ofcourse this man should belong in XYZ police station,only he should be on the other side of those bars!!What kind of unscrupulous and dishonest people we have occupying seats of authority?!He cheats that young man and then ironically crowns it with "olle vyabara madi"!!I was fuming.

My mother came back and and I had to leave.It started to pour heavily and suddenly there was a flurry of activities with vendors covering their goods from the rain and people running for shelter.I looked at the young man again as he placed a blue plastic sheet over those beautiful garlands and walked away towards some shelter looking very dejected.As I left,I sincerely hoped he would have better sales atleast after the rain without being bullied and cheated.