Sunday, May 31, 2009

Going broke

If your are a student or have ever been one, you would know what that means.

For people like me, it doesnt matter whether Merill Lynch has gone down or not.. its recession anyway and inflation perpetually lingers beyond the levels of any country with Z names.

So, for the regulars, they would know that there are two types of broke statuses:

1) Cash broke: This is the first stage of being broke when you dont have any currency on you. Nothing in the name of paper notes or coins.. (sometimes coins can be lot of money!).

This is a funny state of brokery. When you arent exactly broke, but technically you are, because you cant spend. This happens when you either want to willingly cut down your expenses by believing that you are broke or your dad has just given you a nice long chat after looking at your bank account statement.

It also happens when you are a lazy bum and cant move your ass to the ATM. And the worst is when you are a miser and want to feign brokery and hence dont use your loaded card! Such individuals dont deserve to taint the spirit of a true broke.. they should be excluded from this conversation.

2) ATM broke: This is the second and more grave stage of brokery - when you neither have money on your wallet nor on your ATM card.

This situation demands that you keep some good friends handy, who can lend you in times of need, buy you dinner or invite you to their home for meals, with free TV. I often go into this type of brokery and manage to get by pretty decently.

Infact this morning when I inspected all my 5 bags, one wallet and all pajamas, jeans pockets, and realized that I am in possession of 1 five rupee coin, 4 one rupees coins, 1 two rupee coin and 2 fifty paisa coins aggregate - which accidentally is not enough to buy me breakfast, I declared myself in the state of brokery.

Reasons for running into brokery are simple - You are reckless and you cant manage your expenses and savings. You dont plan. And more importantly you are poor!! And I am all of these.

Brokery makes me realize that life so beautiful when your are a student and staying at a place like a hostel is a blessing. I remember days when I was working and used to go broke (yes even then!). though it was mostly cash brokery coz ATMs in gurgaon are in another city, I used to have a real hard time managing things - but here I can just walk into the rooms of any of the hundreds of angels staying in rooms across and get fast cash!

Brokery is also good in certain ways - Its like a safety valve on your expenses. Goes of when the pressure crosses the limits.

So next time you go broke - respect it !