Queues, Queues and More Queues

 

 

Queues are a common sight wherever you go: for petrol, diesel, kerosene and cooking gas.  Just seeing them depresses you.  The desperation in this country is awful. Whilst we were all moaning and concerned about the daily earner during the pandemic, what all of us are undergoing right now is much worse. In a three wheeler the other day, the driver declared to me that he cannot run on the metre and wanted three times the normal fare.  The driver informed me that he was responsible for three growing children and ailing parents. His wife worked as a domestic aide.  With both incomes they could not make ends meet for even a week.  He spends almost 36 hours at times just to get Rs 2000 worth of petrol, which hardly lasts for a day’s hires and then back in the queue. Purchasing a tea and a bun to appease his hunger comes at an exorbitant price. In short, owing to queuing for fuel he runs the trishaw only for ten days a month. There are many comparable stories. With the regular price increases of basic necessities and a static income, making ends meet has become a challenging task for the majority. 

 

The Colombo 7 petrol stations are like any other, with a slight difference in that they have the privilege of having their drivers queue for the fuel and ensure the tank is filled.   Many are generously remunerated for queueing for hours and find it worth their while.  

 

Bragatha, who has not changed her lifestyle one bit still flits around.  Brags has three vehicles.  On her way back home one night, she spotted one of her vehicles in a queue at a petrol station and decided to check on her driver’s situation.  She was shocked by what she saw.  It seemed that her driver, along with some mates, had pooled their money and bought a couple of bottles and were enjoying a drink while in the queue and were as high as kites.  Bragatha was furious for a moment but then decided to ignore it as she thought logically that it was not she who was suffering in the queue and drove off. The Driver had accomplished the deed and came back hours later stone cold sober, well knowing that he would be back in the queue with the other vehicle in another few hours.  Brags, in the meantime, was happy with a full tank of petrol in one of her three vehicles.

 

The disparity is huge. It will continue to get worse. We only see terrible and sad footage on the news and various other platforms. The country is not a happy place anymore. It shows on peoples’ faces. The Sri Lankan dream has shattered.