RM3.90 punya.

I was at BK Putatan to satisfy my cravings for its BBQ Beefacon Cheese Burger. I was waiting for my takeaway when this spunky lil'guy approached the counter and asked for the Snack's Favourite meal.


 "Yang tiga ringgit sembilan puluh sen punya". "Mana satu,boy?" asked the cashier,"Atas kah...Bawah?" she added, referring to the menu.


"Yang bawah",he replied,then trying to pronounce fries and coke in the best pronunciation he could muster. "Frenfrais en kok" I heard him say as he handed the crumpled one ringgit notes and several coins.


 The cashier promptly registered his order and told the boy the price, "Harga dia empat ringgit sepuluh sen ah..." The boy's face abruptly changed. I was still standing nearby him, waiting for his response. My initial reaction was to pull the remaining balance and pay for him, but I restrained myself. "Bukan tiga ringgit sembilan puluh sen kah? Dia tulis sana tiga ringgit sembilan puluh sen..." he told the cashier. His facial reaction showed as if he was riffed off. Cheated. The cashier told him that he must pay RM4.10. "Tapi, dia tulis sana 3.90..." The cashier gave him a certain look. Eventually, he paid the remaining 30sen. I withdrew slowly to a cubicle and quietly snapped his picture and promised myself to blog it.


As I sat there, my mind was still fixated at the boy. He must have felt cheated. He must have been saving that RM3.90 to eat a meal from BK. He was clearly confused why things aren't the way they seem to be. As he picked up his small fries and Coke, he immediately devoured his meal and stride out of the restaurant.


What made me blog about this? I guess, I was reminded that our world now is sometimes like that. Not everything is how it seemed to be. In this materialistic, "instant" world everything has hidden charges. Sometimes we were aware, and sometimes we were caught by surprise. Just like the boy and his "RM3.90" BK meal.

So, when reality is like that, what does a young boy have to do? Just grin and bear it? Throw a diva tantrum? Or just shrugged it off and move on and savour the "meal"? Apparently, he is too young to understand this part of reality.

As I enjoy my own BK meal and had my cravings satisfied, I guess this material world or world of service taxes will go on. Perhaps in a distant future, things might change for the better.