In our very neat  and  clean residential  colony in  NCR there   are  about 2000 flats and about  6000 residents. The colony  is  abuzz with  activity 24 X 7. There  are  very  strict  norms  of  taking  a  house  on  rent  in our  society which  includes a heavy  entrance fee  followed by a strict interview  of  all the members  who  will  be  staying there. Spread in over  80 acres,  this  gated  society  is  known  for its  posh interior and very tight security. It has  every amenity inside,  ranging  from club house, swimming pool , gym,  games  complex  as well as    three  markets  of  20  shops  each. One  such  market is  near  my  block  and  has shops  which  cater  to almost  every daily  need of the  residents. In this market one   very  popular shop is  the  Juice Shop. When ever I  go there in the  evenings  I find  there a  crowd  of  people of every age waiting to have  fresh juice. Glaring among  them  are some young mothers and  fathers who  are  goading their  kids  to  have fresh  juice. The  common  dialogues  one hears  is, “Beta he  gives  the  best quality  juice”  or “Juice  will  make you  strong”.  One day I heard  a young  mother lamenting  with a friend standing aside , “as  it  is my  5  year  old son does not like  to eat fruits, at  least  he  can  have  a  glass of  fresh  juice  and  this  juicewala bhaiya  makes it  in such a  clean manner”. Her friend nodded  in  total  agreement whilst  looking at  her  daughter of almost  the  same  age. “Look  even  aunty  feels  the  same. Bhaiya do  glass  dena aur  don’t forget  to add  pomegranates in  it” She said. “Pomogranates  increases the quantity of blood ” She said looking at  her tiny daughter and  her  friend. It  was  her friend’s turn to  nod  in agreement. Both the  young ladies  ordered  two glasses  each  and felt  satisfied  and  happy at  making their  kids  have  a  healthy  drink.

Right  next  to the Fruit shop are two  shops  for  the fresh vegetables  and  fruits. Both  the  fruitwalas  , knowing  the  high  gentry  in the  coloney get the best  vegetables and  fruits  to  sell. I, though a  non -drinker of   juice ,  prefer  to go  for buying   fresh fruits almost daily. Today  when I  went there  I  witnessed a  heated argument the  same two  ladies  were having  on the quality  of  pomegranates  he  was selling. They told  him  categorically,  that  they  do  not wish  to compromise on  the quality of the  fruit and at  the  same time he  dare not over charge them or  they  will complain  against  him to the RWA. The  poor  fellow  promised them that he is  always  careful and would  never  give them anything substandard. They  left  satisfied  with  their  purchases. I  was waiting for the  ladies  to  finish  their shopping , when they  left  I started  selecting  the  fruits  which  I  wanted to buy. As  it  was  almost  9 pm and the  time to close the  shop and  so there was hardly anyone  in the  shop as  well  as  the  shopping complex. I  selected the  fruits  which  I  needed. When I  asked  the  rate  of  pomegranates(my  favourite)he  said   it  was Rs 100 per kg. I  felt  it was on the  higher side. He  said  “sir  they  are  the best  pomegranates”. Just then  the  juice owner came  and stood there ,  he  pointed  in the direction of  the  pomegranates. The  owner quietly picked  up some pomegranates  kept  on a side and  weighed  2 kgs for him. The juice owner quietly  gave  him Rs 100. As  he left  , I being a  old  customer of  this  shop  baulked at  him and said  “you also  give  me  at  the  same  rate as you  gave  the  juice seller”. The  fruit shop owner started laughing. I  asked  him  what  is  there to laugh? He  said, “Sir they  are almost  rotton  ones.  I  would  generally  throw  them  away  but  the  juicewala  takes them and will use them in mix-fruit juice and  people don’t  come to  know”. He said smilingly.  Hearing this my eyes popped open  and  my resolve  further  never  to  have  fresh  fruit juice from  even the most  cleanest shop  ever further filliped. But sadly  thoughts went  to the  ladies and many others   who were going to order  two  glasses  each  tomorrow  with the almost  rotten pomogranates in them. And  all  those people at  other juice shops  who were going  to have juice from similar  quality  of  fruits selected by  their  favourite  juicewalas.

Seriously appalled at the abysmal values we maintain in our day to day lives.