Everyone calls for a change and we are told change is the only constant thing. Many of us dislike the fact that lots of changes have unfolded in the last few years. When it comes to change, personally I find myself at the receiving end every day for not having change – coins and small denominations.

The fact is that an average citizen’s (getting a little tired of using the mango term) daily life involves many cash transactions. Be it the corner shop for sundry goods, fruit seller, tea shop, bus, vendors in the train or by the road-side – they all demand change. Philosophically I can say there is no change - in the way the government runs, greed of the corporations, suffering of the masses. Alas, I cannot get away without handing out change when demanded.

The ATMs everywhere however believe that we fly in private jets and need the Rs 500 notes only for tipping! I tried to withdraw Rs 400 to get some hundreds but the machine curtly displayed that the amount has to be a multiple of Rs 500.

Neither did I have any luck with live tellers. They handed me three Rs 1,000 notes, when I needed Rs 3,000. This was after I had asked for Rs 1,000 in 10s, Rs 1,000 in 20s and the rest in 50s. They don’t have small change they said, but could ‘save’ change for me if I call them a week in advance. For a change, the bank folks would be the one sighing on getting a call from me, rather than the other way around!

No luck at the chain department store either. After “carefully” shopping for Rs 262, I handed an Rs 500 note. The cashier wanted Rs 2 and I obliged. The machine handled the complex math of subtraction and the cashier demanded Rs 60 change. No way! I was shopping here, only for change – literally. I am not giving away my hoard. The cashier then helpfully offered that I can swipe my card. All I wanted, more than the lemon flavored cleaner and the strawberry flavored soap, was change. And no cash-less-ier will swipe my chance to attain that.

I even contemplated doing what the rich people do – go to the mountains or Oceanside for change, ‘cause I cannot find it in the city. Maybe I should suggest to the government to encourage counterfeiters to mint/print low denomination money and qualify that as their CSR initiative.

On the demand side, shops should stop luring people with neat round number prices such as Rs 50. And after you fall for that, demand ‘change’ after adding in VAT, ST and what-not. And grocery shops that want to pass-off chocolate as change should also accept chocolate, pen, safety pin etc as change from the customer - our own version of bit coins!

Gandhiji said “be the change you want to see”. But what if I want to see a world without the need for change?