What is Free?

I'm really starting to wonder what is free these days. When I used to be in 2nd standard or 1st, our teacher used to tell us "air & water are natural resources.. they're out in the open, so they're free". Considering that I used to breathe in air and get a constant flow of water in my house I believed her at face value. Only today do I realize what a hilarious statement that's turned out to be.

When I moved to Chennai, there was an acute water problem here. We had to pay a considerable amount of money to actually get a water tanker to our house and fill up the tank once every 3-4 days. We used to pay 500 rupees, if I'm not wrong. If we hadn't, we wouldn't have been able to bathe and our sanitary system would've been messed up.. to say the least! So, we must've paid a fortune just to "buy" water. We also buy drinking water to date, I must add.

The other day, I went to a petrol pump and did the usual thing - fill petrol and fill air in my vehicle. When I went to the part where we fill air, I noticed a sign above the air pump saying "Free Air". I almost burst out laughing, but trying to maintain a straight face went about the air filling. The irony is that everyone paid Rs.2 for the air filling... for "labour" or whatever.

My inspiration to write this entry came when I went to another petrol pump to fill air. I didn't have any coins that day so I told the guy "I don't have coins", indicating that I will not be able to pay anything for the air - I know, it sounds stupid. The guy tells me "give me a 10 rupee note, I will give you change". I was totally taken aback. That's when it struck me - nothing is free in this world.. not air, not water. The dumbest fact is that I, knowingly used to pay for both up until that time.. and will continue to do so.

We pay water tax these days - well that at least is fair. I'm afraid that very soon we're going to pay air tax. To put those 2 words together is odd - but trust me, we're not far away from paying air tax.