A certain Betel leaf candidate looking after an electorate on the outskirts of Anuradhapura had a party office in the area put up by a buddy of his. When the candidate expressed his gratitude to the buddy, the latter told him: “I am doing this for you as a friend and I expect nothing from you in return. Give me only Rs.5,000 to buy two or three bottles of arrack to treat the chaps who helped me to put up this party office.”
The candidate, wiser by experience knew the sky was the limit for buying party supporters arrack at election times and ignored the buddy’s request.
The political buddy decided not to take the affront lying down.
The following morning the candidate was on his way to address a propaganda meeting when he decided to drop in at this particular party office. And had the biggest surprise in his life!
Of course, the party office was there, but it was decorated with the colour of a different political party!
However, the change of party colour was no jigsaw puzzle to the candidate. He knew that his buddy had taught him a lesson for refusing to fund the arrack party. He proceeded even without getting down from the vehicle to make inquiries.
