Yesterday, I went to market to buy some coconuts. Unfortunately I didnt had any money with me, but I had a bagful of bananas so I thought of paying using good old barter system.

I went to a grocery store and asked shopkeeper to give me one kg coconuts, and according to exchange rate printed on board I had to pay ten kgs of bananas for one kg of coconut.

The shopkeeper weighed coconut and gave it to me. I gave him bagful of bananas to weigh and take his share in that. To my amazement, the shopkeeper started to remove cover of banana and he weighed only eatable part of banana to keep for him.

I protested, "You weighed coconut, with its shell and now you are removing cover of bananas which I am giving it to you, I am at loss, this is unfair!

"I dont care", the shopkeeper yelled.

"When I give coconut to you I am concerned with what I am giving to you, I dont care what you are receiving, it depends on type of coconut and how you remove its shell",

"Also when I accept bananas from you, I dont care what you are giving, I am concerned with only the eatable portion I receive, I dont want its useless covers and I won't give you additional coconut for the useless covers of bananas."

The adamant shopkeeper offered no choice for me. I searched all the shops in the market, but of no use. All shops had this same practice. What do you think? Isn't this transaction unfair? If you haven't guessed it, put yourself in my position, shopkeeper is your employer and coconut is CTC, cost to company, and if you remove its shell, eatable part - inhand salary is very less. The banana is TFC, time for company, time you spent for your employer which includes your travel time.

Now, Is THIS a fair transaction? We need to ponder over it. All shopkeeper follow the same rule doesn't mean that its fair. I hope some day customer will get better bargain for his bananas. As a customer, what do you think about this?