Biscuit Man
Scene: A narrow, not-too-crowded bridge in the suburbs.
It is around seven-thirty a.m. Early office-goers and late
morning-walkers pass by.
An inconspicuously-dressed man is sitting cross-legged
on the ground; a clean white gent's kerchief spread out in front
of him. On the kerchief lie three Marie biscuits. He is flanked
by a man on either side.
I look at the biscuits rather curiously. Immediately,
biscuit man springs into action. He deftly juggles the biscuits,
tossing them up so that I can see a red plastic disc affixed to
the underside of one of them. He spreads them out on the kerchief
and one of the men puts a fifty rupee note on the first biscuit.
Biscuit man flips the biscuit, and voila, it is the one with the red
disc on it. He promptly hands a hundred-rupee note to the bettor
and waves a bunch of hundreds under my nose. "Ek baar lagao
madam, pachas ka sau milega."
Playing cards I had heard of, but Marie biscuits!! Isn't that creative?
Though he practically pleads with me to take away his hundreds,
I shake my head and walk away; the successful bettor is probably
one of his assistants.
Scene: The same. Half an hour later. People scurrying to work.
At one point, I have to pass around a small crowd. Curious,
I peer into the crowd.
Biscuit man is doing brisk business. : )
It is around seven-thirty a.m. Early office-goers and late
morning-walkers pass by.
An inconspicuously-dressed man is sitting cross-legged
on the ground; a clean white gent's kerchief spread out in front
of him. On the kerchief lie three Marie biscuits. He is flanked
by a man on either side.
I look at the biscuits rather curiously. Immediately,
biscuit man springs into action. He deftly juggles the biscuits,
tossing them up so that I can see a red plastic disc affixed to
the underside of one of them. He spreads them out on the kerchief
and one of the men puts a fifty rupee note on the first biscuit.
Biscuit man flips the biscuit, and voila, it is the one with the red
disc on it. He promptly hands a hundred-rupee note to the bettor
and waves a bunch of hundreds under my nose. "Ek baar lagao
madam, pachas ka sau milega."
Playing cards I had heard of, but Marie biscuits!! Isn't that creative?
Though he practically pleads with me to take away his hundreds,
I shake my head and walk away; the successful bettor is probably
one of his assistants.
Scene: The same. Half an hour later. People scurrying to work.
At one point, I have to pass around a small crowd. Curious,
I peer into the crowd.
Biscuit man is doing brisk business. : )