The checkout line at the neighbourhood department store was relatively quiet when I entered the store at about 11 on a summer morning. The air-conditioned store was a welcome relief from the heat wave sweeping the city, even though it wasn't yet the hottest period of the day.
I began to leisurely stroll through the aisles and sections looking around and filling my basket with the items that were listed in the WhatsApp message that the wife had thoughtfully sent me. Not one message, but about three. She too cannot remember all items needed in one go. It takes about a day for her to compile the list of items - even if the list consists of not more than six items! The list thankfully took me everywhere in the store and my slow walk around ensured that I was fairly well rested by the time I had collected all the items and approached the checkout counters. There were three counters that were operational at that time of the day, though the store had a capacity for six. But for a retired man like me whether it was one counter or all six, it would make no difference since I was in no hurry and probably my demeanour too didn't reflect any haste. The supervisor, or the person resembling one, beckoned two people behind me to another counter, so I was waiting for an even older gentleman to finish his billing.
Each checkout counter has a bar-code scanner; but for certain items (especially the ones taken from the freezer) with condensation blocking the bar-code, the scanning is not so easy. Where are the startup guys? Why don't you design a scanner with relevant software that can scan through the condensed water on the package? Design ideas! lol. Anyway, with great difficulty comes great delay! The gentleman whose purchases were being billed was equally in no hurry, it seemed, since he waited patiently with a wry smile on his face. Finally with the billing done, the gentleman whipped out his phone and said could he make the payment through G-Pay. I was stunned. The man seemed to be in his nineties and was knowledgeable in using the UPI app to make purchases, while a relatively younger man like me was still stuck in cash and debit card! As he made his payment, I watched with amazement at the speed with which his transaction went through. It was totally anti-climatic. I thought I would have to wait for another ten minutes for him to pay cash after counting the notes about three times (as the elders are famous for) and for the counter person to do the same, and count and pay the balance. But this was done in like seconds.
My billing was done quickly since there weren't any items from the freezer (lol), but it did take some time for the card swiping process to be completed. I rushed out just in time to catch the gentleman who was ahead of me, before he got into his car (which he was driving, mind you!). I stopped him with a gesture; politely. He lowered the window and looked at me and after recognising me from the store, asked quizzically as to what I wanted.
"I saw you pay through the UPI app that our country has introduced. Aren't you afraid of losing money through scamming?"
"I have been using this since the last one year or thereabout; and have heard about some people who have lost money. I am careful and ensure that only a small amount is there in the account that is linked to the UPI. You seem to carry cash. Aren't you afraid of pickpockets?"
"(Sheepishly) Yes, I am. But while walking, I swing my arm backwards and forwards so that every few seconds the arm brushes across the pocket that I put my wallet in. So I am cautious too."
"That's smart! So if you are cautious by nature, you won't have any trouble with the UPI too."
"Thanks. By the way, please don't mind my asking....how old are you?"
"I am 92."
I went straight to another bank branch where I knew the manager with whom I had had an interaction earlier on behalf of my son and knew him to be a very helpful and resourceful manager. To open a savings account that I linked to G-Pay within a couple of days!
Nowadays, I pay the local store, vegetable vendor, milk vendor, fruit seller (on a cart on our road), and myriad other organisations through the UPI. I am cautious (touchwood) and hopefully am at par with the older gentleman who taught me a lesson on moving with the times.
